itfA 'j^'ttj.f j',<->'>C-'!J mw ii'^y. K-- THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND ^^ l^^^^^x^^^ : /^^> omIv "' \nnalK Hist. rev>s '" S'?'ars?ephai Cado,cn^.., 380). 4to. ^J'^s-- ' ^^,^,,.-,,^3 av.anoie ii^.-? VERSES ONTHELATE gfj, UNANIMOUS RESOLUTIONS. TOSUPPORTTHE CONSTITUTION. TO WHICH ARE ADDED SOME OTHER POEMS. By SAMUEL EGERTON BRYDGES, of Denton, in Kent, Efq. CANTERBURY: PRIIsTED BV SIMMONS, KIRKBY, AND JONES : MDCCXCIV "31 sj ADVERTISEMENT. jLUE foJlo\i)ing Trijles have lain 7iegle6led, and almost forgotten for some months in the warehoufe of the Frinter. V/hen almost f?iished at the -press, they were somewhat prematurely announced to the Public 5 and an accident then prevented their publication. But in consequence of that advertisemejity it becomes at length necessary to submit them to the inspeBion at least of the few friends and neighbours for whom they were intended. T^be first poem was hastily written at a great politi- cal crisis, December 19, 1792, and se?7t immediately to the Kent id) Gazette, in which it was then inserted, The rest are mere trifles indeed, 7nost of them written at least ten years ago, and of their faff the author is entirely carelefs, Denton, Jan, 9, 1794. VERSES, O N THE LATE UNANIMOUS RESOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE CO N snruTio N^' . IXARK ! 'tis the shout of joy that Meets my ear -, And Concord's plaudits shake the echoing sphere ! ** Long live our glorious King !" And long may live The blessed days that Lav^ and Order give ! And may our children's children still enjoy The sacred fence, that villains v^^ould destroy ; And ages hence in peace and plenty smile Beneath the shelter of the noble pile ! Mark how Sedition's clam'rous tongue is drown'd ! Mark how his looks his frustrate schemes confound ! Mark how the guilty Plunderer scowls to find His golden visions vanish'd like the wind ! Mark how the Murderer grins, since now no more He hopes to wash his savage hands in gore ! Wriitcn Dec, 19, 1792. B And C 2 ) And Envy foul, and disappointed Pride In sullen gloom their dreams would vainly hide O'er their Lords* necks with cruel taunts to ride 1 O hail to Britons' generous hearts ! that brave All storms, the cause of Liberty to save ; But, still to Wisdom and to Order true, Licence and Anarchy with hate pursue I O meliorated scheme, that Time has drawn From many a struggle past, and peril gone ; From Wisdom acting on the deeds enroU'd Of many a wond'rous Sage, and Warrior bold ! O Constitution, with more power endued To curb the Vicious and protect the Good, Than e'er the page of Hist'ry told before ! And shall we prize your happiness no more ? O civil Policy, whose power prescribes Riches and safety to Barbarian tribes j That from the woods the houseless wanderer calls, To the sweet shelter of surrounding walls ; From where, o'er scanty and uncertain food, Naked and shivering half their hours they brood -, Or ( 3 ) Or o'er drear wilds throughout the tedious day With endless toil pursue the needful prey; To the warm vestment ; to the chearful dome, Where sure of safety each commands his home j Where still the bread, that wholesome Toil may get, Id peace his little tribe may round him eat 1 O Policy ! not only such thy praise 1 Mankind to higher bliss thou yet can'st raise ! To touch the heart, to feed th' etherial flame. That seeks by polish'd arts immortal fame ; Manners to soften, soothe the maddening strife, And teach the sweet civilities of life, 'Tis thine, blest Power ! And thine to scatter round The useful splendor, with which Wealth is crown 'd ! Hence Labor finds employ ; the Poor are fed ; The industrious Artist's board's with plenty spread ; Hence Commerce lifts her sails ; and hence explores The world's wide circuit for its varied stores ! Guarded by thee, sweet Policy, by thee ! The fruits that, borne o'er many a dangerous sea, Months of sad peril and long toil employ 'd, In peace securely are at home enjoy'd -, Guarded ( 4 ) Guarded by thee, the Swain who tills the ground, In safety sees his harvest ripen round j Nor o'er the spoils of savage clans he weeps, But the same seed he suws, himself he reaps ! Guard as thou art then, guarded may'st thou be By future ages resolute as we ! May Justice wave her sword, if Faction rise. And stop th' audacious Coward's treacherous lies 1 Woe be the day, that sees the Villain lead Destruction's hell-hounds to the rueful deed, When all that's fair, and all that's wise, must fall. And Waste and Desolation cover all 1 Ne'er may I see the hour ! but should my doom Lengthen my life till such a conflict come. May the first sword be pointed at my breast. And in the quiet grave secure my rest I VERSES. ( 5 ) VERSES upon ANCIENT MANSIONS.* Hail, ye bold turrets, and thou reverend Pile, That feem in Age's hoary vest to fmile ! Thou noble Arch, thro' which the massy gate Opes to yon Hall in slow and folemn state. All-hail 1 For here creative Fancy reads Of ages past the long-forgotten deeds -, Tales wrote in magic marks thy walls among, By Time's fwift current as it pass'd along. Hail, virtuous race ! Whofe Sires from age to age, The gay and grave, the Soldier and the Sage, Here, where you still in happy peace abide, Caught their first breath, and here in quiet died ! Yes here the bold Crufader from his toils Return'd t' enjoy his long-lost children's fmiles : * These were written for a friend, as part of the Pieface cf the 2d vu!. of the Topographer, and were accordingly published in that work. Yon ( 6 ) Yon pictur'd window, where the doubtful light Bursting thro' mellow panes enchants the sight, Rais'd by his hand with Glory's honest flame, Shews the bold Cross the emblem of his fame ; That Crofs which still with spirit undecay'd Against the cruel Spaniard was dispIavM, When Raleigh led his bands from shore to shore New worlds with dauntless courage to explore. Yon old hereditary trees that spread Their rude luxuriant umbrage o'er your head, Their grateful shade, two hundred summers past, O'er the soft slumbers of your Fathers cast ! O ye wild dells, ye hills with beeches crown'd, Ye opening lawns, that yonder pales surround ; Within whose circuit, still alarm'd v/ith fear, At every quivering leaf-fall, leaps the deer j And unrestrain'd by modern bounds, to find His ancient ranges shoots before the wind ! Ne*er may the Stranger, rais'd by lawless gain. Disturb the peaceful Lords of your domain. Pollute these haunts by cruel rapine won, And ope your hallow'd umbrage to the Sun ! But ( 7 ) But the same race, that blew the bugle horn Along these echoing woods to cheer the morn. When the fourth Harry heard the lively call. And grac'd your lord in yonder feastful Hall, May the same virtuous race your echoes court. Pursuing still th' hereditary sport, And roam in summer suns, or rest, beneath Your lovely shades, and catch your fragrant breath -, And, still in death the same desires to keep, In yon low chapel with their fathers sleep ! SONNET. ( 8 ) S O N N E T. ir KITTEN AT IVOOTTON IN KENT. W H I L E I re-wandcr o'er this wood crown'd steep, Yon sheep-clad lawn, and this secluded dell, Yon Mansion, and yon holy Tower, that peep From the thick trees, where in their silent cell The hallow'd relics of my fathers sleep, I strive in vain the tumults to repell That force mine eyes with sad regret to weep, Since my sweet childhood's lost delights they tell. Here my lov'd Parent pass'd his happy days In rural peace, with every Virtue warm'd, While the wide country round, that rung his praise. His sense directed, and his goodness charm'd : But I, alas, to genuine pleasures blind. Tost on the world's wide waves, no quiet find ! SONNET. ( 9 ) SONNET, 071 MoorPark, near Farnham, Surry, formerly the Seat o/Sir Wm. Temple, whose heart was buried in the Garden there, 1 o yonder narrow vale, whose high-slop'd sides Arc hung with airy Oaks, and umbrage deep. Where thro' thick shades the lulhng waters creep. And no vile noise the musing mind derides. But Silence with calm SoHtude abides. Temple with joy retir'd that he might keep A course of quiet days, and nightly sleep Beneath the covering wings of heavenly guides. Virtue and Peace. Here he in sweet repose Si^^h'd his last breath, Here Swift in youth rcclin'd Pass'd his smooth days ! O had he longer chose Retreats so pure, perchance his nicer mmd, (That the World's wildering follies, and its woes To Madness shook,) had ne'er with sorrows pin'd ! C SONNET. ( 10 ) . SONNET. ^ THE WINDS. -^"i' 23, 1784. Sublime the pleasure, meditating song, Luird by the piping of the winds to lie. While ever and anon collecting, fly The choir still swelling as they haste along. And shake with full iEolian notes the sky : A pause ensues j the Sprites, that lead the throng, Recall their force, and first begin to sigh, Then howls the gathering stream the rocking domes among. Methinks I hear the shrieking Spirits oft Groan in the blast, and flying tempests lead, While some aerial beings sighing soft Round once-lov'd Maids their guardian wishes plead : Spirits of Torment shrilly speak aloft. And warn the wretch, who rolls in guilt, to heed. SONNET. C " ) SONNET. T O T H E Rev. cooper WILLIAMS, a. m* T R I E N D of my early childhood, since the wane Of the declining year no more invites To bask abroad in air, vi^hile falling rain And the cold blast the wand'ring footstep frights From miry- pathways, and from field-delights ; In this old mansion, where the pictur'd pane With pomp of ages past enchants our sights. Here let the blazing hearth our hours detain ! Round the glad board while wine, inspiring wine, Liberal not lavish, aids the' unbending mind. Let my wild gloomy fancy, joy divine In the mix'd sunshine of thy humour find ! For worldly storms, and every eddying blast But bid us to old friendships cling more fast. C 2 SONNET. ( 12 ) SONNET, AN EVENING IN MAY. JL E glittering Stars of Heav'n's blue concave, Hail ! Ye ancient Oaks, that lift your branches high In the dim twilight of the azure sky, Beneath whose arms I hear the Nightingale Pour out her liquid notes across the Vale -, While mates from every half-leaPd covert nigh In exquisitely varied notes reply ! Thou faded hill, where bleating Lambs bewail Their mothers lost ! thou hedge, yet dimly seen That skirt'st the Meadow, whence the shcreel-owl cries 1 Ye glancing lights, that oft by fits, between The opening branches, from the village rise ! Hail, soul-composing scenes, and harmonies. That raise the soul to heavenly extacies i SONNET. C 13 ) SONNET. OCTOBER. October 13, 1784. yJ lov'd October ! still my vacant day As thou return'st, in rural sweets shall fly ! Mid yellow fields ; mid woods of tawny dye, Whose fragant leaves about my pathway play 5 By russet hedges ; all thy morns I'll stray : And round the chearful fire in converse high With choicest spirits meet, when o'er the sky Soft social Evening draws her mantle grey. Nor will we cease, till Midnight's reign profound. The sweet communion of the fleeting hour. While blasts that yet but weakly whistle round, Urge to enjoy the moment in our power, Warning of winter-days in tumult drown'd,. Far from the