lifornia 
 
 onal 
 
 lity

 
 SOUTHERN BRANCH 
 
 V OF CALIFORNIA 
 ARY 
 
 LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
 
 POEMS 
 
 viz. 
 
 An ODE to LORD BOLINGBROKE. 
 The SPLENDID SHILLING. 
 B L E I N H E I M. A Poem. 
 CYDER, In Two Books. 
 
 BY MR. J O H N PHILIPS, 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 PUNTED BY CAMPBELL DENOVAN, AT HIS 
 
 OFFICE, TURK'S GLOSS, LAWN-MARKET; 
 
 TOR PATRICK ANDERSON, BOOKSELLER, 
 PARLI AME N T-SQJUAR. E. 
 
 * 7 7 8.
 
 JT*1 } 
 
 feu* 
 
 THE 
 
 g 
 
 LIFE 
 
 O F 
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS, 
 
 AFTER we have read the works of a poet 
 , with pleafure, and refle&ed upon them with 
 
 ^i improvement, we are naturally apt to inquire in- 
 J to his life, the manner of his education, and other 
 ^ little circumftances, which give a new beauty to 
 ** his writings, and let us into the genius and cha- 
 racter of their author. To fatisfy this general in- 
 clination, and do fome jultice to the memory of 
 Mr. PH i L i PS, we (hall give the world a (hort ac- 
 count of him and his few, but excellent, com- 
 poutions. Sufficient they were, though few, to 
 his fame, but not to our wi(hes. 
 A 2
 
 4 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Hewasthcfonof Dr STE p HEN PHIL IPS, arch- 
 deacon of Salop, and born at Bampton in Oxford- 
 ihire, December the thirtieth, Anno 1676. After 
 he was well grounded in grammar-learning, he 
 was fent to Wincheiler f; hool, where he made 
 himfelf mailer of the Latin and Greek languages, 
 and was foon diftingtfiihed for a happy imitation 
 of the excellencies which he difcovered in the bed 
 claflical authors. 
 
 With this foundation of good learning, and very 
 early promiles of a farther improvement in all ufe- 
 ful ftudies, he was removed to Chrift-Church in 
 Oxford. From his firft entrance into that univer- 
 fity, he was very much efteemed for the fimplicity 
 of his manners, the agreeablenefs of his eonverfa- 
 tion, and the uncommon delicacy of his genius. 
 All his univerfity exercifes were received with ap- 
 plaufe; and in that place, fo famous for good fenfe, 
 and a true fpirit, he, in a fhort time, grew to befu- 
 perior to moft of his cotemporaries : where, to have 
 been their equal only, had been a fufficient praife. 
 There it was, that, following the natural bent of 
 his genius, befide other valuable authors, he became 
 acquainted with Milton, whom he ftudied with ap- 
 plication, and traced him in all his fuccefsful tran- 
 flations from the antients. There was not an al- 
 lufion in his PAR AD is t LOST, drawn from the 
 thoughts or cxpreflions of Homer or Virgil,
 
 MR, JOHN PHILIPS. 5 
 
 which he could not immediately refer to ; and, 
 by that, he perceived what a peculiar life and 
 grace, their fentiments added to Lnglifli poetry ; 
 how much their images raifed its fpirit , and 
 what weight and beauty their words, when 
 tranflated, gave to its language. Nor was he 
 lefs curious in obferving the force and elegancy 
 of his mother-tongue, but, by the example of 
 his darling Milton, fearcbed backwards into the 
 works of our old Engiiih poets, to furnifh himfelf 
 with proper founding, and fignificant expref- 
 fions, and prove the due extent, and compafs 
 cf the language. For this purpofe, he careful- 
 ly read over Chaucer, ami Spenfer ; and, after- 
 wards, in his writings, did not fcruple to revive 
 any words, or phrafes, which he thought de- 
 ferved it, with that modeft liberty, which Horace 
 allows of, either in the coining of new, or re- 
 ftoring of ancient expreffions. Yet though he 
 was a profefled admirer of thefe authors, it was 
 not from any view of appearing io public ; for 
 fuch was his modefty, that he was the only per- 
 fon who did not think himfelf qualified for it: 
 he read for his own pleafure j and writing was 
 the only thing he declined, wherein he was ca- 
 pable of pleafing others. Nor was he fo in love 
 vvith poetry, as to neglect any other parts of 
 A 3
 
 6 THELIFEOF 
 
 good literature, which either their ufefulnefs, or 
 his own genius, excited him to purfue. He was 
 very well verfed in the whole compafs of natural 
 philofophy ; and feemed, in his ftudies, as well 
 as his writings, to have made Virgil his pattern, 
 and often to have broke out with him into the 
 following rapturous wifh ; 
 
 Me vero primum dulces ante omnia Mufae, 
 C^uarum facra fero ingenti perculfes amore, 
 Accipiant ; coelique vias et fidera monftrent ; 
 Defeftus folis varies, lunaeque labores : 
 Unde tremor terris ; qua vi maria aha tumefcant 
 Objicibus ruptis, rurfufque in fe ipfa refidant : 
 Quid tantum oceano properent fe tingere foles 
 Hyberni j vel quae tardis mqja no&ibus obftet. 
 
 Georg. lib. II. 
 
 Give me the ways of wand'ring ftars to know, 
 The depths of heaven above, and earth below, 
 Teach me the various labours of the moon, 
 And whence proceed th' eclipfes of the fun. 
 Why flowing tides prevail upon the main, 
 And in what dark recefs they fhrink again. 
 What (hakes the folid earth, what caufe delays 
 The fummer nights, and fhortens winter days. 
 
 DRYDEN.
 
 MR. J O H N P H I L I P S. 7 
 
 Mr Philips was no lefs pafiionate an admirer 
 of nature ; and it is probable, tbat he drew his 
 own character, in that defcription which he gives 
 of a philosophical and retired life, at the latter 
 end of the ftrft book of his * CYDER. 
 
 He to his labours hies, - 
 Gladfome, intent on fomewhat that may eafe 
 Unhealthy mortals, and with curious fearch 
 Examines all the properties of herbs, 
 Foffils, and minerals, that th' embowell'd earth 
 Difplays, if by his induftry he can 
 Benefit human race. 
 
 And we have good reafon to believe, that much 
 mighr have been attained to, many new difco- 
 veries made, by fo diligent an enquirer, and fo 
 faithful a recorder of phyfical operations. How- 
 ever, though death prevented our hopes in that 
 refpet, yet the admirable paflages of that kind, 
 which we find in his poem on CYDER, may con- 
 rince us of the nicenefs of his obfervations in 
 natural caufes : befide this, he was particularly 
 fldlled in all manner of antiquites, efpecially 
 thofe of his own country ; and part of this too, 
 
 * Firft printed Anno 1708.
 
 9 THELIFEOF 
 
 he has, with much art and beauty, intermixed 
 with his poetry. 
 
 As to his private character,, he was beloved by 
 all that knew him, and admired by thofe who did 
 rot; fcmewhat referred, and filent among ftran- 
 gers, but free, familiar, and eafy with his friends : 
 the firft was, the effe& of his modefty ; the lat- 
 ter, of hts ehearful innocence : the one was, the 
 proper caution of a wife man ; the other, the 
 good-humour of a friend. He was averfe to con- 
 tentious difputes ; and thought no time fb ill 
 fpent, and no wit fo ill ufed, as that which was 
 employed in fuch debates. Thus he never con- 
 tributed to the uneafmefs of his company, but 
 often to their inftruction, always to their plea- 
 fure. As on the one hand, he declined all ftrokes 
 of fatire ; fo, on the other, he detefled flattery 
 as much v and, I believe, would rather have 
 been contented with the character of a dull man, 
 than that of a witty, or fervile one, at the ex- 
 pence of his humanity, or fincerity. This fin- 
 cerity, indeed, was his diftinguifhing character j 
 and made him as dear to all good men, as his 
 wit and learning did to all favourers of true fenfe, 
 and letters. 
 
 Upon all thefe accounts, during his ftay in the 
 univerfity, he was honoured with the acquaint-
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. 9 
 
 ancc of the beft and politeft men in it j many of 
 whom, who now make confiderable figures, both 
 in the ftate, and in the republic of learning, would 
 think it no difgrace to have their names mention- 
 ed, as Mr. Philips' friends. And here we muii 
 not omit that particular friendfhip which he con- 
 traded with Mr. Edmund Smith, author of the 
 incomparable tragedy of PHAEDRA and HIPPO- 
 I, IT us ; and who, upon his deceafe, celebrated 
 his memory in a fine poem ; and foon after fol- 
 lowed him to the grave. Thefe two often com- 
 municated their thoughts to each other ; and as 
 their ftudies lay the fame way, were much to 
 their mutual fatisfaction, and improvement.. For, 
 as the mind takes no greater pleafure than in a 
 free and unreferved difcovery of its own notions, 
 fo it can reap no greater profit than in the cor- 
 rection it meets with from the judgement of afm- 
 cere friend. I his, we make no doubt, was as 
 pleafant as any part of Mr. Philips' life, who had 
 a foul capable of relifhing all the fineft enjoyments 
 of fublime, virtuous, and elegant fpirits. I am 
 fure Mr. Smith, in his poem to his memory, 
 fpeaks of it as what moft affeled him, and pa- 
 thetically complains'for the lofs of it.
 
 i+ THELIFEOF 
 
 Whom {hall I find unbyafs'd in difpute, 
 Eager to learn, unwilling to confute ? 
 To whom the labours of my foul difclofe, 
 Reveal my pleafure, or difcharge my woes ? 
 O ! in that heav'nly youth for ever ends 
 The beft of fons, of brothers, and of friends. 
 
 It is to be deplored, indeed, that two great ge- 
 niufes, in whofe power it was to have obliged the 
 world fo much, fhould make fo fhort a ftay in it 5 
 though had their date been longer, we can hard- 
 ly fay, that time would have added any thing but 
 number to their compofitions. It was their happi- 
 nefs to give us all their pieces perfect in their kind j 
 the accuracy of their judgement not fuffering them 
 to publifh wkhout the greateft care and correct- 
 nefs. For hafty fruits, the common product of 
 every injudicious fancy, feldom continue long, ne- 
 ver come to maturity, and are, at beft, food only 
 for debauched and vitiated palates. Thefe men 
 thought, and conGdered before they fat down to 
 write ; and after they had written too, being ever 
 the lad perfons who were fatisfied that they had 
 performed well: an<l even then, perhaps, more in 
 compliment to the opinion of others, than from 
 the conviction of their own judgements. 
 
 But it is now time that we lead ou author from 
 his univerfityfricnd to fome of a higher rank,among
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. is 
 
 whom he met with an equal applaufe and admi- 
 ration. The reafon of his coming to town, was the 
 perfuafion of fome great perfons, who engaged 
 him to write upon the battle of Bleinheim*; and, 
 how well their expectations were anfwered, it will 
 be more proper to mention when we fpeak of his 
 works. It is enough at prefent to obferve, that 
 this poem brought him into favour and eileem 
 with f two of the moft eminent encouragers and 
 patrons of letters that have appeared in our age : 
 the one, famous for his political knowledge and 
 univerfal learning; the other, diftinguifhed for the 
 different talents of a refined and polite genius, and 
 'an indefatigable application to bufinefs, joined 
 with an exquifite and fuccefsful penetration in 
 affairs of the higheft concern. 
 
 However, though he was much refpe&ed by 
 thefe, and other noble patrons, yet from the mo- 
 deft diftruft he entertained of himfelf, it was not 
 without fome pain that he enjoyed their company, 
 and the fear of offending oftentimes made him 
 lefs ftudious of pleafing. Such was the humble 
 opinion he conceived of his own good qualities, 
 that it made them lefs confpicuous to others ; as 
 if he was alhamed that his virtues were greater j 
 
 * Anno 1705. 
 
 f The late carl of Oxford, and lord Bolipgbroke,
 
 T* THE LIFE OF 
 
 he chofe rather to obfcure thofe which he really 
 had, than to place them in that ornamental light 
 i they deferred. I fpeak this only with re- 
 fp to his converfation with his fuperiors, who, 
 knov.-ing his true worth, were more pleafed with 
 liis endeavours to difguife it, than if he had fetit 
 oft'with all the oftentatious gaiety that men of much 
 wit, but little humility and good-breeding, gene- 
 rally affedt. As this decent filence did not preju- 
 dice me great agai-ut his wit, To neither did his 
 unfolicitousealineis in his fortune at all hinder the 
 marks of their favour and munificence. True it 
 is, that he never praifed any one with a fordid 
 view,norev'i iacrificed his fincerityto his intereft, 
 having a foul above ennobling the vicious ; and 
 as he i*ave his characters with the fpirit of a poet, 
 he obferved at the fame time the fidelity of an 
 hillorian. This, indeed, was a part which diftin- 
 guifhed him as much from almoft aii ether poets, 
 as las manner of writing did ; he being one of 
 thofe few who were equally averfe to flattery and 
 detraction. He never went out cf his way for a 
 panegyric, or forced his invention to be fubfervi- 
 ent to his gratitude'^ but interwove his characters 
 fo well with the thread of his poetry, and adapted 
 them fo juftly to the merit of the perfons, that 
 they all appear natural, beautiful, and of a piece
 
 MR, JOHN PHILIPS. 15 
 
 with the poem. If it be reckoned difficult topraife 
 well, for our author not to err, in fuch a variety 
 is much more fo, and looks like the mafterly 
 hand of a great painter, who can draw all forts 
 of beauties, and at the fame time that he gives 
 them their proper charms, happily diftinguiflies 
 them from each other. In fhort, to purfue the 
 metaphor, there is nothing gaudy in his colours, 
 nothing ftiff or affected in his manner ; and all 
 the lineaments are fo exact, that an indifferent 
 eye may, at firft view, difcover who fat for the 
 picture. 
 
 From this general view of his writings, I fhall 
 now pafs on to a particular ; of which it is to be 
 wifhed, there were a larger, as well as abetter, than 
 the following account, I have heard a ftory of 
 an eminent preacher, who, out of an obflinate 
 "modefty, could never be prevailed upon to print 
 but one fermon *, (the belt, perhaps, that ever 
 palled the prefs) to which the public gave the title 
 of Dr. CRADOCK'S WORKS. The fame, with 
 much juftice, might be given to the poetical com- 
 pofitions which our excellent author has publifli- 
 ed, and which may challenge that name more 
 B 
 
 * On Providence. Preached before K. Charles II. Feb, 
 10. 1(577-8.
 
 J4 THELIFEOF 
 
 defervedly, than all the mighty .-o.uTies of pro- 
 fufe and negligent writers. 
 
 The firft of thefe was the SPLENDID SHIL- 
 LING; a title as new and uncommon for a poem, 
 as his way of adorning it was, and which, in the 
 opinion of one of the beft and mod unprejudicial 
 iudgesof this age, " is the fineft burlefque poem 
 " in the Britifh language*." Nor was it only 
 the fineft of that kind in our tongue' but handled 
 in a manner quite different from what had been 
 made ufe of by any author of our o\vn, or other 
 nations ; the fentiments and ftile being in this 
 both new ; whereas in thofe, the jell lies more 
 in allufions to the thoughts and fables of the an- 
 cients, than in the pomp of the exprefiion. The 
 fame humour is continued through the whole, 
 and not unnaturally diverlified, as moft poems of 
 that nature have beenbefore. Out of that variety 
 of circumftances, which his fruitful invention 
 muft fuggeft to him on fucha fubjecl:, he has not 
 chofen any but what are diverting to every reader, 
 and fome, that none but his inimitable drefs 
 could have made diverting to any. When we 
 read it, we are betrayed into a pleafure that we 
 could not expeV. ; though at the fame time, the 
 fublimity of the ftile, and gravity of the phrafe, 
 
 * See the Tatler, Numb. 250.
 
 MR. I O H N P H I L I P S. jj 
 
 feem to chaftife that laughter which they pro- 
 voke. 
 
 In her beft light the comic mufe appears, 
 When (he, with borrow'd pride, the bufkin wears*. 
 
 This was the firft piece that made him known 
 to the worldjj and, though printed from an incor- 
 rer. copy, gained him an univerfal applaufe; and 
 (as every thing new in its kind does) fet many 
 imitators to work j yet none ever came up to the 
 humour and happy turn of the original. A ge- 
 nuine edition of it came out fome years after; for 
 he was not fo folicitousfor praife, as to hafteneven 
 that, which by the earned he received from the 
 public, he might modeftly aflure himfelf would 
 be a procurer of it. 
 
 The next of his poems was that, intitled 
 BLENHEIM ; wherein he (hews, that he could 
 ufe the fame fublime and nervous ftile as proper- 
 ly on a ferious and heroic fubjecl:, as he had be- 
 fore done on one of a more light and ludicrous 
 nature. We have faid before, at whofe requeft 
 this was wrote j though he would willingly have 
 declined that undertaking, had not the powerful 
 incitements of his friends prevailed upon him, to. 
 B 2 
 
 * Sec Mr. Smith's Poem above mentioned.
 
 id THELIFEOF 
 
 give up his modefty to their j udgement. The ex- 
 ordium of this piece is a juft allufion to the be- 
 ginning of the .^Eneid, (if that be Virgil's) and 
 that of Spencer's FAIRY QUEEN. 
 
 From low and abject themes, the grovelling mufe 
 Nov.- mounts" aerial, to fing of arms 
 Triumphant, and emblaze the martial ac~r,3 
 Of Britain's hero ; 
 
 The fpirit is kept on the fame to the end ; the 
 whole being full of noble fentiments, andmajeftic 
 numbers, equal to the Hero whom it extols ; and 
 not admitting of any rival, (except Mr. Addifon's 
 poem*) 'on the fame occafion. I cannot forbear 
 mentioning one beautiful imitation of Virgil in 
 his digreflion upon the poetical Elizium, where 
 the fanwus TuMarcelluseris is fo happi- 
 ly tranflated and applied, that it (hews the fpirit 
 of Virgil better than all the labours of his com- 
 mentators : there, fpeaking of the late marquifs 
 of Blandford, he fays-; 
 
 Had thy prefiding ftar propitious {hone, 
 Shouldtt CHURCHILL be ! 
 
 The addrelTes to his patrons are very fine and 
 artificial; the firft, juil and proper-, and the fatter 
 
 * TUe Campaign.
 
 M*. JOHN PHILTPS. ir 
 
 el Englifli Memmius, exactly appofite to him, to- 
 whom all the polite part of mankind agree, in. 
 applying that of the Roman ; 
 
 . 
 Quern tu dea tempore in omni 
 
 Omnibus ornatum voluifti excellere rebus. 
 
 As to his CYDER, it is one (if not the only) fi- 
 nimed poem, of that length, extant in our lan- 
 guage ; the foundation of that work was laid, and 
 the firft book compofed at Oxford; thefecond, was 
 for the moft part, in town. He determined to the 
 choice of that fubjeft, by the violent paflion he had 
 to do fome honour to his native country ; and has 
 therefore exerted all the powers of genius and art 
 to make it complete. It is founded upon the mo- 
 del of ViRGiL'sGEORGics; andcomes the near- 
 eft of any other, to that admirable poem, which 
 the critics prefer to the divine JSneid. Yet, though 
 it is eafy to difcern who was his guide in that dif- 
 ficult way, we may obferve, that he comes after 
 rather iike a purfuer, than a follower, not tracing 
 him ftep after ftep, but chofing thofe paths in 
 which he might eafieft overtake him. All his imi- 
 tations are far from being fervile, though fome- 
 times very clofe ; at other times, he brings in a 
 new variety, and entertains us with fcenes more 
 B 3
 
 i8 THELIFEOF 
 
 unexpected and pleafing, perhaps, than his ma- 
 fters themfelves were to thofe who firft faw that 
 work. The conduct and management are fuperior 
 to all other copyers of that original j and, even 
 the admired Rapin is much below him^both in 
 defign and fuccefs ; for the Frenchman either fills 
 his gardens with the idle fables of antiquity, or 
 new transformations of his own ; and has, in con- 
 tradiction to his own rules of criticifm, judici- 
 oufly blended the ferious and fublime ftyle of Vir- 
 gil, with the elegant turns of Ovid in his Meta- 
 morphofes. Nor has the great genius of Mr. 
 Cowley fucceeded better in his books of Plants, 
 who, befides the fame faults with the former, is 
 continually varying his numbers from one fort of 
 verfe to another, and alluding to remote hints of 
 medicinal writers, which, though allowed to be 
 wfeful, are yet fo numerous, that they flatten the 
 dignity of the verfe, and fink it from, a poem to 
 a treatife of phyfic. It is not out of envy to the 
 merit of thefe great men (and who will ever be 
 fuch in fpite of envy) that we take notice of thefe 
 miftakes, but only to fhew the judgement of him 
 who followed them, in avoiding to commit the 
 fame. Whatever fcenes he prefents us witr^ 
 appear delicate and charming j the philofophi- 
 cal touches furprize, the moral inftruft, and the^
 
 Ma. JOHN PHILIPS. i 9 
 
 gay defcriptions tranfport the reader. Sometimes 
 he opens the bowels of the earth ; at others, he 
 paints its furface ; fometimes he dwells upon its 
 lower products, and fruits -, at others, mounts to 
 its higher and more ftately plantations, and then 
 beautifies it with the innocent pleafures of its in- 
 habitants. Here we are taught the nature and va- 
 riety of foils i there the difference of vegetables, 
 the fports of a rural, the retirement of ?. contemp- 
 lative life, the working genius of the huibandman, 
 the induftry of the mechanic, contribute as much 
 to diverfify, as the due praifes of exalted patriot?, 
 heroes, and ftatefrnen, to raife and ennoble the 
 poetry. The change of feafons, and their diftinc- 
 tions, introduced by the rifing and fetting of the 
 ilars, the effe&s of heat, cold, {bowers, and tem- 
 pefls, are in their feveral places very ornamental, 
 and their defcriptions inferior only to thof<e of 
 Virgil. 
 
 It would be difficult, as well as ufelefs, to give 
 particular irrftances of his imitations of the laft 
 mentioned poet : men of tafte and learning will 
 themfelves obferve them with pleafure ; and it 
 would be to no purpore to quote them to the il- 
 literate : to the one, it would be a fort of an af- 
 front ; to the other, but an infipid entertainment. 
 Milton, we are informed, could repeat the bcft
 
 so T H E L I F E O F 
 
 part of Homer; andtbeperfon of whom we write^ 
 could do the fame of Virgil, and by continually- 
 reading him, fortunately equalled the variety of 
 his numbers. This alone ought to be a fufficient 
 anfwer tothofe who wifh this poem had been wrote 
 in rhime, fince then it muft have loft half its beau- 
 ties ; it being impoflible, but that the fame undi- 
 ftinguifhable tenour of verfification, and returns 
 of clofe, fhould make it very unharmonious to a 
 judicious and mufical ear. The beft judges of our 
 nation have given their opinions againft rhime, e- 
 venthey, who ufed it with the greatefl admiration 
 nnd fuccefs, could not forbear condemning the 
 practice. I am not ignorant, to what a height 
 fome modern writers have carried this art, and 
 adapted it to exprefs the moft fublime ideas ; yet 
 this has been in much fhorter poems than the 
 prefent ; and I doubt not but the fame perfons 
 would have rejected it, were they to write upon 
 the like occafion. I fhall not fo far enter into 
 the difpute concerning the preference of thefe 
 different manners of writing, as to ftate and an- 
 fwer the objections on each fide. It is true, Mr> 
 Drv 4 .cn thought that Milton's choice of blank 
 rerfe proceeded from his inability to rhime well; 
 and, as good a reafon might eafily be given for 
 his own choice , it being certain, he had the
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. 11 
 
 perfect art and myftery of one, and could haTe 
 been but fecond in the other. 
 
 However, we leave this queftion to be decided 
 by thofe, whofe ftudies and defigns to excel in 
 poetry may oblige them to a more exaft enquiry : 
 For my part, I think it no more a difreputatiori 
 to Mr. Philips, that he did not write in rhime, 
 than it is to Virgil, thpt he has not compofed 
 odes or elegies. The bent of out genius is what 
 we ought to purfue ; and if we anfwer our defigns 
 in that, it is fuScient. The critics would make 
 a man laugh, to hear him gravely difputing from 
 little hints of thofe authors, whether Virgil could 
 not have wrote better fatires, or Horace a good 
 epic poem. 
 
 But to return from this digreffion to my defign, 
 I would not have it thought thatlprefumeto make 
 a criticifm upon the works of our author, or thofe 
 of others. Thefe are only the fentiments of one 
 who is indifferent how they are received, if they 
 havethegood fortune not to prejudice his memory, 
 for whofe fake they were written. I mall add but 
 one remark rp.ore upon this fubject, which is the 
 great difficulty of making our Englifh names of 
 plants, foils, animals, and inftruments, mine in 
 verfe : there are haruly any of thofe, which, in
 
 12 T H E L I F E O F 
 
 the Latin tongue, are not in themfelves beautiful 
 and expreffive; and very few in our own, which 
 do not rather debafe than exalt the ftile. And yet, 
 I know not by what art of the poet, thefe words, 
 though in themfelves mean and low, feem not to 
 fink the dignity of his ftile, but became their 
 places as well as thofe of a better and more har- 
 monious found. 
 
 I cannot leave the CYDER, without taking no- 
 tice, that the two books are addrefled to two gen- 
 tlemen, of whom it is enough to fay, that they 
 \vere Mr. Philips' friends and favourers, and 
 \vhofe characters, without the help of a weaker 
 hand, will be tranfmitted to pofterity. Nor muft 
 \ve emit that fignal honour which this piece re- 
 ceived after his deceafe, in being tranflated into 
 Italian by a nobleman of Florence, an honour 
 which the great Boileau was proud his art of 
 poetry obtained, in a language of much lefs de- 
 jicacy and politenefs*. It may be fome pleafure 
 to obferve the turn which Mr. Smith gives this 
 in the following verfes f : 
 
 * MonGeur Eoileau's ART OF POETRY was tracfutcd. 
 into Portuguefe by the count de Ericeyra. 
 + Sec Mr. Surth's Poem on his death.
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. 25 
 
 See mighty Cofmo's counfellor and friend, 
 By turns on Cofmo, and the bard attend: 
 Rich in the coins and buds of antieut Rome, 
 In him he brings a nobler treafure nome ; 
 In them he views her gods, and domes defign'd, 
 In him the foul of Home, and Virgil's mighty 
 To him for eafe retire - from toils of ftate, (mind; 
 Not half fo proud to govern as tranflate. 
 
 All that we have left more of this poet is a 
 Latin ODE, infcribed to the honourable Henry 
 Saint John, fq; late lord Bolingbroke, which is 
 certainly a matter-piece : the ftile is pure and ele- 
 gant, the fubjecl: of a mixed nature, refembling 
 the fublime fpirit, and gay facetious humour of 
 Horace. From this we may form a judgement, 
 that his writings in that language were not infe- 
 rior to thofe he has left us in our own ; and as 
 Horace was one of his darling authors, we need 
 not queftion his ability to excel in his way, as well 
 as that of the admired Virgil. 
 
 By all the enquiry I could make, I have not 
 found that he ever wrote any thing more than 
 what we have mentioned, nor indeed if there are 
 any, am I very felicitous about them, being con- 
 vinced that thefe are all which he finifhed, and 
 it would be an injury to his afhes to print any
 
 24 THE LIFE OF 
 
 imperfect (ketches which he never defrgned for 
 the public. It might, perhaps, pleafe fome to fee 
 the firft efTays of a great genius, but confidering 
 how apt we are to impofe upon ourfelves and o- 
 thers in matters of that kind, it is unfair to hazard 
 the reputation of the writer for the fancy of the 
 reader. It is a filly vanity that fome men have 
 delighted in, of informing the world how young 
 they were when they compofed fome particular 
 pieces ; if they were not good, it is no matter at 
 what age they were wrote; and if they are, it is 
 a great chance, if they proceed, if they do not 
 write beneath themfelves. 
 
 We -have almoft as little to fay in refpetl of 
 our author's farther defigns, only that we are 
 affured by his friends, that he intended to write 
 n Poem upon the Rcfurrection, and the Day 
 of Judgement, in which it is probable, he would 
 not only have exceeded all other, but even his 
 own performances-. That fubjecl:, indeed, was 
 only proper to be treated of in that folemn ftile 
 which he makes ufe of, and by one whofe juft 
 notions of religion, and true fpirit of poetry, 
 could have carried his reader, without a wild 
 enthufiafm, 
 
 JExirsi flaimaBtia macnia mundi.
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. 25 
 
 Milton has given a few fine touches upon the 
 fame; but ftill there remains an inexhauftible 
 ftore of materials to be drawn from the prophets, 
 the pfalmifts, and the other infpired writers, 
 which, in his poetical drefs, might, without the 
 falfe boafting of old poets, have endured to the 
 DAY that it defcribed. The meancft foul, and 
 the loweft imagination, cannot think of that nme, 
 and the defcriptions we meet with of it in holy- 
 writ, without the greateft emotion, and the deep- 
 eft impreffion. What then might we not expet 
 from the believing heart of a good man, and the 
 regulated flights and raptures of an excellent 
 Chriftian poet ? His friend, Mr Smith, feems to 
 be of the fame opinion ; and as he was a better 
 judge of the fcheme which he had laid down, and 
 probably had feen the firft rudiments of his de- 
 fign, we fhall finilh this head with his verfcs on 
 that occafion : 
 
 O ! had relenting heaven prolong'd his days, 
 
 The tow'ring bard had fung in nobler lays, 
 
 How the laft trumpet wakes the lazy dead, 
 
 How faints aloft the crofs triumphant fpread ; 
 
 How op'ning heavens their happy regions fhow, V 
 
 And yawning gulphs with flaming vengeance glow, > 
 
 Aud/fainte rejoice above, and finners howl below. J 
 
 c
 
 26 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Well might he fing the DAY he could not fear> 
 And paint the glories he was fure to wear. 
 
 Thofe who have had either any knowledge of 
 his perfon, or relifh of his competitions, will ea- 
 iily agree in the judgement here given, as the ge- 
 nerality of men of fenfe and learning have alrea- 
 dy done in refpect of thofe which he lived to pu- 
 blifh. For my part, I never heard but of one * who" 
 took it in his head to cenfure his writings ; and 
 it is no great compliment to his judgement, that 
 he has the honour to ftand alone in that reflec- 
 tion. It were eafy to retort upon him, were it 
 not ungenerous to blaft the fruits of his latter 
 fpring, f by comparing them with the crudities 
 of the tirft. That fatire upon our author has, 
 with its other brethren, been dead long fmce ; 
 and, I believe, the world would have quite for- 
 got that ever it had had any being, had not Mr. 
 Smith taken care to inform us of it in a J work 
 of a more durable nature. 
 
 * Sir Richard Blackmorc. 
 
 J- CREATION. A Poem. 
 
 $ His poem to the memory of Mr. PHILIPS. 
 
 N. B. There >vas alfo a very filly anonymous piece wrote 
 againft Mr. Philips' CYDER, called MILTON'S SUBLIMITY 
 ASSERTED, &c. hut it died ia the birth, or might be 
 lather faid to be ftill-boru, i7op.
 
 MR. T O H N t H I L I P S. 27 
 
 However, though there is this one unjuft ex- 
 ception to his writings^ there is none to his life, 
 which was diftinguiihed by a natural goodnefs, 
 a well-grounded and unaftefted piety, an univer- 
 fal charity, and a fteady adherence to his princi- 
 ples. ISo one obferved the natural and civil du- 
 ties of life with a ftricter regard, whether thofe 
 of a fon, a friend, or a membdr of a fociety ; and 
 he had the happinefs to fill every one of thefe 
 parts without even the fufpicion either of unduti- 
 fulnefs, infincerity, or difrefpeft. Thus he con- 
 tinued to the laft, not owing his virtues to the 
 happinefs of his conftitution, but the frame of 
 his mind ; infomuch, that during a long and lin- 
 gering ficknefs, which is apt to ruffle the frnooth- 
 eft temper, he never betrayed any difcontent or 
 uneafinefs, the integrity of bis heart ftill preferved 
 the cheerfulnefs of his fpirits. And if his friends 
 had meafured their hopes of his life only by his 
 unconctrnednefs in his ficknefs, they could not 
 but conclude, that either his date would be much 
 longer, or that he was at all times prepared for 
 death. 
 
 Jie had long been troubled with a lingering 
 
 confumption, attended with an afthma; and the 
 
 fummer before he died, by the advice of his phy- 
 
 ficians, he went to the Bath, where, although he 
 
 C 2
 
 28 THELIFEOF 
 
 had the affiftance of the ableft of the faculty, by 
 whom he was generally beloved he only got fome 
 prefent cafe; and returned from thence, but with 
 fmall hopes of a recovery ; and, upon the relapfe 
 of his dillempers, he died at Hereford the i5th 
 of February enfuing, Anno 1708. 
 
 He was interred in that cathedral j and the fol- 
 lowing infcription is upon his grave-ftone, 
 
 JOHANNIS PHILIPS 
 Obiiti S dieFeb.Anno 
 
 Cujus 
 
 Oflas fi requiras, hanc urnam infpice, 
 
 Si ingenium nefchias, ipfius opera confule, 
 
 Si tumulum defideras, templumadi Weftmonafterienfe- 
 
 Oualis quantufque vir fuerit, 
 
 Dicat elcgans ilia et prseclara ; 
 
 Quae conotaphium ibi decorat 
 
 Infcriptio. 
 Quam interim erga cognatos plus et officiofus, 
 
 Teftetur hoc faxum 
 
 A MARIA PHILIPS matre ipfius pientlfiima, 
 Dile&i filii memorise oon fine lacrymis dicatum.
 
 Ma. JOHN PHILIPS. 29 
 
 The monument referred to at Weftminfter, 
 in the foregoing infcription, ftands between thof- 
 of Chaucer and Drayton, and was erefted to his 
 memory by Sir Simon Harcourt, late lord chan- 
 cellor ; an honour fo much the greater, as pro- 
 ceeding from one, who knew as well how to dif- 
 tinguim men, as excel them, and dealt out the 
 marks of his refpeft as impartiallyas he did the 
 awards of his juftice. The epitaph was writ- 
 ten by bifhop Atterbury, in a fpirit and ftile pe- 
 culiar to his compofitions, viz. 
 
 Herefordiae conduntur ofla, 
 Hoc in delubro ftatuitur imago, 
 Britanniam omnem pcrvagatur fama 
 
 JOHANNIS PHILIPS; 
 Qm viris bonis do&ifque juxta charus, 
 
 Immortale fuum ingenium, 
 Eruditione multiplici excultum, 
 
 Miro animi candore, 
 Eximia morum fimplicitate, 
 
 Honeftavit. 
 
 Litcrarum amoeniorum fitim, 
 Quam Wintoniae puer fentire coeperat, 
 Inter Aedis Chrifti alumnos jugiter explevit, 
 
 In illo mufarum domicilio 
 Preclaris aemulorum ftudiis excitatus, 
 Optimis fcribendi magiflris femper intentns- 
 
 C 3
 
 3 o THELIFEOF 
 
 Carmina fcrmone patrio compofuit 
 A Graecis Latinifque fontibus feliciter dedu&a, 
 Atticis Romanifque auribus omnino digna, 
 Verfuum quippe harmoniam 
 
 Rythmo didicerat. 
 Antique illo, libero, multlformi 
 Ad res ipfas apto prorfus, et attemperato, 
 Non numeris in eundem fere orbem redeuntibus 
 Non claufularum fimiliter cadentium fono 
 
 Metiri ; 
 Uni in hoc laudis genere, Miltono fecundus. 
 
 Primoque poenc par. 
 Res feu (enues, feu grandes, feu mediocres 
 
 Ornandas fumpferat, 
 Nufquam, non quod decuit, 
 Et videt, et affecutus eft, 
 Egregius, quocunque ftylum verteret, 
 Fandi auftor, modorum artifex. 
 Fas fit huic, 
 
 Aufo licet a tua metrorum lege difcedere 
 O poefis Anglicanae pater, atque conditur Chauccre, 
 
 Alterum tibi latus claudere, 
 Vatum certe cineres, tuos undique ftipantium 
 
 Non dedicebit chorura. 
 SIMON HARCOURT miles, 
 Vlri bene de fe, deque literis meriti 
 Qiioad viveret, fautor, 
 Poft obitura pie memor, 
 Hoc i!!i faxum poni voluit.
 
 MR. JOHN PHILIPS. 31 
 
 J. PHILIS, STEPHANI, S. T. P. Archidiaconi 
 
 Salop, filius j natus eft Bamptoniae in agro 
 
 Oxon, Dec. 30. 1676. 
 
 Obiit Herefordiae. Febr. 15. 1708. 
 
 Thus much we have thought proper to fpeak 
 of the life and character of Mr. PH i L I PS ; fol- 
 lowing truth in every part, and endeavouring to 
 make both him, and his writings, an example to 
 others; or, if that cannot be attained through our 
 own defect, at leaft to fhew, that a good poet 
 and a good man are not names always incon- 
 fiftent. 
 
 GEO. SEWELL.
 
 C 33 3 
 
 O D 
 
 A D 
 
 HENRICUM ST. JOHN, Armlg, 
 
 I. 
 
 OQiii racifae finibus Indicis 
 Benignus herbae, das mihi divitem 
 Haurire fuccum, ct fuaveolentes 
 Saepe tubis iterare fumos j 
 
 II. 
 
 Qiii folus acri refpicis afperum 
 Siti palatum, proluis et mero, 
 
 Dulcem elaborant cui faporem 
 
 Hefperii pretiumque, foles :
 
 34 O D E A D 
 
 III. 
 
 Ecquid reponam muncris omnium 
 Exors bonorum ? Prome reconditum, 
 Pimplaea, carmen, defidefque 
 Ad numeros, age, tende, cbordas. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Ferri fecundo mens avet impetu, 
 
 Qua cygniformes per liquidum aethera, 
 
 Te, diva, vim praebente, vates 
 
 Explicult Venufinus alas : 
 
 V. 
 
 Solers modorum, feu puerum, trucem. 
 
 Cum matre flava, feu caneret rofas 
 Et vina, Cyrrhaeis Hetrufcum 
 Rite beans equitem fub antris. 
 
 vr. 
 
 At non Lyaci vis generofior 
 Affluxit illi j faepe licet cadum 
 Jaclet Falernum, faepe Chiae 
 Munera, laetitiamque teftae. 
 
 vir. 
 
 Patronus illi non fuit artium 
 Celebriorum ; fed nee amantior,
 
 HENRICUM ST. JOHN, Armlg. 35 
 
 Nee charus aeque, O ! quae medullas 
 Flamma fubir, tacitofque fenfus, 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Pertentat, ut tcque et tua munera 
 Gratus recorder, Mercurialium 
 Princeps virorum ! et ipfae 
 Cultor, et ufque colende mufis ! 
 
 IX. 
 
 Sed me minantem grandia deficit 
 Pxeceptus aegre fpiritus, ilia 
 Dum pulfat irna, ac inquietum 
 Tuffis agens fine more pe6lus. 
 
 Alte petito quaflat anhelitu ; 
 
 Funefta plane, ni mihi balfamum 
 Diilillet in venas, tuaeque 
 Lenis opem ferat hauftus uvae. 
 
 XL 
 
 Hanc fumo, parcis et tibi poculis 
 Libo falutem, quin precor, optima 
 Ut ufque conjux fofpiteturj 
 Perpetuo recreans amorej
 
 36 ODE, etc. 
 
 XII. 
 
 Te confulentem militiae fuper 
 Rebus togatum. Mafte ! Tori decus 
 Formofa cui Francifca ccffit, 
 Crine placens, niveoque collo ! 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Quam gratiarum cura decentium 
 O ! O ! hbeilis cui Venus infidet ! 
 Tu forte felix ; me Maria 
 Macerat (ah miferum \] videndo 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Maria, quae me fidereo tuens 
 Obliqua vultu per medium jecur 
 Trajecit, atque excuffit omnes 
 Protinus ex animo puellas. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Hanc, ulla mentis fpe mibi mutuae 
 Utcunque defit, nofte, die vigil 
 Sufpiro ; nee jam vina fomnos 
 Nee revocant, tiu dona, fumi.
 
 C 37 1 
 A N 
 
 ODE 
 
 T O 
 
 HENRY ST. J O H N, Efq. 
 
 Tranflated by THOMAS NEWCOMB, A.M. 
 
 I. 
 
 OThou from India's fruitful foil, ' 
 That doft that fovereign herb * prepare^ 
 In whofe rich fumes I lofe the toil 
 Of life, and every anxious care : 
 
 While from the fragrant lighted bole^ 
 I fuck new life into my foul, 
 D 
 
 * TOBACCO,
 
 A N O D E T O 
 
 II. 
 
 Thou, only thou ! art kind to vie\r 
 
 The parching flames that I fuftain ; 
 Which with cool draughts thy calks fubdue 
 And wafti away the thirfty pain, (prize, 
 
 With wines, whofe ftrength and tafte we 
 From Latian funs and nearer ikies. 
 
 m. 
 
 Q ! fay, to blefs thy pious love, 
 
 What vows, what ofF'rings fhall I bring ? 
 Since I can fpare, and thou approve 
 No other gift, O hear me fing ! 
 Jn numbers Phcebus does infpire, 
 That firings for thee the charming lyre. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Aloft, above the liquid Iky, 
 
 I itretch my wing, and fain would go 
 Where Rome's fweet fwan did whilom fly ; 
 And foaring, left the clouds below -, 
 The mufe invoking to indue 
 With ftrength, his pinions, as he flew.
 
 HENRY ST. JOHN, Efq; 
 
 V. 
 
 Whether he fings great beauty's praife. 
 Love's gentle pain, or tender woes ; 
 Or chufe, the fubjel of his lays, 
 
 The blufliing grape, or blooming rofe j 
 Or near cool Cyrrha's rocky fprings, 
 Maecenas liftens while he fings. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Yet he no nobler draught could boaft, 
 
 His mufe, or mufic to infpire, 
 Though all Falernum s purple coaft 
 Flow'd in each glafs, to lend him fire : 
 And on his tables us'd to fmile 
 The vintage of each Chio's ifle. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Maecenas deign'd to hear his fongs, 
 
 His mufe extoll'd, his voice approv'd ; 
 To thee a fairer fame belongs, 
 
 At once more pleafing, more belov'd. 
 O ! teach my heart to bound its flame, 
 As I record thy love and fame. 
 D 2
 
 40 ANODETO 
 
 VJII. 
 
 Teach me the paffion to reftrain, 
 
 As I my grateful homage bring : 
 And laft in Phoebus' humble train 
 The firft and brighteft genius fing. 
 The mufes' favourite pleas'd to live, 
 Paying them back the fame they give, 
 
 IX. 
 
 But oh ! as greatly I afpire 
 
 To tell my love, to fpeak thy praife, 
 Boafting no more its fprightly fire, 
 My bofom heaves, my voice decays ; 
 With pain I touch the mournful firing 
 And pant and languifh as I fing. 
 
 X. 
 
 Faint nature now demands that breath, 
 
 Which feebly ftrives thy worth to fing ! 
 And would be hufh'd and loft in death, 
 Did not thy care kind fuccours bring ! 
 Thy pitying calk my foul fuftain, 
 And call new life in every vein.
 
 HENRY ST. JOHN, Efq; 
 
 XI. 
 
 The fober glafs I now behold, 
 
 Thy health, with fair Francifca's join, 
 Wifhing her cheeks may long unfold 
 Such beauties, and be ever thine ; 
 No chance the tender joy remove, 
 While {he can pleafe, and thou canft love*, 
 
 XII. 
 
 Thus while by you the Britifh arms 
 
 Triumphs and diftant fame purfue ; 
 The yielding fair refigns her charms, 
 And gives you leave to conquer too ; 
 Her fnowy neck, her breaft, her eyes, 
 And all the nymph becomes your prize. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 What comely grace, what beauty fmiles, 
 Upon her lips what fweetnefs dwells ? 
 Not love himfelf fo oft beguiles, 
 Nor Venus' felf fo much excells ; 
 
 What different fates our paflions (hare 
 Wkile you enjoy, and I defpair ? 
 
 D 3
 
 42 A N O D E, . 
 
 XIV. 
 
 * Maria's form as I furvey, 
 
 Her fmiles a thoufand wounds impart \ 
 Each feature fteals my foul away, 
 
 Each glance deprives me of my heart. 
 And chacing thence each other fair, 
 Leaves her own image only there. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Altho* my anxious breaft defpair, 
 
 And fighing, hopes no kind return r 
 Yet for the lov'd relentlefs fair 
 By night I wake, by day I burn. 
 Nor can thy gift foft deep fupply, 
 Or foothe my pains, or clofe my eye. 
 
 * Mrs. MARY MHERS, daughter to the principal of- 
 Irazen-nofc.
 
 C 43 1 
 THE 
 
 SPLENDID SHILLING 
 
 A N 
 
 IMITATION 
 
 O F 
 
 M I L T O N. 
 
 Sing, heavenly mufey 
 
 Things unattentptedyety in profe or rhime, 
 
 A Shilling, Breeches, and Chimeras dire. 
 
 HAPPY the man, who, void of cares and ftrife. 
 In filken, or in leathern, purfe retains 
 A SPLENDIDSHILLING : he norhears with pain 
 New oyfters cry'd, nor fighs for chearful ale ; 
 But with his friends, when nightly mifts arife,
 
 . 
 
 44 THE SPLENDID SHILLING. 
 
 To Juniper's Magpye, or Town-Hall * repairs : 
 Where, mindful of the nymph whofe wanton eye 
 Tninsfix'd his foul, and kindled amorous flames, 
 Chloe, or Phillis ; he each circling glafs 
 Wifheth her health, and joy, and equal love. 
 Mean while, he fmokes, and laughs at merry tale, 
 Or pun ambiguous, or conundrum quaint. 
 But I, whom griping penury furrounds, 
 And hunger, fure attendant upon want, 
 With fcanty offals, and fmall acid tiff 
 (Wretched repail !) my meagre corps fuftain : 
 Then folitary walk, or doze at home 
 In garret vile, and with a warming puff 
 Piegal chill'd fingers -, or from tube as black 
 As winter chimney, or well-polifh'd jet, 
 Exhale Mundungus, ill-perfuming fcent : 
 "Not blacker tube, nor of a fliorter fize, 
 Smokes Cambro-Briton (vers'd in pedigree, 
 Sprung from Cadwalader and Arthur, kings 
 Full famous in romantic tale) when he 
 O'er many a craggy hill and barren cliff, 
 Upon a cargo of fam'd Ceftrian cheefe, 
 High over-fhadowing rides, with a defign 
 To vend his wares, or at th' Arvonian mart, 
 Or Maridunum, or the antient town 
 Yclip'd Brechinia, or where Vaga's ftream 
 Encircles Ariconium, faithful foil ! 
 
 * Two noted ale-bcufcs in Oxford.
 
 THE SPLENDID SHILLING. 4 > 
 
 Whence flow neclareous wines, that well may vie 
 With Maffic, Setin, or renown'd Falern. 
 
 Thus, while my joylefs minutes tedious flow, 
 With looks demure, and filent pace, a Dun, 
 Horrible monfter ! hated by gods and men, 
 To my aerial citadel afcends, 
 With vocal hael thrice thund'ring at my gate, 
 With hideous accent thrice he calls ; I know 
 The voice ill-boding and the folemn found. 
 What fhou'd I do ? or whither turn ? amaz'd, 
 Confounded, to the dark recefs I fly 
 Of woodhole ; ftrait my briftling hairs erecb 
 Thro' fudden fear ; a chilly fwcat bedews 
 My fhud'ring limbs, and (wonderful to tell !) 
 My tongue forgets her faculty of fpeech j 
 So horrible he feems ! his faded brow 
 Entrench'd with many a frown, and conic beard. 
 And fpreading band, admir'd by modern faints, 
 Difaftrous als forebode , in his right hand 
 Long fcrolls of paper folemnly he waves, 
 With characters, and figures, dire infcrib'd, 
 Grievous to mortal eyes ; (ye gods ! avert 
 Such plagues from righteous men ;) behind him 
 Another monfter not unlike himfelf, (ftalkj 
 
 Sullen of afped, by the vulgar call'd 
 A Catchpole, whofe polluted hands the gods 
 With force incredible, and magic charms 
 Erft have undu'd ; if he his ample palm 
 Should haply on ill-fated fhoulder lay
 
 46- THE SPLENDID SHILLING. 
 
 Of debtor, ftrait his body, to the touch 
 Obfequious, (as whilom knights were wont) 
 To fome inchanted caftle is convey'd, 
 Where gates impregnable, and coercive chains 
 In durance Uriel: detain him, till in form 
 Of money, Pallas fets the captive free. 
 
 Beware, ye debtors, when ye walk beware, 
 Be circumfpecl: -, oft with infidious ken 
 This caitiff eyes your fteps aloof, and oft 
 Lies perdue in a nook or gloomy cave, 
 Prompt to inchant fome inadvertent wretch 
 With his unhallow'd touch. So (poets fing) 
 Grimalkin to domeftic vermin fworn 
 An everlafting foe, with \vatchful eye 
 Lies nightly brooding o'er a chinky gap, 
 Protending her fell claws, to thoughtlefs mice 
 Sure ruin. So her difcmbowel'd web 
 Arachne in a hall, or kitchen fpreads, 
 Obvious to vagrant flies ; fhe fecret flands 
 Within her woven cell; the humming prey, 
 P.egardlefs of their fate, rum on the toils 
 Inextricable, nor will aught avail 
 Their arts, or arms, or fliapes of lovely hue ; 
 The wafp infidious and the brazzing drone, 
 And butterfly proud of expanded wings, 
 Diftincl: with gold, entangled in her fnares, 
 Ufelefs refiftance make : with eager ftrides, 
 She tow'ring flies to her expected fpoils j
 
 THE SPLENDID SHILLING. 47 
 
 Then, with envenom'd jaws the vital blood 
 Drinks of reluctant foes, and to her cave 
 Their bulky carcafles triumphant drags. 
 
 So pafs my days. But when nocturnal fhades 
 This- world invelop, and th' inclement air 
 Perfuades men to repel benumming frofts 
 With pleafant wines, and crackling blaze of wood; 
 Me lonely fitting, nor the glimmering light 
 Of make-weight candle, nor the joyous talk 
 Of loving friend delights ; diftrefs'd, forlorn, 
 Amidft the horrors, of the tedious night, 
 Darkling I figh, and feed with difmal thoughts 
 My anxious mind ; or fometimes mournful verfe 
 Indite, and fing of groves and myrtle (hades, 
 Or defperate lady near a purling ftream, 
 Or lover pendent on a willow-tree. 
 Mean while I labour with eternal drought, 
 And reftlefs wifli, and rave ; my parched throat 
 Finds no relief, nor heavy eyes repofe : 
 But if a ilumber haply does invade 
 My weary limbs, my fancy's ftill awake, 
 Thoughtful of drink, and e^ger, in a dream, 
 Tipples imaginary pots of ale, 
 In vain ; awake I find the fettled thirft 
 Still gnawing, and the pleafant fantom curfe. 
 
 Thus do I live from pleafure quite debarr'd, 
 Nor tafte the fruits that the fun's genial rays 
 Mature, John- Apple, nor the downy Peach,
 
 48 THE SPLENDID SHILLING. 
 
 Nor Walnut in rough furrow' d coat fecure, 
 
 Nor Medlar-fruit, delicious in decay : 
 
 Afflictions great ! yet greater ftill remain : 
 
 My Galligalkins that have long withftood 
 
 The winter's fury, and incroaching frofts, 
 
 By time fubdu'd, (what will not time fubdue !} 
 
 An horrid chafm difclofe, with orifice, 
 
 Wide, difcontinuous ; at which the winds 
 
 Eurus and Aufter, and the dreadful force 
 
 Of Boreas, that congeals the Cronian waves, 
 
 Tumultuous enter with dire chilling blafts, 
 
 Portending agues. Thus a well fraught fhip 
 
 Long fail'd fecure, or thro' th' ^Egean deep, 
 
 Or the Ionian, till cruifmg near 
 
 The Lilybean (liore, with hideous crufli 
 
 On Scvlla, or Charibdis (dang'rous rocks !) 
 
 She ftrikes rebounding, whence the ihatter'd oak, 
 
 So fierce a rock unable to withftand, 
 
 Admits the fea ; in at the gaping fide 
 
 The crouding waves gufti with impetuous rage, 
 
 Refiftlefs, overwhelming; horrors feize 
 
 The mariners, death in their eyes appears, (pray: 
 
 They ftare, they lave, they pump, they fwear,they 
 
 (Vain efforts !) ftill the battering waves rufh in, 
 
 Implacable, f'11 ceiug'd by the foam, 
 
 The fhip finks found'ring in the vaft abyfs. 
 
 1 
 
 -
 
 C 49 3 
 
 BLEINHEIM: 
 
 . 
 
 A 
 
 POEM, 
 
 INSCRIBED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 ROBERT H A R L E Y, Efq; 
 
 FROM low and abje& themes the grov'Iing 
 Now mounts aerial to fmg of arms (mufe 
 Triumphant, and emblaze the martial als 
 Of Britain's hero ; may the verfe not fink 
 Beneath his merits, but detain a while 
 Thy ear, O Harley ! (tho' thy country's weal 
 Depends on thee, tho' mighty ANNE requires 
 Thy hourly counfels) fince with every art 
 Thyfelf adorn'd the mean effays of youth 
 Thou wilt not damp, but guide wherever found, 
 The willing genius to the mufes feat : 
 Therefore the firft, and laft, the mufc fhall fing. 
 
 Long had the Gallic monarch uncontroul'd 
 Enlarg'd his borders, and of human force 
 E
 
 5 B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Opponent (lightly thought, iu heart elate, 
 As erft Sefoftris, (proud ./Egyptian king, 
 That monarchs harnafs'd to his chariot yokt, 
 (Bafe fervitude !) and hisdethron'd compeers 
 Lafh'd furious ; they in fullen majefty 
 Drew the uneafy load.) Nor lefs he aim'd 
 At univerfal fway : for William's arm 
 Could nought avail, however fam'd in war j 
 Nor armies leagu'd, that diverfly afiay'd 
 To curb his power enormous ; like an oak 
 That ftands fecure, tho' all the winds employ 
 Their ceafelefs rore, and only fheds its leaves, 
 Or maft, which the revolving fpring reftores : 
 So ftood he, and alone j alone defy'd 
 The European thrones combin'd, and ftill 
 Had fet at nought their machinations vain, 
 But that great Anne, weighing th' events of war 
 Momentous, in her prudent heart, thee chofe, 
 Thee, Churchill ! to direct in nice extremes 
 Her banner'd legions. Now their priftine worth 
 The Britons recollect, and gladly change 
 Sweet native home for unaccuftom'd air, 
 And other climes, where difFrent food and foil 
 Portend diflempers ; over dank, and dry, 
 They journey toilfome, unfatigu'd with length 
 Of march, unftruck with horror at the fight 
 Of Alpine ridges black, high ftretching hills, 
 AH white with fummer fnows. They go beyond
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 51 
 
 The trace of Englifh fteps, where fcarcethe found 
 Of Henry's arms arriv'd ; fuch ftrength of heart 
 Thy conduct and example gives ; nor fmall - 
 Encouragement, Godolphin, wife and juft, 
 Equal in merit, honour and fuccefs, 
 To Burleigh, (fortunate alike to ferve 
 The bell of queens :) he, of the royal ftore 
 Splendidly frugal, fits whole nights devoid 
 Of fweet repofe, induftrious to procure 
 The foldier's eafe -, to region far remote 
 His care extends, and to the Britifh hoft 
 Makes ravag'd countries plenteous as their own. 
 And now, O Churchill ! at thy wifh'd approach, 
 The Germans hopelefs of fuccefs, forlorn, 
 With many an inroad gor'd, their drooping cheer 
 New animated roufe. Not more rejoice 
 The miferable race of men, that live 
 Benighted half the year, benumb'd with frofts 
 Perpetual, and rough Boreas' keeneft breath, 
 Under the polar bear, inclement flcy, 
 When firft the fun with new-born light removes 
 The long incumbent gloom. Gladly to thee 
 Heroic laurel'd Eugene yields the prime, 
 Nor thinks it diminution, to be rank'd 
 In military honour next, altho' 
 His deadly hand fhook the Turcheftan throne 
 Accurs'd, and prov'd in far divided lands 
 Victorious -, on thy pow'rful fword alone 
 E 2
 
 52 B L I N H I M. 
 
 Germania, and the Belgic coaft relies, 
 
 Won from th' incroaching fea : that fword great 
 
 Fix'd not in vain on thy puiflant fide, (ANNE 
 
 Whenthee fh' enroll'd hergarter'd knightsamong, 
 
 Illuftrating the noble lift -, her hand 
 
 AfTures good omens, and faint George's worth 
 
 Enkindles like defire of high exploits : 
 
 Immediate fieges, and the tire of war 
 
 Roll in thy eager mind j thy plumy creft 
 
 Nods horrible, with more terrific port 
 
 Thou walk'ft, and feem'ft already in the fight. 
 
 What fpoils, what conquefts then did Albion hope 
 From thy achievements ! yet thou haft furpaft 
 Her boldeft vows, exceeded what thy foes 
 Could fear, or fancy i they, in multitude 
 Superior, fed their thoughts with profpeft vain 
 Of victory and rapine, reck'ning what 
 From ranfom'd captives would accrue. Thus one 
 Jovial his mate befpoke ; O friend ! obferve, 
 How gay with all th' accoutrements'of war (come 
 The Britons come, with gold well fraught they 
 Thus far, our prey, and tempt us to fubdue 
 Their recreant force ; how will their bodies ftript 
 Enrich the victors, while the vultures fate 
 Their maws with full repaft ! Another, warm'd 
 With high ambition, and conceit of prowefs 
 Inherent, arrogantly thus prefum'd : 
 What if this fword, full;often drench'd in blood 
 Of bafe antagonifts, with griding edge
 
 B L E I N M E I M. 53, 
 
 Should now cleave fheer the execrable head 
 Of Churchill, met in arms ! or if this hand, 
 Soon as his army difarray'd 'gins fwerve, 
 Should flay him flying with retentive gripe,. 
 Confounded, and appal'd ! jio trivial price 
 Should fet him free, nor fmall mould be my praife 
 To lead him fhackled, andexpofe to fcorn 
 Of gath'ring crouds the Briton's boafted chief. 
 
 [ hus they, in fportive mood, their empty taunts 
 And menaces exprefs'd ; nor could their prince 
 In arms, vain Tallard, from opprobrious fpeech 
 Refrain : Why halt ye thus, ye Britons ? why 
 Decline the war ? Shall a morafs forbid 
 Tour eafy march ? Advance ; we'll bridge a way, 
 Safe of accefs. Imprudent, thus t' invite. 
 A furious lion to his folds ! that boafh. 
 He ill abides, captiv'd in other plight 
 He foon revifits Brittany, that once 
 Refplendent came, with ftretcht retinue girt, 
 And pompous pageantry : O haplefs fate, 
 If any arm, but Churchill's had prevail'd ! 
 
 No need fuch boafts, or exprobations falfc 
 Of cowardice , the military mound 
 The Britifh files tranfcend, in evil hour 
 For their proud foes that fondly brav'd their fate. 
 And now on either fide the trumpet blew, 
 Signal of onfet, rcfolution firm 
 hifpiring, and pernicious icve of wan 
 3
 
 54 B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 The adverfe fronts in rueful conflict meet, 
 Collecting all their might ; for on th' event 
 Decifive of this bloody day depends 
 The fate of kingdoms: with lefs vehemence 
 The great competitors for Rome engag'd, 
 Caefar, and Pompey, on Pharfalian plains, 
 Where ftern Bellona, with one final ftroke, 
 Adjudg'd the empire of this globe to one. 
 Here the Bavarian duke his brigades leads, 
 Gallant in arms, aud gaudy to behold, 
 Bold champion ! brandifhing his Noric blade, 
 Beft temper'd fleel, fuccefslefs prov'd in field \ 
 Next Tallard, with his Celtic infantry (prompt 
 Prefumptuous comes : here Churchill, not fo 
 To vaunt, as fight, his hardy cohorts joins 
 With Eugene's German force. Now from each van 
 The brazen inftruments of death difcharge 
 Horrible flames, and turBid dreaming clouds 
 Of fmoke fulphureous ; intermix'd withthefe 
 Large globus irons fly, of dreadful hifs, 
 Singing the air, and from long diftance bring 
 Surprizing flaughter ; on each fide they fly 
 By chains connext, and with deftruclive fweep 
 Behead whole troops at once ; the hairy fcalps 
 Are whirl'd aloof, while numerous trunks beftrow 
 Th' enfanguin'd field ; with latent mifchief ftor'd 
 Showers of granadoes rain, by fudden burft 
 Difploding murd'rous bowels, fragments of fteel, 
 And ftones, and glafs, and nitrous grain aduft.
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 5^ 
 
 A thoufand ways at once the fhiver'd orbs 
 Fly diverfe, working torment, and foul rout 
 With deadly bruife, and gaflies furrow'd deep. 
 Of pain impatient, the high prancing fteeds 
 Difdain the curb, and flinging to and fro, 
 Spurn their difmounted riders ; they expire 
 Indignant, by unhoftile wounds deftroy'd. 
 
 Thus thro' each army death, in various fhapes, 
 Prevail'dj here mangled limbs, here brains and gore 
 Lie clotted i lifelefs fome : with anguifh thefc 
 Gnafhing, and loud laments invoking aid, 
 Unpity'd, and unheard j the louder din 
 Of guns, and trumpets clang, and folemn found 
 Of drums, o'ercame their groans. In equal fcale 
 Long hung the fight, few marks of fear were feen, 
 None of retreat : as when two adverfe winds, 
 Sublim'd from dewy vapours, in mid Iky 
 Engage with horrid fhock, the ruffled brine 
 Roars ftormy, they together dafli the clouds, 
 Levying their equal force with utmoft rage ; 
 Long undecided lafts the airy ftrife. 
 
 So they, incens'd : 'till Churchill, viewing where 
 The violence of Tallard mod prevail'd, 
 Came to oppofe his flaught'ring arm j with fpeed 
 Precipitant he rode, urging his way 
 O'er hills of gafping heroes, and falPn fteeds 
 Rolling in death : deftruttion, grim with blood, 
 Attends his furious courfe. Him thus enrag'd 
 Defcrying from afar fome engineer,
 
 jtf B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Dextrous to guide the unerring charge, defsgn'd 
 By one nice {hot to terminate the war. 
 With aim direct the levell'd bullet flew, 
 But mifs'd her fcope (for deftiny withftood 
 Th' approaching wound) andguiltlefsplough'd her 
 Beneath his courfer ; round his facred head (way 
 The glowing balls play innocent, while he 
 With dire impetuous fway deals fatal blows, 
 .Amongft the fcatter'd Gauls. But O ! beware, 
 Great warrior, nor too prodigal of life 
 Expofe the Britifh fafety : hath not Jove 
 Already warn'd thee to withdraw ! Referve 
 Th yfelf for other palms. Ev'n now thy^ aid 
 Eugene, with regiments unequal preft, 
 Awaits : this day of all his honours gain'd 
 Defpoils him, if thy fuccour opportune 
 Defends not the fad hour : permit not thou 
 So brave a leader with the vulgar herd 
 
 To bur the ground unnoted Swift, and fierce 
 
 As w ;,tryftorm, he flies, to reinforce 
 The yielding wing; in Gallic blood again 
 He dews his reeking fword, and ftrews the ground 
 .With head'.efs ranks; (fo Ajax interpos'd 
 His foven-fold fhield, and fkrcen'd Laertes' fon, 
 TV i'.kmr much, and warlike wiles renown'd, 
 When the infulting Trojans urg'd him fore 
 With tilted fpears :) unmanly dread invades 
 The i ? rench aftcny'd ; ilraight their ufelefs arms 
 They quit, and in their fwift retreat confide,
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 57 
 
 Unfeemly yelling ; diftant hills return 
 The hideous noife. What can they do ? or, how 
 Withftand his wide deftroying fword ? or where 
 Find (helter thus repuls'd ? Behind with wrath 
 Refiftlefs, th' eager Englifh champions prefs, 
 Chaftifmg tardy flight ; before them rolls, 
 His current fwift the Danube, vaft, and deep, 
 Supream of rivers ; to the frightful brink, 
 Urg'd by compulfive arms, foon as they reachM, 
 New horror chill'd their veins ; devote they faw 
 Themfelves to wretched doom; with efforts vain, 
 Encourag'd by defpair, or obftinate 
 To fall like men in arms, fome dare renew 
 Feeble engagement, meeting glorious fate 
 On the firm land ; the reft difcomfited, 
 And pufh'd by Marlborough's avengeful hand, 
 Leap plunging in the wide extended flood : 
 Bands, numerous as the Memphian foldiery 
 That fwell'd the Erythraean wave, when wall'd 
 The unfroze waters marvelloufly flood, 
 Obfervant of the great command. Upbore 
 By frothy billows thoufands float the ftream 
 In cumbrous mail, with love of farther fhore j 
 Confiding in their hands, that fed'lous drive 
 To cut th' outragious fluent : in this diftrefs 
 Ev'n in the fight of death, feme, tokens fhew 
 Of fearlefs friendfhip, and their finking mates 
 Suftain ; vain love, tho' laudable ! abforpt 
 By a fierce eddy, they together found
 
 c8 B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 ^ 
 
 The vaft profundity ; their horfes paw 
 Thcfwellingfurge, with fruitlefs toil: furcharg'd, 
 And in his courfe obftru&ed by large fpoil, 
 The river flows redundant, and attacks 
 The ling'ring remnant with unufual tidej 
 Then rolling back, in his capacious lap 
 Ingulfs their whole militia, quick immerft. 
 So when fome fwek'ring travellers retire 
 To leafy fhades, near the cool funlefs verge 
 Of Paraba, Brafilian ftream ; her tail 
 Of vafl extenfion, from her watry den, 
 A grifly Hydra fuddenly fhoots forth, 
 Infidious, and with curl'd invenom'd train 
 Embracing horridly, at once the crew 
 Into the river whirles 5 th' unweeting prey 
 Entwifted roars, the parted wave rebounds. 
 
 Nor did the Britifh fquadrons now furceafe 
 To gall their foes o'erwhelm'd ; full many felt 
 In the moift element a fcorching death, 
 Pierc'd finking; fhrouded in a duflcy cloud 
 The current flows, with livid miflive flames 
 Boiling, as once Pergamian Xanthusboil'd, 
 Inflam'd by Vulcan, when the fwift-footed fon 
 of Peleus to his baleful banks purfu'd 
 The draggling Trojans : Nor lefs eager drove 
 Victorious Churchill his defponding foes 
 Into the deep immenfe, that many a league 
 Impurpled ran, with gufhing gore diftain'd.
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 59 
 
 Thus the cxperienc'd valour of one man, 
 Mighty in conflict, refcu'd harraft pow'rs 
 From ruin impendent, and th' afflicted throne 
 Imperial, that once lorded o'er the world, 
 Suftain'd. With prudent ftay, he long deferr'J 
 The rough contention, nor would deign to rout 
 An hoft difparted ; when, in union firm 
 Embody'd, they advanc'd, collecting all 
 Their ftrength, and worthy feem'd to be fubdu'd ; 
 He the proud boafters fent, with (tern aflault, 
 Down to the realms of night. The Britifh fouls, 
 (A lamentable race !) that ceas'd to breathe, 
 On Landen-plains, this heav'nly gladfome air, 
 Exult to fee the crouding ghofts defcend 
 Unnumber'd ; well aveng'd, they quit the cares 
 Of mortal life, and drink th' oblivious lake. 
 Not fo the new inhabitants : They roam 
 Erroneous, and difconfolate, themfelves 
 Accufing, and their chiefs, improvident 
 Of military chance ; when lo ! they fee, 
 Thro' the dun mift, in blooming beauty frem, 
 Two lovely youths, that amicably walkt 
 O'er verdant meads, and pleas'd, perhaps, revolv'd 
 ANNA'S late conquefts ; one, to empire, born, 
 Egregiousprince ! whofe manly ch ildhood fhew'ol 
 His mingled parents, and portended joy 
 Unfpeakable ; thou, his aflociate dear 
 Once in this world, nor now by fate disjoined. 
 Had thy prefiding ilar propitious fhone,
 
 ?? B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Shouldft Churchill be ! but heaven fcvere cut fhort 
 -Their fpringing years, nor would this ifle fhould 
 Gifts fo important ! Them the Gallic fhades (boaft 
 Surveying, read in either radiant look 
 Marks of exceflive dignity and grace, 
 Delighted j till, in one, their curious eye 
 Difcerns their great fubduer's awful mein, 
 And correfponding features fair ; to them 
 Confufion ! ftraight the airy phantoms fleet, 
 With headlong hafte, and dread a new purfuit. 
 The image pleas'd with joy paternal fmiles. 
 
 Enough, O mufe ! the fadly pleafing theme 
 Leave, with thefe dark abodes, and re-afcend 
 To breathe the upper air where triumphs wait 
 The conq'ror, and fav'd nations joint acclaim. 
 Hark ! how the cannon, inoffenfive now, 
 Give figns of gratulation ; ftruggling crouds 
 From every city flow ; with ardent gaze 
 Fixt, they b'ehold the Britim guide, of fight 
 Infatiate, whilft his great redeeming hand 
 Each prince afFe&s to touch refpeclful. See, 
 How Pruffia's king tranfported entertains 
 His mighty gueft ; to him the royal pledge, 
 Hope of his realm, commits, (with better fate, 
 Than to the Trojan chief Evander gave 
 Unhappy Pallas) and intreats to fhew 
 The fkili and rudiments auftere of \var. 
 See, with what joy, him Leopold declares 
 His great deliverer j and courts t* accept
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 6t 
 
 Of titles, with fuperier modefty 
 
 Better refus'd. Mean while the haughty king 
 
 Far humbler thoughts now learns; defpair, and fear 
 
 Now firft he feels ; his laurels all at once 
 
 Torn from his aged head, in life's extreme, 
 
 Diftraft his foul ; nor can great Boileau's harp 
 
 Of various founding wire, befl taught to claim 
 
 Whatever paflion, and exalt the foul 
 
 With higheft drains, his languid fpirits cheer: 
 
 Rage, fhame, and grief, alternate in his bread. 
 
 But who can tell what pangs, what {harp remorfc 
 Torment the Boian prince ? From native foil 
 Exil'd by fate, torn from the dear embrace 
 Of weeping confort, and depriv'd the fight 
 Of his young guiltlefs progeny, he feeks 
 Inglorious flicker, in an alien land; 
 Deplorable ! but that his mind averfe 
 To right, and infmcere, would violate 
 His plighted faith : why did he' not accept 
 Friendly compofure offer'cl ? or well weigh, 
 With whom hemuft contend? Encount'ring fierce 
 The Solymacan fultan, he o'erthrew 
 His moony troops, returning bravely fmear'd 
 With painim blood effus'd ; nor did the Gaul 
 Not find him once a baleful foe : but when, 
 Of council rafh, new meafwes he purfues, 
 Unhappy prince ! (no more a prince ; he fees 
 Too late his error, forc'd t'implore relief 
 F
 
 6* B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Of him, he once defy'd. O detlitute 
 Of hope, unpity'd ! thou fhould'il aril have thought 
 Qf perfevering ftedfaft ; now upbnrcl 
 Thy own inconftant iil-afpiring heart. 
 Lo ! how the Noric plains, thro' thy default, 
 Rife hilly, with large piles of flaughter'd knights, 
 Bed men, that warr'd (till firmly for their prince, 
 Tho' faithlefs, and unfhaken duty fhew'd : 
 Worthy of better end. Where cities flood, 
 Well fenc'd, and numerous, defolation reigns, 
 And emptinefs, difmay'd, unfed, unhous'd, 
 The widow and the orphan ftrole around 
 The defart wide ; with oft retorted eye 
 They view the gaping walls, and poor remains 
 Of manfions, once their own (now ioathfome 
 Of birds obfcene,) bewailing loud the lofs ^haunts 
 Of fpoufe, or fire, or fon, ere manly prime 
 Slain in fad conflict, and complain of fate 
 As partial, and too rigorous ; nor find 
 Where to retire themfelves, or where appeafe 
 Th' afflictive keen defire of food, expos'd 
 To winds, and ftorms, and jaws of favage beafts. 
 Thrice happy Albion ! from the world disjoin'd 
 By heaven propitious, blefsful feat of peace ! 
 Learn from thy neighbour's miferies to prize 
 Thy welfare; crown'dwith nature's choiceft gifts, 
 Remote thou hear'ft the dire effect of war, 
 Depopulation, void alone of fear, 
 And peril, whilft the diftpal fymphony
 
 B L E I N H E I M. 63 
 
 Of drums and clarions other realms annoys.. 
 Th' Iberian fcepter undecided, here 
 Engages mighty hofts in wafteful ftrife ; 
 From different climes the flower of youth defcends 
 Down to the Lufitanian vales, refolv'd 
 With utmoft hazard to enthrone their prince, 
 Gallic, or Auftrian j havoc dire enfues, 
 And wild uproar : the natives dubious whom 
 They muft obey, in confternation wait, 
 Till rigid conquefl will pronounce their liege. 
 Nor is the brazen voice of war unheard 
 On the mild Latian fliore : what fighs and tears 
 Hath Eugene caus'd ! How many widows curfe 
 His cleaving faulchion f Fertile foil in vain ! 
 What do thy paftures, or thy vines avail, 
 Bed boon of heaven ! or huge Taburnus, cloth'd 
 With olives, when the cruel battle mows 
 The planters, with their harvefl immature ? 
 See, with what outrage from the frofty north, 
 The early valiant Swede draws forth his wings 
 In batailous array, while Volga's ftream 
 Sends oppofite, in fhaggy armour clad, 
 Her borderers ; on mutual flaughter bent, 
 They rend their countries. How is Poland vext 
 With civil broils, while two elected kings 
 Contend for fway ? Unhappy nation, left 
 Thus free of choice ! The Englifli undifturb'd 
 With fuch fad privilege, fubmifs obey - (due, 
 Whom heaven ordains fupreme, with rev'rence 
 F i
 
 64 B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Not thraldom, in fit liberty fecure. 
 
 From fcepter'd kings, in long defcent dcriv'd, 
 
 Thou Anna ruleft, pru iont to promote 
 
 Thy people's eafe at home, nor ftudious lefs 
 
 Of Europe's good j to thee, of kingly rights 
 
 Sole arbitrefs, declining thrones, and powers, 
 
 Sue for relief; thuu bici'ft thy Churchill go, 
 
 Succour the injur'd realms, defeat the hopes 
 
 Of haughty Louis, unconfin'd ; he goes 
 
 Obfequious, and the dread command fulfils, 
 
 In one great day. Again thou giv'il in charge 
 
 To Rook, that he mould let that monarch know, 
 
 The empire of the ocean wide diffus'd 
 
 Is thine ; behold ! with winged fpeed he rides 
 
 Undaunted o'er the lab'ring main t' aflert 
 
 Thy liquid kingdoms , at his near approach 
 
 The Gallic navy impotent to bear 
 
 His volly'd thunder, torn, diffever'd, feud, 
 
 And blefs the friendly interpofing night. 
 
 Hail, mighty (^ueen ! referv'd by fate, to grace 
 The new-born age j what hopes may we conceive 
 Of future years, when to thy early reign 
 Neptune fubmits his trident, and thy arms 
 Already have prevaii'd to th' utmoft bound, 
 Hefperian, Calpe, by Alcides fixt, 
 Mountain fublime, that cafts a ihade of length 
 Immeafurable, and rules the inland waves ! 
 Let others, with infathte thiril of rule, 
 Invade their neighbours lands, negleft the tics
 
 3 L E I N II El M. 6? 
 
 Cf leagues and oaths ; this thy peculiar praife 
 Be (till, to ftudy right, and quell the force 
 Of kings perfidious ; let them learn from thee 
 That neither ftrength, nor policy refin'd, 
 Shall with fuccefsbe crown'd, where juftice fails.- 
 Thou with thy own content, not for thyfelf, 
 Subdueil regions ; generous to raife 
 The fuppliant knee, and curb the rebel neck. 
 The Gsrman boafts thy conquefts, and enjoys 
 The great advantage; nought to thee redounds 
 But fatisfa&ion from thy confcieus mind. 
 
 Aufpicious CVueen ! fmce in rhy realms fecure 
 Of peace, thou reign'fl, and victory attends 
 Thy diftant enfigns, with compaflion view 
 Europe embroil'd ; ftill thou (for thou alone 
 Sufficient art) the jarring kingdoms ire. 
 Reciprocally ruinous ; fay who- 
 Shall wield th' Hefperian, who the Polifli fword. 
 By thy decree ;. the trembling lands {hall hear 
 Thy voice, obedient, left thyfcourge ihould bruife 
 Their ftubborn necks, and Churchill in his wrath 
 Make them remember Bleinheim with regret. 
 Thus (hall the nations, aw'd to peace, extol 
 Thy pow'r, and juftice; jealoufies and fears, . 
 And hate infernal baniih'd (hall retire 
 To Mauritania, or the Baclrian coafts, 
 Or Tartary, engend'ring difcords fell 
 Among the enemies of truth ; while arts
 
 66 B L E I N H E I M. 
 
 Pacific, and inviolable love 
 Flourim in Europe. Hail Saturnian days 
 Returning ! In perpetual tenor run 
 Delectable, and fhed your influence fweet 
 On virtuous Anna's head ; ye happy days, 
 By her reftor'd, her juft defigns compleat, 
 And, mildly on her (hining, blefs the world \ 
 
 Thus from the noify croud exempt, with eafe., 
 And plenty bleft, amid the mazy groves ; 
 Sweet folitude ! where warb'ling birds provoke 
 The Client mufe, delicious rural feat 
 Of Saint John, Englifh Memmius, I prefum'd 
 To fing Britannic trophies, inexpert 
 Of war, with mean attempt ; while he intent 
 (So Anna's will ordains) to expedite 
 His military charge, * no leifure finds 
 To firing his charming fhell ; but when return'cf 
 Confummate peace fhall rear her chearful head, 
 Then {hall his Churchill in fublimer verfe 
 For ever triumph ; lateft times IhaJl learn, 
 From fuch a Chief to fight, and Bard to fing. 
 * He was then fccretary of war.
 
 C YD E R, 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 Honos erit huic guoque Porno ? VIRG. 
 
 TTTTHA T foil the apple loves, what care is due 
 VV To orchats, timelieft when to prefs the 
 Thy gift, Pomona ! in Miltonian verfe (fruits, 
 Adventrous I prefume to fing j of verfe 
 Nor fkill'd nor ftudious : but my native foil 
 Invites me, and the theme as yet unfung. 
 
 Ye Ariconian knights, and faired dames, 
 To whom propitious heaven thofe bleffings giantgj 
 Attend my lays } nor hence difdain to learn, 
 How nature's gifts may be improv'd by art. 
 
 And thou, O Moyftin ! whofe benevolence, 
 And candour, oft experienc'd, me vouchfaf'd 
 To knit in friendship, growing ftill with yearSf 
 Accept this pledge of gratitude and love. 
 May it a lading monument remain 
 Of dear refpecl; ; that, when this body frail 
 Is moulder'd into duft, and 1 become 
 

 
 3 CYDER. 
 
 As I had never been, late times may know 
 I once was blefs'd in fuch a matchlefs friend. 
 
 Who e'er expefts his lab' ring trees fhould bead 
 With fruitage, and a kindly harveft yield, 
 Be this his tirft concern ; to find a tra6l 
 Impervious to the winds, begirt with hills, 
 That intercept the Hyperborean blafts 
 Tempeftuous, aud cold Eurus' nipping force, 
 Noxius to feeble buds : but to the weft 
 Let him free entrance grant, let Zephyrs bland 
 Adminifter their tepid genial airs j 
 Naught fear he from the weft, whofe gentle warmtb 
 Difclofes well the earth's all- teeming womb, 
 Invigorating tender feeds : whofe breath 
 Nurtures the Orange, and the Citron groves, 
 Hefperian fruits, and wafts their odours fweet 
 Wide thro' the air, and diftant fhores perfumes- 
 Nor only do the hills exclude the winds : 
 But, when the black'ning clouds in fprinkling fhow'rs 
 Diftill, from the high fummit^ down the rain 
 Runs trickling , with the fertile moifture chear'd, 
 The orchats fmile j joyous the farmer fee 
 Their thriving plants, and blefs the heavenly dew. 
 
 Next, let the planter, with difcreuon meet, 
 The force and genius of each foil exr.iore j 
 To what adapted, what it fhuns averfe : 
 Without thij v.cefiary care, iti vain 
 He hopes an apple-vintage, and invokes
 
 CYDER. 
 
 Pomona's aid in vain. The miry fields, 
 Rejoicing in rich mold, moft ample fruit 
 Of beauteous form produce : pleafing to fight, 
 But to the tongue inelegant and fiat. 
 So nature has decreed ; fo, oft we ,fee 
 Men palling fair, in outward lineaments 
 Elaborate, lefs, inwardly, ezach 
 Nor from the fable ground expert fuccefs, 
 Nor from cretaceous, ftubborn and jejune : 
 The muft, of pallid hue, declares the foul 
 Devoid of fpirit j wretched he, that quaffs 
 Such wheyifh liquors ; oft with colic pangs, 
 With pungent colic pangs diftrefs'd, he'll roar, 
 And tofs, and turn, and curfe th* un wholefome draught. 
 But, farmer, look, where full-ear'd {heaves of rye 
 Grow wavy on the tilth, that foil felett 
 For apples ; thence thy induftry mall gain 
 Ten-fold reward ; thy garners, thence with (lore 
 Surcharg'd,{hallburft; thy prefs with pureft juice 
 Shall flow, which, in revolving years, may try 
 Thy feeble feet, and bind thy fault'ring tongue. 
 Such is the Kentchurch, fuch Danzeyan ground^ 
 Such thine, O learned Brome I'and Caple fuch, 
 Williiian Burlton, much-lov'd Geers his Marfh, 
 And Sutton-acres, drench'd with regal blood 
 Of Ethelbert, when to th'unhallow'd feaft 
 Of Mercian OfFa he invited came, . 
 To treatof fpoufals : long connubial joys
 
 7 CYDER. 
 
 He promis'd tohimfelf, allur'd by fair 
 Elfrida's beauty ; but deluded dy'd 
 
 In height of hopes Oh ! hardeft fate, to fall 
 
 By fhew of friendfhip, and pretended love ! 
 
 I nor advife, nor apprehend thje choice 
 Of Marcely-hill ; the apple no where finds 
 A kinder mold : yet 'tis unfafe to truft 
 Deceitful ground : who knows, but that once more, 
 This mount may journey, and, his prefent fite 
 Forfaking, to thy' neighbours bounds transfer 
 the goodly plants, affording matter ftrange 
 For law-debates ! If, therefore, thou incline 
 To deck this rife with fruits of various taftes, 
 Fail not by frequent vows to implore fuceefs ; 
 Thus piteous heaven may fix the wand'ring glebe 
 
 But if (for nature doth not fhare alike 
 Her gifts) an happy foil fhould be withrheld ; 
 If a penurious clay fhould be thy lot, 
 Or rough unwieldy earth, nor to the plough, 
 Nor to the cattle kind, with fandy ftones 
 And gravel o'er-abounding, think it not 
 Beneath thy toil ; the fturdy pear-tree here 
 Will rife luxuriant, and with toughed root 
 Pierce the obftru&ing grit, and reftive marie. 
 This naught is ufelefs made ; nor is there land, 
 But what, or of itfelf, or elfe compell'd, 
 Affords advantage. On the barren heath 
 The fhepherd tends his (lock, that daily crop
 
 CYDER. 7I 
 
 -Their vardant dinner from the moflle turf, 
 Sufficient i after them the crackling gcofe, 
 Clcfc-g.azer, finds wherewith to eafe bar want. 
 What fhould I more ? Even on the cluTy height 
 Of Penmenmaur, and that cloud-piereing hill, 
 Plmlimmon, from afar the traveller kens 
 Aftonifh'd, how the goats their ihrubby brouze 
 Gnaw pendent ; nor untrembling canft thou fee 
 How from a fcraggy rock, whofe prominence 
 Half overmades the ocean, hardy men, " 
 Fearlefs of rending winds, and darning waves, 
 Cut famphire, to excite the fqueamiflh guft 
 Ofpamper'd luxury. Then, let thy ground 
 Not lye uniabour'd ; if the richeft Hem 
 Refufe to thrive, yet who would doubt to plant 
 Somewhat, that may to human ufe redound, 
 And penury, the worft of ills, remove ? 
 There are, who, fondly ftudious of increafe, 
 Rich foreign mold on their ill-natur'd land 
 Induce laborious, and with fat'ning muck 
 Befmear the roots ; in vain ! tke nurfling grove 
 Seems fair a while, cherifh'd with fofter earth : 
 But, when the alien compoft is exhauft, 
 Its native property again prevails. 
 
 Tho' this art fails, defpond not ; little pains, 
 In a dew hour employ'd, great profit yield. 
 Th' induflrious when the fun in Leo rides, 
 And darts his fultrieft beams, portending drought,
 
 72 CYDER. 
 
 Forgets not at the foot of ev'ry plant 
 To fink a circling trench, and daily pour 
 A juft fupply of aiiemental ftreams, 
 Exhaufted fap recruiting ; elfe, falfe hopes 
 Hecherifhes, nor will his fruit expect 
 Th' autumnal feafon, but, in fummer's pride, 
 When other orchat's fmile, abortive fail. 
 
 Thus the great light of heaven that in his courfe 
 
 S and quickens all things, often proves 
 Noxious to planted fields, and often men 
 Perceive his influence dire ; fwelt'ring they run 
 To grots, and caves, and the cool umbrage feek 
 Of woven arborets, and oft the rills 
 Still flreamingfrefli revifit, to allay 
 Third inextinguifhable : but if the fpring 
 Preceding fhouid be deftitute of rain, 
 Or blaft feptentrional with brufhing wings 
 Sweep up the fmoaky mifts, and vapours damp, 
 Then wo to mortals ! Titan then exerts . 
 His heat intenfe, and on our vitals preys j 
 Then maladies of various kinds, and names un- 
 Unknown, malignant fevers, and that foe (known, 
 To blooming beauty, which imprints the face 
 Of faired nymph, and checks our growing love, 
 Reigns far and near ; grim death, in diff'rent 
 Depopulates the nations, thoufands fall (fhapes, 
 His victims, youths, and virgins, in their flower* 
 t die, and figging leave their loves
 
 CYDER. 73 
 
 Unfinim'd, by infe&ious heaven deftroy'd. 
 
 Such heats prevail'd, when fair Eliza, laft 
 Of Winchcomb's name (next thee in blood, and 
 O faireft St. John ! ) left this toilfome world (worth, 
 In beauty's prime, and fadden'd all the year : 
 Nor could her virtues, nor repeated vows 
 Of thoufand lovers, the relentlefs hand 
 Of death arreft ; me with the vulgar fell, 
 Only diflinguifh'd by this humble verfe. 
 
 But if it pleafe the fun's intemp'rate force 
 To know, attend ; whilft I of antient fame 
 The annals trace, and image to thy mind, 
 How our fore-fathers, (lucluefs men !) ingulft 
 By the wide yawning earth, to Stygian fhades 
 Went quick, in one fad fepulchre enclos'd. 
 
 In eider days, ere yet the Roman bands 
 Victorious, this our other world fubdu'd, 
 A fpacious city flood, with firmed walls 
 Sure mounded, and with num'rous turrets crown'd a 
 Aerial fpires, and- citadels, the feat 
 Of kings, and heroes refolute in war, 
 Fam'd Ariconium ; uncontroul'd and free, 
 'Till all-fubduing Latian arms prevail'd. 
 Then alfo, tho' to foreign yoke fubmifs, 
 She undemolim'd flood, and even till now 
 Perhaps had flood, of antient Britifh aft 
 A pleafing monument, not lefs admixM 
 G
 
 74 CYDER. 
 
 Than what from Attic, or Etrufcnn !um-h 
 Arofe; had not the heavenly powers a 
 Decreed her final doom : for no\v the fields 
 Labour'd with third, Aquarius had not Ihed 
 His wonted (howers, and Sirius p-.irch'd with hcst 
 Solftitial the green herb : hence 'gan rr lax 
 The ground's contexture, hence Tartarean dreg3, 
 Sulphur, and nitrous fpume, enkindling fierce, 
 Bellow'd within their darkfome caves, by fa^ 
 More difmal than the loud difploded roar 
 Of brazen engin'ry, that ceafclefs florm 
 The baftion of a well built city, deem'd 
 Impregnable : th' infernal winds, 'jtill now 
 Clofely imprifon'd, by Titanian warmth, 
 Dilating, and with unctuous vapours fed, 
 Difdain'd their narrow cells ; and, their full 
 Collecting, from beneath the folid mafs (ftrength 
 Unheav'd, and all her caftles rooted deep 
 Shook from their loweft feats , old Vaga's dream. 
 Forc'd by the fudden fhock, her wonted traft 
 Forfook, and drew her humid train aflope, 
 Crankling her banks : and now the low'ring iky, 
 And baleful light'ning, and the thunder, voice 
 ef angry gods, that rattled folemn, difmaid (turn 
 The finking hearts of men. Where mould they 
 Diftrefs'd! whence feek for aid? when from below 
 Hell threatens, and even fate fupreme gives figns 
 Of wrath and defolation ? Vain were vows,
 
 CYDER. 75 
 
 And plaints, and fuppliant hands to heaven ere& ! 
 Yet fome to fanes repair'd, and humbler rites 
 Perforrn'd to Thor, and Woden, fabled gods, 
 "Who with their vot'ries in one ruin fharM, (mood, 
 Crufh'd and o'erwhelm'd. Others in frantic 
 Run howling thro' the ftreets; their hideous yells 
 Rend the dark welkin ; horror ftalks around, 
 Wild-flaring, and, his fad concomitant, 
 Defpair of abjel look : at every gate 
 The thronging populace with hafty ftrides 
 Prefs furious, and too eager of efcape, 
 Obflrul the eafy way ; the rocking town 
 Supplants their footfteps ; to and fro, they reel 
 Aftonifh'd, as o'er-charg'd with wine ; when lo 
 The ground aduft her riven mouth difparts, 
 Horrible chafm ; profound ! with fwift defcent 
 Old Ariconium finks, and all her tribes-, 
 Heroes, and fenators, down to the realms 
 Of endlefs night. Mean-while, the loofen'd winds 
 Infuriate, molten rocks and flaming globes 
 Hurl'd high above the clouds ; 'till, all their force 
 Confum'd, her rav'nous jaws th' earth fatiateclos'd. 
 Thus this fair city fell, of which the name 
 Survives alone , nor is there found a mark, 
 Whereby the curious pafienger may learn 
 Her ample fite, fave coins, and mould'ring urns> 
 And huge unweildy bones, lafting remain& 
 G 2
 
 7<S CYDER. 
 
 Of that gigantic race ; which, as he breaks 
 The clotted glebe, the plowman haply finds, 
 Appall'd. Upon that treacherous tract of land, 
 She whilome ftood , now Ceres, in her prime, 
 Smiles fertile, and with ruddied freight bedeck'dj 
 The apple-tree, by our fore-fathers blood 
 Improv'd, that now recals the devious mufe, 
 Urging her deftin'd labours to purfue. 
 
 The prudent will obferve, what paffions reign 
 In various plants (for not to man alone, 
 But all the wide creation, nature gave 
 Love andaverfion) : everlafting hate 
 The Vine, to Ivy bears, nor lefs abhors 
 The Coleworts ranknefs ; but, with amoroustwine, 
 Clafps the tall Elm : the Pseftan Rofe unfolds 
 Her bud, more lovely, near the fetid Leek 
 (Creft of ftout Britons !) and inhances thence 
 The price of her celeftial fcent : the Gourd, 
 And thirfty Cucumber, when they perceive 
 Th' approaching Olive, with refentment fly 
 Her fatty fibres, and with tendrils creep 
 Diverfe, detefting contact , while the Fig 
 
 Contemns not Rue, nor Sage's humble leaf, 
 Clofe neighbouring : the Herefordian plant 
 Carefles freely the contiguous Peach, 
 Hazel, and weight-refilling Palm, and likes 
 T* approach the Quince, and th' Elder's pithy 
 Uncafy, feated by funeral Yeugh, (item,
 
 CYDER, 77 
 
 Of Walnut, (whofe malignant touch impairs 
 All generous fruits,) or near the bitter dews 
 Of Cherries. Therefore, weigh the habits well 
 Of plants, how they affociate beft, nor let 
 111 neighbourhood corrupt thy hopeful grafs. (froth ? 
 Wouldft thou, thy vats with gen'rous juice fhoulci 
 Refpect thy orchats ; think not, that the trees 
 Spontaneous will produce anwholefome draught, 
 Let art correct thy breed : from parent bough 
 A cyon meetly fever ; after, force 
 A way unto the crabftock's clofe- wrought grain 
 By wedges, and within the living wound 
 Enclofe the foller twig ; nor over-nice 
 Refufe with thy own hands around to fpread 
 'ihe binding clay : ere long their differing veins 
 Unite, and kindly nourimment convey 
 To the new pupil; now he (hoots his arms (trunk> 
 With quickeft growth ; now (hake the teeming 
 Down rain th'impurpled balls, ambrofial fruit. 
 Whether the Wilding's fibres are contriv'd 
 To draw the earth's pureft fpirit, and refift 
 Its feculence, which in more porous flocks 
 Of Cyder-plants find pafl^ge free, or elfe 
 The native verjuice of the Crab, deriv'd 
 Thro' th' infix'd graff, a grateful mixture forms ' 
 Of tart and fweet-, whatever be the caufe, 
 This doubtful progeny by niceft taftes 
 G 3
 
 73 CYDER. 
 
 Expected bed acceptance finds, and pays 
 Largeft revenues to the orchat-lord. 
 
 Some think, the Quince and Apple would corn- 
 In happy union -, others fittet deem (bine 
 The Sloe-flem bearing fylvan plumbs auftere. 
 Who knows but both may thrive ? Howe'er, what 
 To try the pow'ersof both, and fearch how far (lofs 
 Two different natures may concur to mix 
 In clofe embraces, and ftrange offspring bear ? 
 Thou'lt find that plants will frequent changes try, 
 Undamag'd, and their marriageable arms 
 Conjoin with others. So Silurian plants 
 Admit the. Peach's odoriferous globe, 
 And pears of fundry forms ; at diff'rent times 
 Adopted Plumbs will alien branches grace , 
 And men have gather'd from the Hawthorn's 
 Large Medlars, imitating regal crowns, (branch 
 
 Nor is it hard to beautify each month 
 With files of parti-colour'd fruits, that pleafe 
 The tongue, and view, at once. So Maro's mufe, 
 Thrice facrcd mufe ! commodious precepts gives 
 Inftru&ive to the fwains, not wholly bent 
 On what is gainful : fometimes Ihe diverts 
 From folid counfels : fhews the force of love 
 In favage beads ; how virgin face divine 
 Attra&sthe haplefs youth thro' dorms and waves, 
 Alone, in deep of night : then me defcribes 
 The Scythian winter, nor difdains to fmg
 
 CYDER. 79 
 
 How under ground the rude Riphocan race 
 Mimic briflc Cyder with the brakes product wild ; 
 Sloes pounded, hips, and Servis' harmeft juice. 
 
 Let fage experience teach us all the arts 
 Of grafting, and in-eying ; when to lop 
 The flowing branches ; what trees anfwer befl 
 From root, or kernel : fhe will bell the hours 
 Of harveft, and feed-time declare ; by her 
 The diff'rent qualities of things were found, 
 And fecret motions ; how with heavy bulk 
 Volatile Hermes, fluid and unmoift, 
 Mounts on the wings of air ; to her we owe 
 The Indian weed,, unknown to antient times, 
 Natures choice gift, whofe acrimonious fume 
 Extracts fuperfluous juices, and refines 
 The blood diftemper'd from its noxious falts j 
 Friend to the fpirits, which with vapours bland 
 It gently mitigates, companion fit 
 Of pleafantry, and wine ; nor to the bards 
 Unfriendly, when they to the vocal (hell 
 Warble melodious their well-labour'd forigs. 
 She found the polilh'd glafs whofe fmall convex 
 Enlarges to ten millions of degrees 
 The mite, invifible elfe, of nature's hand 
 Left animal: and fhews, what laws of life 
 The cheefe-inhabitants obferve, and how 
 Fa^..c their manfions in the harden'd milk, 
 Wonderful artifts ! but the hidden ways
 
 8o CYDER. 
 
 Of nature wouldft thou know ? How firil fV.e 
 All things in miniature ? thytfpecular orb (frames 
 Apply to well-diflecled kernels ; lo ! 
 Strange forms arife, in each a little plant 
 Unfolds its boughs : obferve the flender threads 
 Of firft beginning trees, their roots, their leaveSj 
 In narrow feeds defcrib'd j thou't wond'ring fay, 
 An inmate orchat ev'ry apple boafts. 
 Thus all things by experience are difplay'd, 
 And moft improv'd. Then feduloufly think 
 To meliorate thy (lock ; no way, or rule, 
 Be unafiay'd , prevent the morning ftar 
 Afliduous, nor with the weftern fun 
 Surceafe to work. Lo ! thoughtful of thy gain, 
 Not of my own, I all the live long day 
 Confume in meditation deep, reclufe 
 From human converfe, nor, at fhut of eve, 
 Enjoy repofe ; but oft at midnight lamp 
 Ply my brain-racking ftudies, if by chance 
 Thee I may counfel right ; and oft this care 
 Difturbs me flumb'ring. Wilt thou then repine 
 To labour for thyfelf ? and rather chufe 
 To lye fupinely, hoping heaven will blefs 
 Thy flighted fruits, and give thee bread unearn'd ? 
 Twill profit, when the ftork, f\vorn-foc of 
 Returns, to fnew compaflion to thy plants, (fnakes, 
 Fatigu'd with breeding. Let the arched knife 
 Well fharpen'd now afiai! the fpreading (hades
 
 
 CYDER. 81 
 
 Of vegetables, and their thirfty limbs 
 
 Diflever : for the genial moifture, due 
 
 To apples otherwife mifpends itfelf 
 
 In barren twigs, and for th' expected crop, 
 
 Naught but vain fhoots, and empty leaves abound. 
 
 When fwelling buds their od'rous foilage fhed, 
 And gently harden into fruit, the wife 
 Spare not the little off-fpring, if they grow 
 Redundant;-, but the thronging cluflers thin 
 By kind avulfion : elfe, the ftarv'ling brood, 
 Void of fufficient fuftenance, will yield 
 A {lender autumn ; which the niggard foul 
 Too late fball weep, and curfe his thrifty hand, 
 That would not timely eafe the pond'rous boughs. 
 
 It much" conduces, all the cares to know 
 Of gard'ning, how to fcare nocturnal thieves, 
 And how the little race of birds that hop 
 From fpray, to fpray, fcooping the coIHied fruit 
 Infatiate, undifturb'd, Priapus' form 
 Avails but little ; rather guard each row 
 With the falfe terrors of a breathlefs kite. 
 This done, the timorous flock with fvv-ifteft wing 
 Scud through the air ; their fancy reprefents 
 His mortal talons, and his rav'nous beak 
 Deftruftive ; glad to fhun his hoftile gripe, 
 They quit their thefts, and unfrequent the fields. 
 
 Bcfides, the filthy fwine will oft invade 
 Thy firm inclofure, and with delving fuout
 
 $2 CYDER. 
 
 The rooted foreft undermine : forthwith 
 Alloo thy furious maftiff, bid him vex 
 The noxious herd, and print upon their ears 
 A fad memorial of their paft offence. 
 
 The flagrant Procyon will not fail to bring 
 Large fhoals of flow houfe-bearing fnails,that creep 
 O'er the ripe fruitage, paring flimy drafts 
 In the fleek rinds, and unpreft Cyder drink. 
 No art Averts this peft j on thee it lies 
 With morning and with evening hand to rid 
 The preying reptiles , nor, if wife, wilt thou 
 Decline this labour, which itfelf rewards 
 With pleafing gain, whilft the warm limbic drawg 
 Salubrious waters from the nocent brood. 
 
 Myriads of wafps now alfo cluftring hang, 
 And drain a fpurious honey from thy groves, 
 Their winter food ; though oft repulft, again 
 They rally undifmay'd : but fraud with eafe 
 Enfnares the noifom fwarms ; let ev'ry bough 
 Bear frequent vials, pregnant with the dregs 
 Of Moyle, or Mum, or Treacle's vifcous juice j 
 They, by th' alluring odor drawn, in hade 
 Fly to the dulcet cates, and crouding fip 
 Their palatable bane ; joyful thou'lt fee 
 The clammy furface all o'erftrown with tribes 
 Of greedy infects, that with fruitlefs toil 
 Flap filmy pennons oft, to extricate 
 Their feet, in liquid {hackles bound, 'till death
 
 CYDER. s-j 
 
 Bereave them of their worthlefs fouls; fuch doom 
 Waits luxury, and lawlefs love of gain ! 
 
 Howe'er thou may'fl forbid external force, 
 Inteftine evils will prevail ; damp airs, 
 And rainy winters, to the center pierce 
 Of fierceft fruits, and by unfeen decay 
 The proper relim vitiate : then the grub 
 Oft unobferv'd invades the vital core, 
 Pernicious tenant ! and her fecret cave 
 Enlarges hourly, preying on the pulp 
 Ceafelefs , mean-while the apple outward form 
 Delectable the witlefs fwain beguiles, 
 'Till, with a writhen mouth, and fpattering noife, 
 He taftes the bitter morfel, and rejects 
 Difrelifh'd ; not with lefs furprize, than when 
 Embattled troops with flowing banners pafs 
 Thro' flow'ry meads delighted, nor diftruft 
 The fmiling furface ; whilft the cavern'd ground, 
 With grain incentive ftor'd, by fudden blaze 
 Burfts fatal, and involves the hopes of war 
 In fiery whirles ; full of vi&orious thoughts, 
 Torn and difmembred, they aloft expire. 
 
 Now turn thine eye to view Alcinous' groves, 
 The pride of the Phceacian ifle, from whence, 
 Sailing the fpaces of the boundlefs deep, 
 To Anconium precious fruits arriv'd : 
 The Pippin burnifh'd o'er with gold, the Mofe 
 Of fweeteft honey'd tafte, the fair Permain,
 
 84 CYDER. 
 
 Temper'd, like comelieft nymph, with red and 
 Salopian acres flourifh with a growth (white. 
 Peculiar, ftyl'd the Ottley : be thou firft 
 This apple to tranfplant ; if to the name 
 It's merit anfwers, no where {halt thou find 
 A wine more priz'd, or laudable of tafte. 
 Nor does the Eliot leaft deferve thy care, 
 Nor John- Apple, whofe wither'd rind, entrencht 
 With many a furrow, aptly reprefents 
 Decrepid age j nor that from Harvey nam'd 
 Qmck-relifhing ; why mould we fing the Thrift, 
 Codling, or Pomroy, or of pimpled coat 
 The RuiTet, or the Cat's-Head's weighty orb, 
 Enormous in its growth ; for various ufe 
 Tho' thefe are meet, tho' after full repaft 
 Are oft requir'd, and crown the rich defert ? 
 
 What, tho' the Pear-tree rival not tbe worth 
 Of Ariconium products ? yet her freight 
 Is not contemu'd, yet her wide-branched arms 
 Beft fcreen thy manfion from the fervent dog 
 Averfe to life ; the wintry hurricanes 
 In vain imploy their roar, her trunk unmov'd 
 Breaks the flrong onfet, and controls their rage. 
 Chiefly the Bofbury, whofe large increafe, 
 Annual, in fumptuous banquets claims applaufe, 
 Thrice acceptable bev'rage ! could but art 
 Subdue the floiting lee, Pomona's felf (ftrife. 
 Would dread thy praife, and (hun the dubious
 
 CYDER. 85 
 
 Be it thy choice, when Cummer-heats annoy, 
 To fit beneath her leafy canopy, 
 Quaffing rich liquids : oh ! how fweet t' enjoy, 
 At once her fruits, and hofpitable fhade ! 
 
 But how with equal numbers fhall we match 
 The Mufk's furpafling worth ! that earlieft gives 
 Sure hopes of racy wine, and in its youth, 
 Its tender nonage, loads the fpreading boughs 
 With large and juicy offspring, that defies 
 The vernal nippings, and cold fyderal blafts ! 
 Yet let her to the Red-ftreak yield, that once 
 Was of the Sylvan kind, unciviliz'd, 
 Of no regard, 'till Scudamore's fkilful hand 
 Improv'd her, and by courtly difcipline 
 Taught her the favage nature to forget : 
 Hence ftyl'd the Scudamorean plant ; whofe wine 
 Who-ever taftes, let him with grateful heart 
 Refpeft that ancient royal houfe, andwifh 
 The nobler peer, that now tranfcends our hopes 
 In early worth, his country's jufteft pride, 
 Uninterrupted joy, and health entire. 
 
 Let every tree in every garden own 
 The Red-ftreak as fupreme^ whofe pulpous fruit 
 With gold irradiate, and vermilion Chines 
 Tempting, not fatal, as the birth of that 
 Primaeval interdicted plant, that won 
 Fond Eve in haplefs hour to tafte, and die. 
 H
 
 *<5 CYDER. 
 
 This, of more bounteous influence, infpires 
 Poetic raptures, and the lowly mufe 
 Kindles to lofty {trains ; even I perceive 
 Her facred virtue. See ! the numbers flow 
 Eafiy, whilft, chear'd with her ne&areous juice, 
 Hers, and my country's praifes, I exalt. 
 Hail, Herefordian plant, thou 'doft difdain 
 All other fields ! heaven's fweeteft blefling, hail ! 
 Be thou the copious matter of my fong, 
 And thy choice Nec~lar j on which always waits 
 Laughter, and fport, and care beguiling wit, 
 And friendfhip, chief delight of human life. 
 What fhould we wifh for more ? or why, in queft 
 Of foreign vintage, irtfmcere, and mix'd, 
 Traverfe th'cxtremeft world? Why tempt the rage 
 Of the rough ocean ? when our native glebe 
 Imparts, from bounteous womb, annual recruits 
 Of wine delectable, that far furmounts 
 Gallic, or Latin grapes, or thofe that fee 
 The fetting fun near Calpe's tow'ring height. 
 Nor let the Rhodian, nor the Lefbian vines 
 Vaunt their rich muft, nor let Tokay contend 
 For fov'ranty ; Phanaeus felf muft bow 
 To th' Ariconian vales : And fhall we doubt 
 T' improve our vegetable wealth, or let 
 The foil lye idle, which, with fit manure, 
 With largeft ufury repay, alone 
 Impower'd to fupply what nature aflcs
 
 CYDER. 87 
 
 Frugal, or what nice appetite requires ; 
 The meadows here, with bat'ning ooze enrich'd, 
 Give fpirit to the grafs ; three cubits high 
 The jointed herbage (hoots, th' unfallow'd glebe 
 Yearly o'ercomes the granaries with ftore 
 Of golden wheat, the ftrength of human life. 
 Lo, on auxiliary poles, the Hops 
 Afcending fpiral, rang'd in meet array I 
 Lo, how the arable with barley grain 
 Stands thick, o'erfhadow'd, to the thirfly hind 
 Tranfporting profpecl: ! thefe, as modern ufe 
 Ordains, infus'd, an auburn drink compofe, 
 Wholefome, of deathlefs fame. Here, to the fight, 
 Apples of price, and plenteous {heaves of corn, 
 Oft interlac'd occur, and both imbibe 
 Fitting congenial juice ; fo rich the foil, 
 So much does frucluous moifture o'er abound f 
 Nor are the hills unamiable, whofe tops 
 To heaven afpire, affording profpect fweet 
 To human ken -, nor at their feet the vales 
 Descending gently, where the lowing herd 
 Chews verd'rous pafture ; nor the yellow fields 
 Gaily, enterchang'd, with rich variety 
 Pleafing, as when an Emerald green enchas'd 
 In flamy gold, from the bright mafs acquires 
 A nobler hue, more delicate to fight. 
 Next add the Sylvan fhades, and filent groves,. 
 H 2
 
 88 CYDER. 
 
 (Haunt of the Druids) whence the hearth is fed 
 With copious feuel ; whence the fturdy oak, 
 A prince's refuge once, th' eternal guard 
 Of England's throne, by fweating peafants fell'd, 
 Stems the vail main, and bears tremendous war 
 To diftant nations, or with fov'ran fway 
 Awes the divided world to peace and love. 
 Why mould the Chalybes, or Bilboa boaft 
 Their harden'd iron , when our mines produce 
 As perfect martial ore ? Can Timolus' head 
 Vie with our fafron odours ? Or the fleece 
 Bcetic, or fineft Tarentine, compare 
 With Lemfter's filken wool ? Where mail we find 
 Men more undaunted, for their country's weal 
 More prodigal of life : In ancient days, 
 The Roman legions, and great Csefar found 
 Our fathers no mean foes ; and Crefly plains, 
 And Agincourt deep ting'd with blood, confefs 
 What the Silures vigour unwithftood 
 Could do in rigid fight ; and chiefly what 
 Brydges' wide-wafting hand, firft garter'd knightj 
 Puiflant author of great Chandois' ftem, 
 High Chandois, that tranfmits paternal worth, 
 Prudence, and ancient prowefs, and renown, 
 T' his noble offspring. O thrice happy peer ! 
 That, bleft with hoary vigour, view'ft thy felf 
 Frefh blooming in thy generous fon ; whofe lips 
 Flowing with nervous eloquence exaft.
 
 CYDER. S 
 
 Charm the wife fenate, and attention win 
 In deepefl councils : Ariconium pleas'd, 
 Him, as her chofen worthy, firft falutes. 
 Him on th' Iberian, on the Gallic more, 
 Him hardy Britons blefs ; his faithful hand 
 Conveys new courage from afar, nor more 
 The general's conduct, than his care avails. 
 
 Thee alfo, glorious branch of Cecil's line, 
 This country claims ; with pride and joy to thee 
 Thy Alterennis calls : yet (he endures 
 Patient thy abfence, fince thy prudent choice 
 Has fix'd thee in the mufe's faireft feat, 
 Where Aldrich reigns, and from his endlefs ftore 
 Of univerfal knowledge flill fupplies 
 His noble care , he generous thoughts inflils 
 Of true nobility, their country's love, 
 (Chief end of life) and forms their duclile minds 
 To human virtues : By his genius led, 
 Thou foon in every art pre-eminent 
 Shall grace this ifle, and rife to Burleigh's fame. 
 
 Hail high-born peer ! andthougreat nurfeof arts. 
 And men, from whence confpicuous patriots fpring., 
 Hanmer, and Bromley ;. thou, to whom with due. 
 Refpect Wintonia bows, and joyful pwns 
 Thy mitrid offspring j be for ever blefs'd 
 With like examples, and to future times 
 Iroficuous, fuch a race of men produce 3 , 
 H 3
 
 90 CYDER. 
 
 As, in the cafe of virtue firm, may fix 
 Her throne inviolate. Hear, ye god* ! this VO\T 
 From one, the meaneft in her numerous train ; 
 Tho' meaneft, not leaft ftudious of her praife. 
 
 Mufe ! raife thy voice to Beaufort's fportlefsfame> 
 To Beaufort's in a long defcent deriv'd 
 From royal anceftry, of kingly rights 
 Faithful aflerters : In. him cent'ring meet 
 Their glorious virtues, high defert from pride 
 Disjoin'd, unfhaken honour, and contempt 
 Of ftrong. allurements, O illuftrious prince ! 
 O thou of antient faith ! Exulting, thee, 
 In her fair lift, this happy land inrolls. 
 
 Who can refufe a tributary verfe 
 To Weymouth, firmeft friend of flighted worth 
 Jn evil days ?- whofe hofpitable gate, 
 Unbarr'd to all, invites a numerous train (crown 'd 3 
 Of daily guefts ; whofe board, with plenty 
 Retires the feaft-rites old : mean while his care 
 Forgets not the afflicted, but content 
 In a&s of fecret goodnefs, fhuns the praife, 
 That fure attends. Permit me, bounteous lord, 
 To blazen what though hid will bounteous (hine , 
 And with thy name to dignify my fong. 
 
 But who is he, that on the winding ftream 
 Of Vaga firft drew vital breath, and now 
 Approv'd in Anna's fecret councils fits,. 
 Weighing the fum of things, with wife forecaft
 
 CYDER. $s 
 
 Sollicitous of public good ? How large 
 
 His mind, that comprehends whate'ef was known 
 
 To old, or prefent times , yet not elate, 
 
 Not confcious of its (kill ? what praife deferves 
 
 His liberal hand, that gathers but to give, 
 
 Preventing fuit ? O not unthankful mufe ! 
 
 Him lowly reverence, that firft deign'd to hear 
 
 Thy pipe, and fkrcen'd thee from opprobrious 
 
 tongues ; 
 
 Acknowledge thy own Harley, and his name 
 Infcribe on ev'ry bark ; the wounded plants. 
 Will fail increafe, fafter thy juft refpect. 
 
 Such are our heroes, by their virtues known, 
 Or ikill of peace, and war : of fofter mold 
 The female fex, with fweet attractive airs 
 Subdue obdurate hearts. The travellers oft, 
 That view their matchlefs forms with tranfieni: 
 
 glance 
 
 Catch fudden love, and figh for nymphs unknown. 
 Smith with the magic of their eyes : nor hath 
 The Daedal hand of nature only pour'd 
 Her gifts of outward grace , their innocence 
 Unfeign'd, and virtue mod engaging, free 
 From pride, or artifice, long joys afford 
 To th' honeft nuptial bed, and in the wane 
 Of life, rebate the miferies of age. 
 And is there found a wretch, fo bafe a mind, 
 That woman's pow'rful beauty dares condemn^ 
 Exa&eft work of heaven ? he ill deferves 
 Or love, or pity , friendlefs let him fee
 
 92 CYDER. 
 
 Uneafy, tedious days, defpis'd forlorn, 
 As (lain of human race : but may the man. 
 That chearfully recounts the females praife, 
 Find equal love, and love's untainted fweets 
 Enjoy with honour. O, ye gods ! might I 
 Elect my fate, my happieft choice {hould be - 
 A fair, and modeft virgin, that invites 
 With afpecl chafte, forbidding loofe defire^ 
 Tenderly fmiling, in whofe heavenly eye 
 Sits pureft love enthron'd : but if the ftars 
 Malignant, thefe my better hopes oppofe, 
 May I, at leaft, the facred pleafures know 
 Of ftricleft amity j nor ever want 
 A friend, with whom I mutually may {hare 
 Gladnefs, aud anguifh, by kind intercourse 
 Of fpeech, and offices. May in my mind 
 Indelible a grateful fenfe remain 
 Of favours undeferv'd !- O thou ! from whom. 
 Gladly both rich, and low feek aid j moft wife 
 Interpreter of right, whofe gracious voice 
 Breathes equity, and curbs too rigid law 
 With mild, impartial reafon ; what returns 
 Of thanks are due to thy beneficence 
 Freely vouchfaf 'd, when to the gates of death 
 I tended prone ? if thy indulgent care 
 Had not preven'd, among unbody'd (hades 
 I now had wander'd ; and thefe empty thought* 
 Of apples periih'd : but, up-rais'd by thee,
 
 CYDER. 
 
 93 
 
 I tune my pipe afrefh, each night, and day, 
 Thy unexampled goodnefs to extol 
 Defirous ; but nor night, nor day fuffice 
 For that great tafk -, the highly honour'd name 
 Of Trevor muft employ my willing thoughts 
 Inceflant, dwell for ever on my tongue. 
 
 Let me be grateful, but let far from me 
 Be fawning cringe, and falfe difiembling look, 
 And fervile flattery, that harbours oft 
 In courts, and gilded roofs. Some loofe the bands 
 Of antient friendfhip, cancel nature's laws 
 For pageantry, and taudry gugaws. Some 
 Pvenounce their fires, oppofe paternal right 
 For rule, and power j and other's realms invade, 
 With fpecious fhews of love. This traiterous 
 Betrays his fov'ran. Others deftitute (wretch 
 Of real zeal, to ev'ry altar bend, 
 By lucre fway'd, and act the bafefl things 
 To be ftyl'd honourable : th' honeft man, 
 Simple of heart, prefers inglorious want 
 To ilf-got wealth j rather from door to door 
 A jocund pilgrim, though diftrefs'd, he'll rove, 
 Than break his plighted faith, nor fear, nor hope 
 Will mock his ftedfaftfoul ; rather debarr'd 
 Each common privilege, cut off from hopes 
 Of meanefl gain, of prefent goods defpoil'd ; 
 He'll bear the marks of infamy, contemn'd, 
 Unpity'd ; yet his mind, of evil pure, 
 Supports him, and intention free from fraud,
 
 94 CYDER. 
 
 If no retinue with obfervant eyes 
 
 Attend him, if he can't with purple ftain 
 
 Of cumbrous veftments, labour'd o'er with gold, 
 
 Dazle the croud, and fet them all agape 5 
 
 Yet clad in homely weeds, from envy's darts 
 
 Remote he lives, nor knows the nightly pangs 
 
 Of confcience, nor with fpe&re's giifly forms, 
 
 Dxmons, and injur'd fouls at clofe of day 
 
 Annoy'd, fad interrupted (rumbers finds. 
 
 But (as a child, whofe inexperienc'd age 
 
 Nor evil purpofe fears, nor knows,} enjoys 
 
 Nights fweet refrefhmenr, humid fleep, fincere. 
 
 When chanticleer, with clarion fhrill recals 
 
 The tardy day, he to his labours hies 
 
 Gladfome, intent on fomewhat that may eafe 
 
 Unhealthy mortals, and with curious fearch 
 
 Examines all the properties of herbs, 
 
 Foffils, and minerals, that th' embowell'd earth 
 
 Difplays, if by his induflry he can 
 
 Benefit human race ; or elfe his thoughts 
 
 Are exercis'd with fpeculations deep (rules 
 
 Of good, and juft, and meet, and th' wholfomc 
 
 Of temperance, and aught that may improve 
 
 The moral life ; not fedulous to rail, 
 
 Nor with envenom'd tongue to blaft the fame 
 
 Ofharrnlefs men, or fecfet whifpcrs fpjread, 
 
 'Mong faithful friends, to breed diftrufl, and hate. . 
 
 Studious of virtue, he no life obferves 
 
 Except his own, his own employs his cares,
 
 CYDER. 95 
 
 Large fubjeft ! that he labours to refine 
 Daily, nor of his little (lock denies 
 Fit alms to Lazars, merciful, and meek. 
 
 Thus iacred Virgil livM, from courtly vice, 
 And baits of pompous Pxome fecure : at court 
 Still thoughtful of the rural honeft life, 
 And how t'imprcve his grounds, and how himfelf 
 Beft poet ! fit examplar for the tribe 
 Of Phoebus ; nor lefs fit Mseonides, 
 Poor eyelefs pilgrim ! and if after thefe, 
 If after thefe another I may name, 
 Thus tender Spenfer liv'd, with mean repaft 
 Content, deprefs'd by penury, and pine 
 In foreign realm : yet not debas'd his verfe 
 By fortune's frowns. And had that other bard, 
 Oh, had but he that firft ennobled fong 
 With holy raptures, like his Abdiel been, 
 'Mong many faithlefs, ftridUy faitkful found, 
 Unpity'd, he mould not have wail'd his orbs, 
 That roll'd in vain to find the piercing ray, 
 And found no dawn, by dim fuffufion veil'd ! 
 But he However, let the mufe abftain, 
 Nor blaft his fame, from whom me learnt to fing 
 In much inferior drains, grov'ling beneath 
 Th' Olympian hill, or plains, and, vales intent, 
 Mean follower. There let her reft a-while, 
 Pleas'd with the fragrant walks, and cool retreat,
 
 D E R. 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 OHARCOURT ! whom th' ingenuous love of 
 Has carry'd from thy native foil beyond (arts 
 T' eternal Alpine fnows, and now detains 
 In Italy's wafte realms, how long muft we 
 Lament thy abfence ? Whilft in fweet fojourn 
 Thou view'ft the reliques of old Rome ; or what, 
 UnrivaFd authors by their prefence, made 
 For ever venerable, rural feats, 
 Tibur, and Tufculum, or Virgil's urn 
 Green with immortal bays, which haply thou, 
 Refpecting his great name, doft now approach 
 With bended knee, and ftrow with .purple flow'rs* 
 Unmindful of thy friends, that ill can brook 
 This long delay. At length, dear youth ! return, 
 Of wit, and judgement ripe in blooming years, 
 And Britain's ifle with Latian knowledge grace. 
 Return, and let thy father's worth excite 
 Thirft of pre-eminence 5 fee ! how the caufc
 
 C Y D E R. 97 
 
 Of widows, and of orphans he aflerts 
 With winning rhetorick, and well-argu'd law ! 
 Mark well his footfteps, and, like him, deferve 
 Thy princes favour, and thy country's love. 
 
 Mean while (altho' the Maffic grape delights 
 Pregnant of racy juice, and Formian hills 
 Temper thy cups, yet) wilt not thou reject 
 Thy native liquors : lo ! for thee my mill 
 Now grinds choice apples, and the Britifh vats 
 O'crflow with generous Cyder ; far remote 
 Accept this labour, nor defpife the mufe, 
 That, pafling lands, and feas, on thce attends. 
 
 Thus far of trees : the pleafing talk remains, 
 To fmg of wines, and autumn's bleft increafe. 
 Th' effects of art are (hewn, yet what avails 
 'Gainft heaven ? Oft, notwithftanding all thy care 
 To help thy plants, when the fmall fruit'ry feems 
 Exempt from ills, an oriental blaft 
 Difailrous flies, foon as the hind, fatigu'd, 
 Unyokes his team ; the tender freight, unfkill'd 
 To bear the hot difeafe, diltemper'd pines 
 In the year's prime, the deadly plague annoys 
 The wide inclofure ; think not vainly now 
 To treat thy neighbours with mellifluous cups, 
 Thus difappointed : if the former years 
 Exhibit no fupplies, alas ! thou mud 
 With taftlcfs water wafli thy droughty throat.
 
 93 CYDER. 
 
 A th o.ufan d accidents the farmer's hopes 
 Subvert, or check ; uncertain all his toil, 
 'Till lufty autumn's luke-warm days, allay'd 
 With gentle colds, infenfibly confirm 
 His ripening labours ; autumn, to the fruits 
 Earth's various lap produces, vigour gives 
 Equal, intenerating milky grain, 
 Berries, and iky-dy'd plumbs, and what in coat 
 Rough, or foft rin'd, or bearded hufk, or {hell j 
 Fat Olives, and Piftacio's fragrant nut, 
 And the Pine's tafteful apple : autumn paints 
 Aufonian hills with grapes, whilft Englim plains 
 Blum with pomaceous harvefls, breathing fweets. 
 O let me now, when the kind early dew 
 Unlocks the unbofom'd odors, walk among 
 The well- rang'd files of trees, whofefull-ag'dftore 
 Diffufe ambrofial fleams than Myrrh, or Nard 
 More grateful, or perfuming flow'ry Bean ! 
 .Soft whifp'ring airs, and the lark's mattin fong 
 Then woo to mufing, and becalm the mind 
 Perplex'd with irkfome thoughts. Thrice happy 
 Beft portion of the various year, in which (times, 
 Nature rejoiceth, fmiling on her works 
 Lovely, to full perfection wrought ! but ah, 
 Short are our joys, and neighb'ring griefs difturb 
 Our pleafant hours. Inclement winter dwells 
 Contiguous ; forth with frofty blafts deface 
 The blithfome year ! trees of their flirivel'd fruits
 
 'CYDER. 99 
 
 Are widov/'d, dreary ftorms o'er all prevail. 
 Now, now's the time ; ere hafty funs forbid 
 To work, difburden thou thy faplefs wood 
 Of its rich progeny , the turgid fruit 
 Abounds with mellow liquor j now exhort 
 Thy hinds to exercife the pointed fteel 
 On the hard rock, and give a wheely form 
 To the expected grinder : Now prepare 
 Materials for thy mill, a fturdy poft 
 Cylindric, to fupport the grinder's weight 
 Exceffive, and a flexile fallow' entrench'd, 
 Rounding, capacious of the juicy hord. 
 Normuft thou not be mindful of thy prefs 
 Long ere the vintage , but with timely care 
 Shave the goats ihaggy beard, left thou too late 
 In vain fhould'ft feek a (trainer, to difpart 
 The bulky, terrene dregs, from purer muft. 
 Be cautious next a proper fteed to find, 
 Whofe prime is paft ; the vigorous horfe difdains 
 Such fervile labours, or, if ftfrc'd, forgets 
 His paft achievements, and victorious palms. 
 Blind Bayard rather, worn with work, and years, 
 Shall roll th' unweildy (tone ; with fober pace 
 Hell tread the circling path, 'till dewy eve, 
 From early day-fpring, pleas'd to find his age 
 Declining, not unufeful to his lord. 
 
 Some, when the prefs, by utmoft vigour fcrew'd, 
 Has drain' d the pulpous mafs, regale their fv.ine 
 I 2
 
 ioo CYDER. 
 
 With the dry refufe , thou, more wife, {halt fteep 
 Thy huflcs in water, and again employ 
 The pondrous engine. Water will imbibe 
 The fmall remains of fpirit, and acquire 
 A vinous flavour ; this the peafants blithe 
 Will quaff, and whittle, as thy tinkling team 
 They drive and fing of Fufca's radiant eye, (now 
 Pleas'd with the medly dvaught. Nor fhalt thou 
 Reject the Apple-Cheefe, tho' quite exhauft ; 
 Even now 'twill cherifh, and improve the roots 
 Of fickly plants ; nor vigour hence convey'd 
 Will yield an harveft of unufual growth. 
 Such profit fprings from huflcs difcreetly us'd ! 
 
 The tender apples, from their parents rent 
 By ftormy {hocks, rnuft not neglected lye 
 The prey of worms : A frugal man I knew, 
 Rich in one barren acre, which, fubdu'd 
 By endlefs culture, with fufficient muft 
 His cafics replenifh'd yearly : he no more 
 Defir'd, nor wanted; diligent to learn 
 The various feafons, and by fkill repel 
 Invading pefts, fuccefsful in his cares, 
 'Till the damp Libyan wind, with tempefts arm'd 
 Outrageous, blufter'd horrible amidft 
 His Cyder-groves : O'er-turn'd by furious blafts, 
 The fightly ranks fall proftrate, and around 
 Their fruitage fcatter'd, from the genial boughs 
 Stript immature : Yet did he not repine,
 
 CYDER. 
 
 101 
 
 Nor curfe his ftars ; but prudent, his fall'n heaps 
 Collecting, cherifh'd with the tepid wreaths 
 Of tedded grafs, and the fun's mellowing beams 
 Rival'd with artful heats, and thence procur'd 
 A coftly liquor, by improving time 
 Equali'd with what the happieft vintage bears. 
 
 But this I warn thee, and {hall always warn, 
 No heterogeneous mixture ufe, as fome 
 With watry turneps have debas'd their wines, 
 Too frugal ; nor let the crude humours dance 
 In heated brafs, fteaming with fire intenfe, 
 Although Devonia much commends the ufe 
 Of ft rength'ningVulcau; with their native ftrength 
 Thy wines fufficient, other aid refufe j 
 And, when th' allotted orb of time's compleat, 
 Are more commended than the labour'd drinks. 
 
 Nor let thy avarice tempt thee to withdraw 
 The prieft's appointed fhare ; with chearful heart 
 The tenth of thy increafe beflow, and own 
 Heaven's bounteous good nels, that will fure repay 
 Thy grateful duty : This neglected, fear 
 Signal avengeance, fuch as over-took 
 A mifer, that unjuftly once with-held 
 The clergy's due ; relying on himfelf, 
 His fields he tended with fuccefsiefs care, 
 Early, and late, when, or unwifh'd for rain 
 Defcended, or unfeafonable frofts 
 I 3
 
 *32 CYDER. 
 
 Curb'd his increafing hopes, or when around 
 The clouds dropt fatnefs, in the middle fky 
 The dew fufpended (laid, and left unmoift. 
 His execrable glebe : recording this, 
 Be juft, and wife and tremble to tranfgrefs. 
 
 Learn, now the promife of the coming year 
 To know, that by no flattering figns abus'd, 
 Thou wifely may'ft provide: The various moon 
 Prophetic, and attendant ftars explain 
 Each riling dawn ; ere icy crufts furmount 
 The current ftream, the heavenly orbs ferene 
 Twinkle with trembling rays, and Cynthia glows 
 With light unfully'd : Now the fowler warn'd 
 by thcfe good omens, with fwift early fteps(glades 
 Treads the crimp earth, ranging thro' fields and 
 OfFenfive to the birds, fulphureous death (ftrain. 
 Checks their mid flight,, and heedlefs while they 
 Their tuneful throats, the tow'ring, heavy lead, 
 O'er-takes their fpeed; they leave their little lives 
 Above the clouds, precipitant to earth. 
 
 The woodcocks e'arly vifit, arid abode 
 Of long continuance in our temperate clime, 
 Foretell a liberal harvefl ; he of times 
 Intelligent, th' harfh Hyperborean ice 
 Shuns for our equal winters ; when our funs 
 Cleave the chill'd foil, he backward wings his way 
 To Scandinavian frozen fummers, meet 
 For his num'd blood. But nothing profits more
 
 CYDER. 103 
 
 Than frequent fnows : O, may'ft thou often fee 
 Thy furrows whiten'd by the wooly rain 
 Nutricious ! Secret nitre lurks within 
 The porous wet, quick'ning the languid glebe. 
 
 Sometimes thou (halt with fervent vows implore 
 A moderate wind ; the orchat loves to wave 
 With winter winds, before the gems exert 
 Their feeble heads; the loofen'd roots then drink 
 Large increment, earneft of happy years. 
 
 Now will it nothing profit to obferve 
 The monthly ftars, their pow'rful influence 
 O'er planted fields, what vegetables reign 
 Upon each fign. On our account has Jove 
 Indulgent, to all moons fome fucculent plant 
 Allotted, that poor, helplefs man might flack 
 His prefent thirft, and matter find for toil. 
 Now will the Corinths, now the Rafps fupply 
 Deiicious draughts , the Quinces now, or Plums, 
 Or Cherries, or the fair Thiibeian fruit 
 Are preft to wines ; the Britons fqueeze the works 
 Of fedulous bees, and mixing od'rous herbs 
 Prepare balfamic cups, to wheezing lungs 
 Medicinal, and fhort breath'd, antierit fires. 
 
 But, if thou'rt indefatigably bent 
 To toil, and omnifarious drinks would'ft brew ; 
 Befides the orchat, every hedge, and bufli, 
 Affords afliftance ; even affli&ive Birch 
 Curs'd by unletter'd, idle youth, diftills
 
 104 CYDER. 
 
 A limpid current from her wounded bark, 
 Profufe of nurfing fap. When folar beams 
 Parch thirfty human veins, the damafkt meads, 
 Unforc'd, difplay ten thoufand painted flowers 
 Ufeful in potables. Thy little fons 
 Permit to range the paftures ; gladly they 
 Will mow the Cowflip-pofies, faintly fweet, 
 From whence thou artificial wines (halt drain 
 Of icy tafte, that, in mid fervors, bed 
 Slack craving thirft, and mitigate the day. 
 
 Happy lerne ! whofe moft wholefome air 
 Poifons envenom'd fpiders, and forbids 
 The baleful toad, and viper from her fhore f 
 More happy in her balmy draughts, (enrich'd 
 With mifcellaneous fpices, and the root 
 For third abating fweetncfs prais'd,) which wide 
 Extend her fame, and to each drooping heart 
 Prefent redrefs, and lively health convey. 
 
 See, how the Belgse, fedulous, and ftour, 
 With bowls of fat'ning Mum, or blifsful cups 
 Of kernel relim'd fluids, the fair ftar 
 Of early Phofphorus falute, at noon 
 Jocund with frequent riilng fumes ! by ufe 
 Inftru&ed, thus to quell their native flegm 
 Prevailing, and engender wayward mirth. 
 
 What need to treat of diftant climes, remov'd 
 Far from the floping journey of the year, 
 Beyond Petfora, and Iflandic coafts,
 
 CYDER. 105 
 
 Where ever during fnows, perpetual fhades 
 Of darknefs, would congeal their livid blood, 
 Did not the Arctic tract, fpontaneous yield 
 A cheering purple berry, big with wine, 
 Intenfely fervent) which each hour they crave* 
 Spread round a flaming pile of pines } and oft 
 They interlard their native drinks with choice 
 Of flrongeft Brandy, yet fcarce with thefc aids 
 Enabled to prevent the fudden rot 
 Of freezing nofe, and quick decaying feet. 
 
 Nor lefs the fable borderers of Nile, 
 Nor who Taprobane manure, nor they, 
 Whom funny Borneo bears, are ftorM with dreams 
 Egregious, Rum, and Rice's fpirit extract. 
 For here, expos'd to perpendicular rays, 
 In vain they covet fhades, and Thrafcias' gales, 
 Pining with .^Equinoctial heat, unlefs,, 
 The cordial glais perpetual motion keep, 
 Quick circuiting -, nor dare they clofe their eyes, 
 Void of a bulky charger near their lips, 
 With which, in often-interrupted ileep, 
 Their frying blood compels to irrigate 
 Their dry furr'd tongues, elfe minutely to death 
 Obnoxious, difmal death, th' effect of drought ! 
 
 More happy they, born in Columbus' world, 
 Carybbes, and they, whom the Cotton plant 
 With downy-fprouting vefts arrays! Their woods 
 Bow with prodigious nuts, that give at once
 
 ic6 CYDER. 
 
 Celeftial food, and ne&ar -, then, at hand 
 The Lemmon, uncorrupt with voyage long, 
 To vinous fpirits added (heavenly drink !) 
 They with pneumatic engine, ceafelefs draw, 
 Intent on laughter ; a continual tide 
 Flows from th' exhilerating fount. As, when 
 Againft a fecret cliff, with fuddain mock 
 A (hip is dafh'd, and leaking drinks the fea, 
 Th' aftonim'd mariners ay ply the pump, 
 No ftay, nor reft, 'till the wide breach is clos'J. 
 So they (but chearful) unfatigu'd, dill move 
 The draining fucker, then alone concern'd, 
 When the dry bowl forbids their pleafing work. 
 
 But if to hording thou art bent, thy hopes 
 Are fruftrate, fhould'ft thou think thy pipes will 
 With early limped wine. The hordid ftore, (flow 
 And the harfh draught, muft twice endure the fun's 
 Kind ftrength'ning heat, twice winter's purging 
 
 Tkere are, that a compounded fluiddrain (cold. 
 From different mixtures, Woodcock,Pippin,Moy3e, 
 Rough Eliot, fweet Permain, the blended ftreams 
 (Each mutually correcting each) create 
 A pleafurable medly, of what tafte 
 Hardly diftinguifh'd ; as the fhow'ry arch, 
 With lifted colours gay, Or, Azure, Gules, 
 Delights, and puzzles the beholder's eye, 
 That views the watry brede, with thoufand {hews 
 Of painture vary'd, yet's unfkill'd to tell 
 Or where one colour rifes, or one faints.
 
 C Y D E R. io;i 
 
 Some cyders have by art, or age, unlearn'd 
 Their genuine relifli, and of fundry vines 
 Aflum'd the flavour ; one fort counterfeits 
 The Spanifh product ; this, to Gauls, has feem'd 
 The fparkling Nectar of Champaigne ; with that, 
 A German oft has fwill'd his throat, and fworn 
 Deluded, that imperial Rhine beftow'd 
 The generous rummer, whilft the owner pleas'd, 
 Laughs inly at his guefts, thus entertain'd 
 With foreign vintage from his Cyder-cafk. 
 
 Soon as thy liquor from the narrow cells 
 Of clofs-preft hulks is freed, thou muft refrain 
 Thy thirfty foul ; let none perfuade to broach 
 Thy thick, unwholfome, undigefted cades : 
 The hoary frofts, and northern blafts take care 
 Thy muddy bev'rage to ferene, and drive 
 Precipitant the bafer, ropy lees. 
 
 And now thy wine's tranfpicuous, purg'd from 
 Its earthly grofs, yet let it feed awhile (all 
 
 On the fat refufe, left too foon disjoin'd 
 From fprightly, it, to {harp, or vapid change. 
 When to convenient vigour it attains, 
 Suffice it to provide a brazen tube 
 Inflext ; felf-taught, and voluntary flies 
 The defecated liquor, through the vent 
 Afcending, then by downward tract convey'd, 
 Spouts into fubjeci veflels, lovely clear.
 
 io8 CYDER. 
 
 As when a moon-tide fun, with fummer beams, 
 Darts thro' a cloud, her watry ikirts are edg'd 
 With lucid amber, or undrofly gold : 
 So, and fo richly, the purgM liquid {nines. 
 
 Now alfo, when the colds abate, nor yet 
 Full Summer fhines, a dubious feafon, clofe 
 In glafs thy purer ftreams, and let them gain, 
 From due confinement, fpirit, and flavour new. 
 
 For this intent, the fubtle chymifl feeds 
 Perpetual flames, whofe unrefifted force 
 O'er fand, and aihes, and the ftubborn flint 
 Prevailing, turns into a fufil fea, 
 That in his furnace bubbles funny-red : 
 From hence a glowing drop with hollow'd fteel 
 He takes, and by one efficacious breath 
 Dilates to a furprifing cube, or fphere, 
 Or oval, and fit receptacles forms 
 For every liquid, with his plaftic lungs, 
 To human life fubfervient ; by his means 
 Cyders in metal frail improve ; the Moyle, 
 And tafteful Pippin, in a moon's fhort year 
 Acquire compleat perfection : Now they fmoke 
 Tranfparent, fparkling in each drop, delight 
 Of curious palate^ by fair virgins crav'd. 
 But hardier fluids different lengths of time 
 Expect : Thy flaflc will flowly mitigate 
 The Eliot's roughnefs. Stirom, firmeft fruit, 
 Embottled (long as Priameian Troy
 
 CYDER. io0 
 
 Withftood the Greeks) endures, ere juftly mild. 
 Soften'd by age, it youthful vigour gains, 
 Fallacious drink ! Ye honed men beware, 
 Nor trud its fmoothnefs : The third circling glafs 
 Suffices virtue : But may hypocrites, 
 (That flyly fpeak one thing, another think, 
 Hateful as hell) pleas'd with the relim weak, 
 Drink on unwarn'd, 'till by inchanted cups 
 Infatuate, they their wily thoughts difclofe, 
 And thro' intemperance grow a while fincere. 
 The farmer'si toil is done ; his cades mature 
 Now call for vent, his land exhauft permit 
 T' indulge a-while. Now folemn rites he pays 
 To Bacchus, author of heart cheering mirth. 
 His honed friends, at thirdy hour of duflc, 
 Come uninvited ; he with bounteous hand 
 Imparts his fmoaking vintage, fweet reward 
 Of his own indudry ; the well-fraught bowl 
 Circles incefiant, while the humble cell 
 With quavering laugh, and rural jeds fefounds. 
 Eafe, and content, and undiflembled love 
 Shine in each face j the thoughts of labour pad 
 Encreafe their joy. As, from retentive cage 
 When fullen Philomel efcapes, her notes 
 She varies, and of pad imprifonment 
 Sweetly complains ; her liberty retrievM 
 Cheers her fad foul, improves her pleafing fong. 
 
 K
 
 Ha CYDER. 
 
 Gladfome they quaff, yet not exceed the bounds 
 Of healthy temp'rance, nor incroach on night, 
 Seafon of reft, but well bedew'd repair 
 Each to his home, with unfupplanted feet. 
 Ere heaven's emblazon'd by the rofy dawn 
 Domeftic cares awake them ; briflc they rife, 
 Refrefh'd, and lively with the joys that flow 
 From amicable talk, and moderate cups 
 Sweetly interchang'd. The pining lover finds 
 Prefent redrefs, and long oblivion drinks 
 Of coy Lucinda. Give the debtor wine ; 
 His joys are fhort, and few ; yet when he drinks 
 His dread retires, the flowing glafles add 
 Courage, and mirth : magnificent in thought^ 
 Imaginary riches he enjoys, 
 And in the goal expatiates unconfin'd. 
 Nor can the poet Bacchus' praife indite, 
 Debarr'd his grape : the mufes ftill require 
 Humid regalement, nor will aught avail 
 Imploring Phoebus, with unmoiften'd lips. 
 Thus to the generous bottle all incline, 
 By parching third allur'd : with vehement funs 
 When dufty fummer bakes the crumbling clods, 
 How pleafant is't, beneath the twifted arch 
 Of a retreating bow'r, in mid-days reign 
 To ply the fweet caroufe, remote from noife, 
 Secur'd of fev'rifh heats ! When th* aged year 
 Inclines, and Boreas' fpirit blufters frore,
 
 CYDER. in 
 
 Beware th' inclement heavens ; nor let the hearth 
 Crackle with juicelefc boughs j thy ling'ring blood 
 Nor inftigate with th' apple's powerful dreams, 
 Perpetual fhowers, and ftormy gufts confine 
 The willing plowman, and December warns 
 To annual jollities ; now fportive youth 
 Coral incondite rhythms, with fuiting notes, 
 And quaver unharmonious ; fturdy fwains 
 In clean array, for ruflic dance prepare, 
 Mix'd with the buxom damfels , hand in hand 
 They frifk, and bound, and various mazes weave, 
 Shaking their brawny limbs, with uncouth mein 
 Tranfported, and fometimes, an oblique leer 
 Dart on their loves, fometimes an hafty kifs 
 Steal from unwary laffes ; they with fcorn, 
 And neck reclin'd, refent the ravifh'd blefs. 
 Mean- while, blind Britifh, bards with volant touclv 
 Traverfe loquacious firings, whofe folemn notes 
 Provoke to harmlefs revels ; thefe among, 
 A fubtle artift Stands, in wond'rous bag 
 That bears imprifon'd winds, (of gentler fort 
 Than thofe, which erft Laertes's ion enclos'd.) 
 Peaceful they deep, but let the tuneful fqueeze 
 Of labouring elbow roufe them, out they fly 
 Melodious, and with fpritely accents charm. 
 'Midft thefe difports, forget they not to drench 
 Themfelves with bellying goblets, nor when fpring; 
 K 2
 
 ii2 CYDER. 
 
 Returns, can they refufe to ufher in 
 The frefh-born year with loud acclaim, and (lore 
 Of jovial draughts, now, when the fappy boughs 
 Attire themfelves with blooms, fweet rudiments 
 Of future harveft j when the Gnoflian crown 
 Leads on expelled autumn, and the trees 
 Difcharge their mellow burdens, let them thank 
 Boon nature, that thus annually fupplies 
 Their vault, and with her former liquid gifts 
 Exhilerate their languid minds, within 
 The golden mean confin'd : beyond, there's naught 
 Of health, or pleafure. Therefore, when thy 
 Dilates, with fervent joys, and eager foul (heart 
 Prompts to purfue the fparkling glafs, be fure 
 Tio time to iaun it ; if thou wilt prolong 
 Dire compotation ; forthwith reafon quits 
 Her empire to confufion, and mifrule, 
 And vain debates , then twenty tongues at once 
 Confpire in fenfelefs jargon, naught is heard 
 But din, and various clamour, and mad rant : 
 Diftruft and jeatoufy to thefe fucceed, 
 And anger-kindling taunt, the certain bane 
 Of well-knit friendfhip. Now horrid frays 
 Commence, the brimming glafies now arehurl'd 
 With dire intent ; bottles with bottles clafh 
 In rude encounter, round their temples fly (cheeks 
 The ftnrp-edg'd fragments, down their batter'd 
 Mix'd Gore, and Cyder flow : what (hall we fay
 
 e Y D E R. i-yj 
 
 f rafti Elpenor, who in evil hour 
 Dry'd an immeafurable bowl, and thought 
 T' axhale his furfeit by irriguous fleep, 
 Imprudent ? Him, death's iron-fleep opprefs'd 
 Defcending carelefs from his coach ; the fall 
 Luxt his neck-joint, and fpinal marrow bruis'd 
 Nor need we tell what anxious cares attend 
 The turbulent mirth of wine j nor all the kinds 
 Of maladies, that lead to death's grim cave, 
 Wrought by intemperance, joint-racking gout, 
 Inteftine ftone, and pining atrophy, 
 Chill, even when the fun with July-heats 
 Frys the fcorch'd fail, and dropfy all afloat, 
 Yet craving liquids : nor the Centaur's tale 
 Be here repeated; how with luft, and wine (fouls 
 Inflam'd, they fought, and fpilt their drunken 
 At feaftinghour. Ye heav'nly pow'rs! thatguard 
 The Britifh ifle, fuch dire events remove 
 Far from fair Albion, nor let civil broils 
 Ferment from.focial cups :. may we, remote 
 From the hoarfe, brazen found of war, enjoy 
 Our humid produces, and with feemly draughts 
 Enkindle mirth, and hofpitable love. 
 Too oft, alas ! has mutual hatred drench 'd 
 Our fword in native blood, too oft has pride, 
 And hellifh difcord, and infatiate third 
 Of others rights, our quiet difcompos'd,
 
 ii 4 CYDER. 
 
 Have we forgot, how fell definition ragM 
 Wide-fpreading, when by Ens' torch incens'd 
 Our fathers warr'd ? What heroes fignaliz'd 
 For royalty, and prowefs, met their fate 
 Untimely, undeferv'd ! How Bertie fell, 
 Compton, and Granvill, dauntlefs fonsof Mars, 
 Fit themes of endlefs grief, but that we view 
 Their virtues yet furviving in their race ! 
 Can we forget, how the mad, headftrong rout 
 Defy'd their prince to arms, nor made account 
 Of faith, or duty, or allegiance fworn ? 
 Apoftate, atheift rebels ! bent to ill, 
 With feeming fanclity, and cover'd fraud, 
 Inftill'd by him, who firft prefum'd t' oppofe 
 Omnipotence ; alike their crime, th' event 
 Was not alike ; thefe triumph'd, and in height 
 Of barbarous malice, and infulting pride, 
 Abftain'd not from imperial blood. O fal 
 Unparallel'd \ O Charles ! O beft of kings ! 
 What ftars their black, difaftrous influence flied 
 On thy nativity, that thou fhould'ft fall 
 Thus, by inglorious hands, in this thy realm 
 Supreme and innocent, adjudg'd to death 
 By thofe, thy mercy only would have fav'd j 
 Yet was the Cyder-land unftain'd with guilt ; 
 The Cyder-land, obfequious ftill to thrones, 
 Abhorr'd fuch bafe, difloyal deeds, and all 
 Her pruning-hooks extended into fwords,
 
 CYDER. u 5 
 
 Undaunted, to aflert the trampled rights 
 Of monarchy ; but, ah ! fucccfslefs (he, 
 However faithful ! then was no regard 
 Of right, or wrong And this once happy lancl^. 
 By home bred fury rent, long groan'd beneath 
 Tyrannic fway, 'till fair revolving years 
 Ourexil'd kings, and liberty reftor'd. 
 Now we exult, by mighty Anna's care 
 Secure at home, while fhe to foreign realms 
 Sends forth her dreadful legions, and reftrains 
 The rage of kings : Here, nobly (he fupports 
 Juftice opprefs'd ; here, her victorious arms 
 Quell the ambitious : from her hand alone 
 All Europe fears revenge, or hopes redrefs. 
 Rejoice, O Albion ! fever'd from the world 
 By nature's wife indulgence, indigent 
 Of nothing from without ; in one fupreme 
 Intirely bleft j and from beginning time 
 Defign'd thus happy , but the fond defire 
 Of rule, and grandeur, multiply'd a race 
 Of kings, and numerous fceptres introduc'd, 
 Deftru&ive of the public weal : For now 
 Each potentate, as wary fear, or ftrength, 
 Or emulation urg'd, his neighbour's bounds 
 Invades, and ampler territory feeks 
 With ruinous afiault : on every plain 
 Hoft cop'd with hoft, dire was the din of war^ 
 And ceafelefs, or fliort truce haply procur'd
 
 titf C Y D E R. 
 
 By havoc, and difmay, 'till jealoufy 
 Rais'd new combuftion : Thus was peace in vaia 
 Sought for by martial deeds, and conflict ftern ;, 
 Till Edgar grateful (as to thofe who pine 
 A difmal half year night, the orient beam 
 Of Phoebus' lamp) arofe,*and into one 
 Cemented all the long contending powers. 
 Pacific monarch ; then her lovely head 
 Concord rear'd high, and all around diffus'd 
 The fpirit of love ; at eafe, the bards new fining 
 Their filent harps, and taught the woods, and 
 In uncouth rhythms, to echo Edgar's name, (vales, 
 Then gladnefs fmil'd in every eye : the years 
 Ran fmoothly on, productive of a line 
 Of wife, heroic kings, that by juft laws 
 Eftablifh'd happinefs at home, or crufh'd: 
 Infulting enemies in fartheft climes. 
 
 See lyon-hearted Richard, with his force 
 Drawn from the north, to Jury's hallow'n plains! 
 Pioufly valiant, (like a torrent fwell'd 
 With wantry tempefts, that difdains all mounds, 
 Breaking a way impetuous, and involves 
 Within its fweep trees, houfes, men ) he prefs'd 
 Amidft the thickeft battle , and o'erthrew 
 Whate'er withftood his zealous rage ; no paufe^ 
 No flay of (laughter, found his vigorous arm, 
 Butth' unbelieving fquadrons turn'd to flight 
 Smote in the roar, and with difhoneft wounds-
 
 CYDER. 117 
 
 Mangled behind : theSoldan, as he fled, 
 Oft call'd on Alia, gnafling with defpite, 
 And ihame, and murmur'd many an empty curfe, 
 
 Behold third Edward's ftreamers blazing high 
 On Gallia's hoftile ground ! his right with-heldj 
 Awakens vengeance ; O imprudent Gauls ! 
 Relying on falfe hopes, thus to incenfe 
 The warlike Englifh ! one important day 
 Shall teach you meaner thoughts : Eager of fight, 
 Fierce Brutus' offspring to the adverfe front 
 Advance refiftlefs, and their deep array 
 With furious inroad pierce ; the mighty force 
 Of Edward, twice o'erturn'd their defperate king. 
 Twice he arofe, and join'd the horrid fhock : 
 The third time, with his wide extended wings, 
 He fugitive declin'd fuperior ftrength, 
 Difcomfited , purfu'd, in the fad chace 
 Ten thoufands ignominious fall j with blood 
 The vallies float : great Edward thus aveng'd, 
 With golden Iris his broad (hield embofs'd. 
 
 Thrice glorious prince ! whom fame with all 
 
 her tongues 
 
 For ever fhall refound. Yet from his loins 
 New authors of dilTention fpring ; from him 
 Two branches, that in hofting long contend 
 For fov'ran fway ; (and can fuch anger dwell 
 In nobleft minds !) but little now avail'd 
 The ties of friendfhip ; every man, as led 
 By inclination, or vain hope, repair'd
 
 ii8 CYDER. 
 
 To either camp, and breath'd immortal hate, 
 And dire revenge : Now horrid flaughter reigns; 
 Sons againft fathers tilt the fatal lance, 
 Carelefs of duty, and their native grounds 
 Diftain with kindred blood, that twanging bows 
 Sent (hewers of {hafts, that on their barbed points 
 Alternate ruin bear. Here might you fee 
 Barons, and peafants on th' embattled field 
 Slain, or half-dead, in one huge, ghaftly heap 
 Promifcuoufly amaft : with difmal groans, 
 And ejulation, in the pangs of death 
 Some call for aid, neglected : fome o'erturn'd 
 In the fierce fhock, lye gafping, and expire, 
 Trampled by fiery courfers ; horror thus, 
 And wild uproar, and defolation reign'd 
 Unrefpited : ah ! who at length will end 
 This long, pernicious fray ? What man has fate 
 Referv'd for this great work? Hail, happy prince 
 Of Tudor's race, whom in the womb of time 
 Cadwallador forefaw ! Thou, thou art he, - 
 Great Richmond Henry, that by nuptial rites 
 Muft clofe the gates of Janus, and remove 
 Deftructive difccrd : how no more the drum 
 Provokes to arms, or trumpet's clangor thrill 
 Affrights the wives, or chills the virgin's blood j 
 Bui joy, and pleafure open to the view 
 Uninterrupted ! With prefaging fkill 
 Thou to thy own uniteft Fergus' line.
 
 CYDER. n<> 
 
 By wife alliance ; from thee James defcends, 
 
 Heaven's chofen fav'rite, firft Britannic king. 
 
 To him alone, hereditary right 
 
 Gave power fup reme; yet ftill fome feeds remain'd 
 
 Of difcontent ; two "nations under one, 
 
 In laws and int'reft diverfe, ftill purfu'd 
 
 Peculiar ends, on each fide refolute 
 
 To fly conjunction ; neither fear, nor hope, 
 
 Nor the fsveet profpect of a mutual gain, 
 
 Could aught avail, 'till prudent Anna faid 
 
 Let there be UNION i ftrait with reverence due 
 
 To her command they willingly unite, 
 
 One in affection, laws and government, 
 
 Indifiblubly firm , From Dubris fouth, 
 
 To northern Orcades, her long domain. 
 
 And now thus leagu'd by an eternal bond, 
 What fhall retard the Britons bold defigns, 
 Or who fuftain their force ; in union knit, 
 Sufficient to withftand the powers combin'd 
 Of all this globe ! At this important act 
 The Mauritania!! and Cathaian kings 
 Already tremble, and th' unbaptiz'd Turk 
 Dreads war from utmoft Thulc ; uncontroul'd 
 The Britifli navy thro' the ocean vaft 
 Shall wave her double crofs, t' extremeft climes 
 Terrific, and return with odorous fpoils 
 Of Araby well fraught, or Indus' wealth, 
 Pearl, and Barbaric gold ; mean while the fwains
 
 no CYDER. 
 
 Shall unmolefted reap, what plenty ftrows 
 From wellftor'd horn, rich grain, and timely fruits. 
 The elder year, Pomona, pleas'd, fhall deck 
 With ruby-tin&ur'd births, whofe liquid (lore 
 Abundant, flowing in well blended ftreams, 
 The natives (hall applaud ; while glad they talk 
 Of baleful ills, caus'd by Bellona's wrath 
 In other realms , where e'er the Britifh fpread 
 Triumphant banners, or their fame has reach'd 
 DifFufive, to the utmofl bounds of this 
 Wide univerfe, Silurian Cyder borne 
 Shall pleafe all taftcs, and triumph o'er the vine. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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