iNVSOi^ %WAiNni\\v^ "^^AHvaflni^ ^yoxmrnnn'^ IWDJO^^ ■^"^Off^ ^. ^^^ ^y..v,....^ ...^^ X ^ B \ cr S\ ^ ?hs 5 > so -< ■"-irfJ^tl'l! ^\» ^ so in ^ \ (0/: ^UlBRARYQr ^Houmi^^ AWtUNIVtRi// - ■irr. •/ '^ SO Iff^ ^.0fCAliF0fi>4> 1^ >&Aava8ni^ J o = .•< irif '^/jaaAiNnjwv** vvlOSANCElfX^ '^aOJIlVJ-j >- ex: < (to s if )g 6i % Auvumia- & This book is DUE on the last date stamped below SOUTHERN BRANCH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LIBRARY, iLDS ANGELES, CALiF. /• THE R'^ H®J^?^^ SIR CHATRI.KS H:AITBU]RYiriL]LIAMS,E:.Bo Irem tk/' cri^i///i/ /// Ifofland Hoasf . FubU'sh^d as tfte Act directs May 2p,JSZ2. THE WORKS, OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR CHAS. HAIVBURY WILLIAMS, K.B. AMBASSADOR TO THE COURTS OF RUSSIA, SAXONY, &c. FROM THE ORIGINALS IN THE POSSESSION OF HIS GRANDSON THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF ESSEX : WITH NOTES BY HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD. IN THREE VOLUMES, WITH PORTRAITS. VOL. I. LONDON: EDWARD JEFFERY AND SON, PALL-MALL. 1822. T. C. Hansard, Printer, Peterboro'-court, Fleet-street, London. r k PREFACE. 1 A ^\^ ^.J. A PREFACE, in the usual style of prefaces, to the Works of Sir Charles Hanbury WiUiams ■^ would be unnecessary ; perhaps, in more senses than one, even impertinent. The simplicity of his character, and of the character of his writ- ings, present formidable obstacles to the grave V ceremony with which those portals to new and V unexpected publications are generally raised, ^ and set at nought the customary arrangement of their usual cumbrous decorations. A literary career without labour, and a political life with- out intrigue, furnish little ground for narration, and less for conjecture ; and common-place criticism could with difficulty find employment on the works of one who drew solely from the sparkling sources of his own lively mind and VI temper. Something, however, is due to the memory of this accompHshed person, and much indeed from the Editor of the following sheets to the eminent persons through whose gene- rosity he is enabled to lay them before the public. It is in this place only that these duties can be properly discharged. The Author, then, was the third of the five sons of John Hanbury, of Pontypool Park, in the county of Monmouth, a descendant of the ancient Worcestershire family of his name, and representative in several parliaments for the city of Gloucester, by Albina, daughter of John Selwyn, of Matson, in the latter county. He was born in 1709, and having completed an education of the best sort, which commenced at Eton, made the usual foreign tour with all the profit which might be expected from his genius. These advantages, which at that time were seldom bestowed on younger sons, arose from a circumstance of some singularity, through which he became possessed of a vu considerable fortune in his childliood. Charles Williams, of Caerleon, his father's neigh- bour, having killed a person in a fray, fled to the continent, and, having on his return, many years after, received from Mr. Hanbury that friendship and countenance which his mis- fortune had probably induced others to deny him, bequeathed to the young Charles, to whom he had been godfather, the most part of his property, to the amount of more than seventy thousand pounds, conditionally, that it should be laid out in the purchase of estates ; and that the legatee should assume the surname and arms of Williams. This gentleman died in 1720, and Charles, who returned to England when he came of age, complied with the con- dition ; took possession of the purchased estates, and of others which his father had bought for him ; and in 1732 married the Lady Frances, youngest of the daughters and co-heirs of Thomas Earl Coningsby. His father died in the following year ; and he Vlll was soon after returned to serve in parliament for the county of Monmouth. The Uvely acuteness of his talents, the elegancy of his manners, and an incessant gaiety of heart, had already endeared him to a class, at that time rather numerous, of eminent men, who de- lighted in retreating from political labour and party agitation to a social privacy into which only wit and good-humour were admitted. Among these was sir Robert Walpole, who, re- garding him with the eye at once of a states- man, a critic, and a friend, fixed him firmly in the support of that line of pubhc conduct to which he was perhaps already well disposed. He engaoed with all the warmth which belonged to his character, and his regard for the minister was cemented by his affection to the man. That his motives were disinterested may be fairly inferred from the fact that he held for many years no public office but the pitiful one of paymaster of the marines, and to that he was not appointed till 1739. IX He took no active share in ministerial affairs, and is said to have spoken but twice in parUa- raent ; and then shortly, and on matters of no great moment. Indeed, he was too volatile for a counsellor, and too honourable for the tricks of party ; the wit and bitter satire, however, which flowed from his pen, in a stream appa- rently of careless gaiety, rendered him a very important ally ; nor did he confine the exercise of those talents to the censure of public men and measures, but frequently attacked with equal severity the faults and foibles of domestic conduct. The consequences of one of these flights of poetical intemperance,* on the mar- riage of Isabella, Dowager duchess of Man- chester, to Mr. Hussey, afterwards Lord Beau- lieu, caused him great and deserved vexation. That gentleman, whose reputation for personal courage was fortunately already w'ell established. • Vol. I. p. 90. treated the injury with silent disdain ; but his countrymen, the Irish, burst into a flame of ano-er, and many of them pledged themselves to each other individually to provoke the offender to the field by repeated aifronts. He is said (and in terms from which it might be inferred that he wanted resolution to defend himself), to have retired for a considerable time, to avoid this danger, but whither did he retire ? To his house in Wales, within a day's journey of London. The truth is, that his carelessness of the event seems to have been not less re- markable than his imprudence in the cause. The right hon. Henry Fox, to whom the offen- sive poem had been addressed, and between whom and himself the most cordial attachment subsisted, mentioning these matters somewhat at large in a letter to him of the 6th of Septem- ber 1746, says, "you may laugh at all this, but I do assure you, at the same time, that every body ridicules and condemns it ; your serious XI friends, and I in the first place, think it puts you in a disagreeable situation, and I am heartily and excessively concerned about it." These heats, however, subsided without bloodshed, and he was in the same year installed a Knight of the Bath ; appointed envoy to the elector of Saxony (king of Poland) and of course sworn of the privy council. " He had thrown up his place," says Lord Orford, in his Memoirs lately pubhshed, " on some disgusts ; the loss of Mr. Winnington, and a quarrel with the Irish, occasioned by an Ode which he wrote on the marriage of the duchess of Manchester and Mr. Hussey,fomented by Lord Bath and his enemies, and supported with too little spirit,* had driven him to shelter his discontents in a foreign embassy, where he displayed great talents for negotiation, and pleased as much by his letters as he had for- merly done by his poetry." • By whom ? —Lord O. cannot mean by sir Charles, for he was in fact neither challenged nor insulted. Xll This success in a new character fixed the destiny of his future life, which was passed ably, though not always successfully, in continental diplomacy. In the spring of 1750, at the in- stance of Mr. Fox, he was named envoy extra- ordinary to Berlin, from whence he made an excursion to Warsaw, to engage the vote of the king of Poland, who was then holding the Diet there, for the archduke Joseph to be king of the Romans. He had the good fortune, about the same time, to become the chief instrument in reconciling the empresses of Germany and Russia ; but, during this absence, a change of politics, together with some personal disgust in the mind of the king of Prussia, excited by the discovery of certain freedoms which he had used in descanting in his dispatches on the sin- gularities of that prince's character and con- duct, induced Frederick to receive him with extreme coldness. This ill disposition daily increased, and at length rendered his situation intolerable. He was, at his own request, re- XIU called ; sent again to Dresden in February 1751 ; and during his residence there transacted some important affairs at the Imperial Court with credit and success. After an absence of more than two years he returned, for a time, to England, but was presently once more dispatched to the Saxon Court. In 1 754, he attended the king to Poland, where his attachment to the interests of the family of Poniatowski, the heir of which was not long after elected to the Polish throne, pro- duced an irreparable quarrel between himself and Count Bruhl, the favourite Saxon minister. This event terminated his mission to the court of Dresden, and the designs of France, in con- cert with the king of Prussia, on the electorate of Hanover having induced the English cabinet to form the design for a triple alhance between Great Britain, Austria, and Russia, Sir Charles was sent to St. Petersburgh, with instructions to use his utmost endeavours to further the plan at that court. XIV The wit, the elegant acquirements, and the frank good-humour of the new ambassador at once charmed a serai-barbarous court. He had the advantage of succeeding a dull and ineffi- cient minister, and the voluptuous Elizabeth, and her great officers seemed to contend for the delight of serving or pleasing him. Within six weeks after his arrival at St. Petersburgh, a celerity almost unexampled in such negotiations ; he obtained the signature of the empress to the convention, transmitted it to Hanover, where George the second, in his anxiety for the success of the treaty, had planted himself with his secretary of state to forward its progress ; and, after long waiting, received in answer, instead of the approbation with which he had very reasonably flattered himself, a cold letter, in which, while his services in the negotiation were scarcely recognised, he was blamed with severity for having neglected some mere forms in the conduct of it. This singular conduct did not long remain unexplained : he XV had no sooner quitted England than it was discovered that the empress Maria Theresa had been induced by her fears of the power and activity of the king of Prussia, to withdraw her- self silently from the Convention, while Frede- rick, on his part, had secretly offered terms to England, which George's ministers had eagerly accepted. Sir Charles now received orders to re-open the Convention on principles in many respects directly opposite to those which he had so lately proposed. An object of ridicule at St. Petersburgh, and of unjust displeasure at home, he solicited with earnestness to be recalled, when the king of Prussia, from some views of a new policy, suggested by the altered com- plexion of affairs, desired that he might be con- tinued at his post, and tlie permission of his own sovereign to return was accompanied by an expression, in very gracious terms, of the same inclination. Touched by this unexpected condescension, he remained for several weeks XVI at St. Petersburgh, vainly endeavouring to de- tach the empress from the coaUtion v^^hich she had determined to form with Austria and France; when his health suddenly failed, the powers of his mind evidently became debilitated ; and he resolved to return in the autumn of 1757 without delay to England. During his journey, these disorders rapidly increased, and at Hamburgh, he was clearly in a state of insanity ; was entrapped there by a wretched female, who prevailed on him to give her a security for two thousand pounds, and a promise of marriage, his lady being still living. On his sea voyage, he had a dangerous fall into the hold of the ship, and the copious bleedings which were deemed necessary on that account probably reheved the distraction of his intellect. Soon after his arrival, he seemed to be perfectly recovered : retired to his Monmouthshire man- sion, Coldbrook-house \ and resumed his former amusements there with pleasure, and even with energy. We have a letter from him to his xvu friend Mr. Keith, written there during this in- terval, in which, while he rescues the character of an admirable woman from obUvion, he quits those of the wit and the statesman to delight our feelings as the father and the friend. " By a letter," says he, " which I wrote to Baron Wolfe some time ago, and which I don't doubt he showed you, you have been informed already of the wretched state of my health both at Hamburgh and since my return to Eng- land; but I am now as perfectly well as ever I was in my life, and improving this charmino- place, where I hope to see you one day, to talk over things that nobody but you and I in England understand. My beloved Lady Essex, who, I assure you, has a great friendship for you, and who I believe esteems you as much as any man in the world who is not of her own family, will, I hope, be very soon here, to pass away the best part of the Summer with me. I leave you to imagine ray happiness in seeing her to behold what I love much the best in the world endowed with every exterior VOL. I. XVlll charm, and an inside that at least equals her beautiful person. Her knowledge of the court and of the world is prodigious. She has aiany acquaintances among her own sex, and two of the most exemplary women we have in England for her friends — I mean Lady Caroline Fox, and the Countess of Dalkeith. She is distin- guished more than any woman that comes to court by the king, and for good breeding and good sense has hardly her equal in England ; but one thing, which perhaps you don't know about her, is that she shines full as much in the character of a good housewife as she does in that of a fine lady ; and that all the accounts of my lord's estates, and the expenses of his house, are neatly kept in books by her own hand. In short, she has exceeded all my hopes, and requited my fondest wishes about her; and I will not imagine this description to be tedious to you, because I am sure the friend will feel and read with pleasure what the father feels with transport, and writes with truth." This period of a tranquilhty which he had never before enjoyed, and of his capacity to XJX enjoy which, he had perhaps been hitherto un- conscious, was very brief indeed. In the Sum- mer of 1759 his reason again forsook him, and he died in that deplorable state, it has been said by his own hand, on the second of Novem- ber in that year. Sir Charles Hanbury Williams left two daughters, his co-heirs. Frances, whose cha- racter we have just now seen, married to Wil- hara Anne Holies Capel, fourth Earl of Essex of his family ; and Charlotte, wife to the Hon. Robert Boyle Walsingham, a commodore in the navy,* fifth and youngest son of Henry, first Earl of Shannon of the second creation. It is through the favour of the noble heir of the former of those marriages, the present Earl of Essex, and of the Right Hon. Henry Vassall, Lord Holland, that the Editor is now enabled to lay these sheets before the pubhc. A great mass of the original papers of Sir Charles Han- * Who was uiifortanately lost in the West Indies in 177f), on board the Thunderer of 7t guns : the whole of the crew perished. XX bury Williams fell, by inheritance, into pos- session of the noble Earl, who, with that libe- rality which attends on every act of his life, has permitted the Editor to select from them the poetical pieces which appear in these Volumes. From the numerous literary relics remaining in the hands of Lord Holland, of the entire friend- ship and confidence which subsisted between Sir Charles and the Right Hon. Henry Fox, his Lordship has been pleased to allow him to en- rich his book with the curious historical epis- tles on the state of Poland, and many other original Letters ; and to add also a multiplicity of Notes from the pen of all others the most capable of illustrating the localities of such a writer as Sir Charles Hanbury Williams — the pen of Horace Walpole. To those noble per- sons the Editor presumes thus to offer his most humble and grateful acknowledgments for this addition to the innumerable favours and benefits with which their Lordships have already been pleased to honour him. XXI [Siyice this Preface was written, the kindness of the Earl of Essex, and other relatives of the family of Sir C. H. Williams, have furnished the pub- lisher with much more curious and perfectly ori- ginal matter, this will be formed into an addi- tional Volume as soon as the necessary arrangement will permit. In the Portrait of Sir Robert Walpole it will be observed, that the Garter appears on the wrojig side ; however, it was necessary to follow the drawing, which ivas by Arthur Pond, Esq., and which had been before copied, in the same manner, by that excellent artist, Mr. Houbracken.] VOL. 1. /'7^ TABLE OF CONTENTS TO VOL. I. Page The Duke of Newcastle— a Tale, beginning with " A Lion who o'er all the plain " 1 An Ode to the Duke of Argyle — " Let loftier Poets stretch the Wing "( 14 Argyle's Decampment — " When Argyle would not go to Camp " 17 A Grub upon li\ib— " Good People draw near and at- tend to my Song " 25 Lines written in December, 1741 — " LTnhappy Eng- land still in Forty-one " 28 GUes Earle and Bubb Doddington — A Dialogue, " My dear Pall- Mall I hear you 're got in favour " 30 Peter and my Lord Quidam— " Peter I 've sign'd and «eal'd, the work is done " 37 A Political Eclogue— " The Meeting o'er, the com- promise deny'd 61 Isabella, or the Morning — " The Monkey, Lap-dog, Parrot, and her Grace " 72 An Ode to the Right Hon. Henry Fox—" Clio behold this glorious day " 90 An Ode to the Author of the Conquer'd Duchess — " What clamour 's here about a Dame " 94 xxu Page The Patriot Parrot — " A Zealous Patriot had a parrot taught " 214 An Epitaph on the Earl of Bach — " Pultney no friend to truth, in fraud sincere " 216 A Ballad to the Earl of Bath— " 'Twasin the hour when guiltless care " 217 On the arrival of General Oglethorpe—" Arrive in safety all ye heroes brave " 220 An Ode to the Earl of Bath — " In each ambitious mea- sure crost " 221 Wyndliam and Pultney — " Bath, vex'd with courts, the country sought " 224 To M. Gamier and M. Pearce of Bath—" What glo- rious verse from love has sprung" 230 Hor. lib. l.Odexxx. "O, "Venus Eegina" paraphased '' O Venus joy of men and gods " 234 A Lamentable Case— "Ye fam'd physicians of this place" 237 A Ballad written in June, 1743—" Some think Lord Carteret bears the sway " 239 On the Prince's going to St. James's—" When to each other's fond embrace " 241 An Ode from Paul Foley to Nicholas Fazakerley — " Never dear Faz torment thy brain " 243 Orpheus and Hecate — " When Orpheus, as old poets tell " 24S Lady Dorothy Boyle enamoured with Lord Euston — " Behold one moment Dorothea's fate " 252 Song in Comus — " Would you taste the noon-tide air " 254 Song—" At St, Osyth's, near the Mill " 255 / r XXIII Page An Ode to the Rt. Hon. Stephen Poyntz—" Whihi William's deeds and AVilliam's praise " 100 An Ode on the death of Matzell, a Bull-finch — " Try not my Stanhope, 'tis in vain " 107 A Ballad on Lady Ilchester — " Dear Betty come give me sweet kisses ' Ill An Ode on Miss H. Hanbury — " Why should I thus employ my time " 113 A Song on ditto—" Dear Doctor of St. Mary's " 1 16 On the death of Lady Abergavenny — '' Ye INfuses all, and pitying vii'gins come " 119 On the same by the Duke of Dorset — " Young thought- less gay unfortunately fair " 1;22 To Sir Hans Sloane — "■ Since you, dear doctor, sav'd my life " 124 Written in February, 1739-40—" For that short time that I alone was blest " 130 The Country girl, an Ode — " The Country girl that's well inclin'd " , 132 A New Ode — " See a new progeny descends " 137 An Ode to the Earl of Bath—" Great Earl of Bath your reign is o'er " Uq The Statesman — " What statesman, what hero, what ting" 150 A New Ode — " What (good Lord Bath) piim patriot now " 153 An Ode from the Earl of Bath—" Away Ambition let me rest" 157 The Heroes, a Ballad—" Of all the jobs that e'er had past" 161 XXIV Page To Edward Hussey, Esq.—" Stop stop my steed, hail Cambria hail" 167 An Epigram—" Sir Thomas of "Wentworth inflexibly good " 173 A Dialogue between the Earl of Bath and his Countess " To the Earl said the Countess what makes you so dull " 174 To the Earl of Bath—" Say Earl of Bath can you your friends deceive " 176 Written on the Earl of Bath's door—" Here dead to fame lives patriot WiU" 177 An Odetothe Hon. Phillip Yorke— " For quiet, Yorke, the sailor cries " 178 The Capuchin a Ballad—" Who at Paris has been " . , 182 An Ode to Lord Limerick — " Though for this time you're not my theme " 186 An Ode to the Earl of Bath — " AVhen last I sung I pro- mised then" 190 To the Earl of Bath — " Your sheets I've perused " . . 194 To the Same—" Oh sigh no more at your disgrace" 19B An Ode to the Same — " Shall these mad efforts of in- dignant foes " 201 A Newer Ode than the Last—" Great Earl of Bath " . . 203 Character of Sir R. Walpole— " But Orford's self I've seen whilst I have read " 206 Britannia's Ghost to the Earl of Bath— " While Pultney seeking lost repose " 209 An Ode from Fame to the Earl of Bath — " He is grown old ; he is abhorr'd " 212 t THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE Vestigia nulla retrorsum. A LION* who, o'er all the plain, Was wont, like any king, to reign ; • Thomas, second Lord Pelham, and first Duke of New- castle of that family, was born 1G93; he was trifling and embarrassed in his conversation, always eager, and in a hurry to transact business, yet without due method ; he was un- bounded in flattery to those above him, or whose interest he desired to conciliate ; he was highly gratified with the grossest adulation to himself; the facility with which he made and broke his promises, became proverbial ; he had a quick comprehension, and was a useful and frequent debater in the House of Peers ; he spoke with animation, but with little arrangement, grace, or dignity ; his temper was peevish and fretful, alwaysjealousofthose with whom he acted: with these VOL. I. B Who in his youth was fierce and bold, Could head a mob, and fight and scold, Was now grown crafty, weak, and old. habits, is it not a matter of sui-prise tliat he retained great offices for forty -six years ? — Ob. 1768. A foolish head and a perfidious heart (Sir R. Walpole said of the Duke of Newcastle), his name is Perfidy. — W. After the death of his brother, the Duke of Newcastle went to Court ; at the foot of the stairs he cried, and sunk down ; the yeomen of the guards dragged him up in their arms; when the closet-door opened, he flung himself at his length at the King's feet, sobbed, and cried, " God bless 3'our Majesty ! God preserve your Majesty !" and lay there howling and embracing the King's knees. — W. Old Lovat's Tragedy is over ; it was succeeded by a little Farce, containing the humours of the Duke of Newcastle and his man Stone ; the first event was a squabble between his Grace and the Sheriff", about holding up the head on the scaffold, a custom that has been disused, and the Sheriff' would not comply with the Duke, who is as much frightened in doing right as in doing wrong, and was three days before he got courage enough to order the burying in the Tower. — W. The Duchess of Nivemois is the Duke of Newcastle, pro- perly placed, chattering incessantly out of devotion, and making interest against the devil, that she may dispose of Bishoprics in the next world. But it is too ridiculous to see goody Newcastle exulting like old Marius in a seventh con- sulship. — AV. 3 Active no more to liunt for prey, Supine within his den he lay, And there, by falsehood, tricks, and lies, He try'd all travellers to surprise. A Norfolk Calf* pass'd by the first. He lik'd him best, and used hira worst; He made the greatest rout about him. And swore he cou'd not live without hira ; He slobber'd, kiss'd, caressM, cajol'd him. Then to a neighb'ring butcher sold him ; A Bullf in the same pasture bred, Of dew-lap large, and high-toss'd head, * Charles, the second Viscount To\vnsencl, was of a Tory family, but by the representations of his brother-in-law Robert Walpole, his zeal for his party soon abated, and took a con- trarj' direction. He attached himself to Lord Somers, and acted cordially with the ^V^^igs ; his services and decisive conduct raised his consequence and character with his party ; he was naturally of slow parts, but from practice he became an able man of business ; he was rough in his manners, impatient of contradiction, imperious and over- bearing, inelegant in language, and perplexed in argument; but he was generous, highly disinterested, of unblemished integrity, and unsullied honour. — Ob. 1738. t Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford, was trained to business under Lord Treasurer Godolphin, was a most able B 2 Came passing next with awful mien ; A nobler beast was never seen : Him had the Lion long rever'cl, He knew his strength, his horns he fear'd ; He acted long a flattering farce, He lick'd his hoofs, he kiss'd his a — ; But after all the court he 'd paid him, Join'd with his enemies, and betray'd him; Got him within his power, and then Dragg'd him, and eat him in his den. There next appear'd an unbroke Horse,* Impetuous, fiery in his course, debater ; he promoted, with the most unabated zeal, Whig principles ; he was adored by his family, beloved by his friends, and esteemed by his party ; his facility of transacting business, and his talents for calculation, were admirable ; his parsimony of the public money and the peace of the British Empire was his chief characteristics : he was an intelligent, prudent, and able minister — Oh. 1745. * Carteret, Earl of Granville, a distinguished statesman, was Secretai-y of State, afterwai'ds Lord Lieutenant of Ire- land, but went into Opposition, and opposed Sir R. Walpole's Ministry with uncommon fervour, and all the ornaments of rhetoric. Warmed with a noble spirit of patriotic indignation, he was,on the change of the ministry, in 1742, again Secretary Of too much mettle to be idle, Impatient of a bit or bridle ; Who, seeing the Lion in that state, Kick'd him, to show his scorn and hate : The wretched beast, who lay half dead, Call'd loudly for his brother's aid ; Who came, and with united force. They fell upon th' incautious Horse, And after they had maul'd and beat him. Drew him into their cave and eat him. A Spanish Mule* came next in view. Of slowest pace, and swarthiest hue ; (Who'd been, to serve the Lion's end, Of old his fav'rite and his friend. of State, but again removed 1744; he was ardent, enter- prizing, and overbearing in his tempeB ; but in social life he was pleasant, good-humoured, frank, an Donee grains eram tibi, S^'C. WiNNlNGTON. FOR that short time that I alone was blest. Singly admitted to that lovely breast, There was no happier fellow in this town, Not Essex, Bludworth, or the vig'rous Brown. Ethelbeda. Whilst me you lovM, beyond each earthly thing, Nor Ethelreda was postpon'd to Bing ; I shone the foremost character in life. Nor envy'd Walmod, or Lord Archi's wife.* For Teddy Bingf a passion now I feel, Who both a Pichen and my heart could steal ; -j- Ijord Archibald Hamilton, father of the late Sir Wm. Hamilton, and of the Countess of Warwick and Brooke. He married the daughter of James sixth Eaii of Abercorn, who was was mistress of the Robes and Privy Purse to the Princess of Wales, and Governess to liing George III. in his infancy — she died 1 753. ■f Edward Eing, fifth Son to the first Lord Torrington, was bred up in the Army. \3\ To save whose life I 'd stand all Hambden'sfury, Bully the witnesses, and bribe the jury. WlNNlNGTON. I have as odd a passion for my Kitty* (The motley breed of quality and city). Had I as many lives as twenty cats, I'd give them all for one dear game at . What if to nature I again return. And for thy beauteous form once more should burn ! Should I quit Bing, would you take back your Winnyj-f- And love again as if the devil was in ye ? Tho' Kitty's full of sentiments refin'd, Thou rough as seas, and fickle as the wind ; The' when I melt in tender Kitty's lap, I fear no children, and I dread no ■ ; Ethelreda. With thee I'd choose to live, tho' sure to breed. And take my Lord to bed, in case of need. * Kitty Walker. f Mr. Wilmington. K 2 THE COUNTRY GIRL; AN ODE: HUMBLY INSCRIBED TO THE EARL OF BATH.* (Written and printed in July ]742.J THE country girl that's well inclin'd To love, when the young 'squire grows kind. Doubts between joy and ruin ; Now will, and now will not comply. To raptures now her pulse beats high, And now she dreads undoing. • The pen of Sir Charles Hanburj Williams inflicted deeper wounds in three montns on ihis Lord than a series of Craftsmen, aided by Lord Bolingbroke, for several years, could imprint on Sir Robert Walpole: the latter lost his power, but lived to see justice done to his cha- racter — his rival acquired no power, but died very rich ; he is supposed to have had the principal hand in Mist and Fog's Journals, and the Craftsman — W. \3S Bui when the lover with his pra}'^rs, His oaths, his sighs, his vows and tears, Holds out the profferM treasure ; She quite forgets her fear and shame, And quits her virtue, and good-name, For profit mixt with pleasure. So virtuous Pult'ney, who had long By speech, by pamphlet, and by song, Held patriotism's steerage. Yields to ambition mixt with gain, A treasury gets for Harry Vane,* And for himself a peerage. Tho' with joint lives and debts before, Harry's estate was covered o'er, * Harry Vane, afterwards Earl of Darlington, appointed Vice-treasurer of Ireland on the change of the Ministry, 1741.— W. 134 This Irish place repairs it ; Unless thatstory should be true, That he receives but half his due, And the new Countess * shares it. 'Tis said, besides, that t'other Harryf Pays half the fees of secretary To Bath's ennobled doxy; If so — good use of pow'r she makes, The treasury of each kingdom takes, And holds them both by proxy. Whilst her dear Lord obeys his summons, And leaves the noisy House of Commons, Amongst the Lords to nod ; Where if he's better than of old, His hands perhaps a stick may hold, But never more a rod. • Elizabeth Gumley, Countess of Bath, was very parsi- monious. — W. f Henry Furnese, Secretary of the Treasury.— W. 135 Unheard of, let him shimber there, As innocent as any peer, As prompt for any job ; For now he 's popular no more, He 'as lost the power he had before. And his best friends the mob. Their favVites shouldn't soar so high, They fail him when too near the sky. Like Icarus's wings ; And popularity is such. As still is ruin'd by the touch Of gracious giving kings. Here then, O Bath ! thy empire ends. And Argyle,* with his Tory friends. * " And Pelham, v.'ith his Whiggish friends." It was altered in the published copy to the above, that the verses might seem to come from a Tory quarter. 136 Soon better days restore ; For Enoch's fate and thine are one, Like him translated, thou art gone Ne'er to be heard of more. ^0^ A NEW ODE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF GREAT MEN, NEWLY MADE. Jam nova progenies. SEE, a new progeny descends From heav'n, of Britain's truest friends. O Muse attend my call ! To one of these direct thy flight, Or, to be sure that we are right, Direct it to them all. Clio ! these are golden times ; 1 shall get money for my rhymes ; And thou no more go tatter'd; Make haste, then, lead the way, begin, For here are people just come in Who never yet were flattered. 138 But first to Cart' ret* fain you'd sing; Indeed he's nearest to the King, Yet careless how you use him: Give him, I beg, no labour'd lays ; He will but promise if you praise, And laugh if you abuse him. Then (tho"* there "'s a vast space betwixt) The new-made Earl of Bath comes next. Stiff in his popular pride: His step, his gait, describe the man ; They paint him better than I can, Waddlino; from side to side. •t> Each hour a different face he wears, Now in a fury, now in tears, Now laughing, now in sorrow ; Now he'll command, and now obey, Bellows for liberty to-day. And roars for pow'r to morrow. * John, Lord Carteret, afterwards Earl Granvillei Se- cretary of State.— W. 1:39 At noon the Tories had him tight, With staunchest Whigs he supp'd at night. Each party try'd to 've won him ; But he himself did so divide, Shuffled and cut from side to side. That now both parties shun him. See yon old, dull, important lord,* Who at the long'd-for money-board Sits first, but does not lead : His younger brethrenf all things make ; So that the Treasury's like a snake, And the tail moves the head. * Spencer Compton, Earl of "Wilmington, Speaker of the House of Commons, then Lord President, and lastly, First Commissioner of the Treasurj'. He was a worthy man, of exceedingly grave formality, but of no parts. — "W. •j- Mr. Sandys, Sir JohnIlushout,andJPhilip Gibbon, three of the new Lords of the Treasury, oftV" out-voted Lord AVilmington, and his nephew, Mr. Corbpton of the Trea- sury, and gave away places as they pleased — ^V^-- — -^ 140 Why did you cross God's good intent? He made you for a president; Back to that station go : Nor longer act this farce of power, We know you miss'd the thing before, And have not got it now. See valiant Cobhani,* valorous Stair>t Britain's two thunderbolts of war, * Sir Richard Temple, Viscount Cobham — W. Lord Cobham, on voting against the Court on the matter of excise, had his regiment taken from him, and was not allowed to sell it, although he had purchased it. — W. t John Dalrymple, second Earl of Stair, Field-mar- shal.— W. John, second Earl of Stair, served in the Cameronian regiment in the battle of Steinkii-k, 169i;; he was Aide-de- Camp to the Duke of Marlborough at the taking of Venlo and Liege, and the attack of Peer, and got the command of the Cameronians in 1706 ; he was promoted to the com- mand of the Scotch Greys ; he was a Brigadier-general at the battle of Ramillies, and commanded a Brigade at the battle of Oudenarde, in 1708; he was Major-general at the battle of Malplaquet in 1709. The Tory ministers in the last year of Queen Anne ordered him to sell his regiment •at a low price to the Earl of Portmore; but on the acces- 141 Now strike my ravish'J eye : But, oh! their strength and spirits Hown, They, like their conquering swords, are grown Rusty with lying by. sion of George I., he was appointed commander in Scotland and had the 6th regiment of Dragoons given him. On the death of LouisXIV. he was appointed Ambassador to France, an appointment which he executed in the most brilliant and spirited manner; no Ambassador ever exceeded, and few have equalled, the splendid and magnificent table, train, and equi- page which distinguished this Embass}'^ ; but in some misun- derstanding with the ministry at home, he was recalled ; his Lordship had the office of Vice- Admiral of Scotland conferred on him, 1729 ; but joining the opposition against AValpole, he wasdeprivednotonlyof it,buthisregiment: onthe dissolution of the Walpole administration, he was appointed a Field- marshal, Governor of Minorca, and Ambassador to the States of Holland, and had the command of the allied army in Flandei's, and was again Colonel of the 6th Dra- goons ; and, serving under the King at the battle of Det- tingen, he was so disgusted at the preference given to the Hanoverians, that he resigned the command : the 2nd Duke of Marlborough followed his lordship's example ; but, France soon after making pi-eparations for the invasion- of Britain, they set a noble example of loyalty by tendering their ser- vices in any station ; this example was followed by persons of all ranks. In 1745, he was again appointed to the Scotch Greys, and General of the Marine Forces.— 0/(. 1747. 142 Dear Bat,* Pm glad you've got a place, And since things thus have chang'd their face, You'll give opposing o'er : 'Tis comfortable to be in, And think what a damn'd while you've been. Like Peter, at the door. See who comes next — I kiss thy hands. But not in flatt'ry, Samuel Sands ; For since you are in power. That gives you knowledge, judgment, parts, The courtier's wiles, the statesman's arts, Of which you'd none before. When great impending dangers shook Its state, old Rome dictators took Judiciously from plough : So we (but at a pinch thou knowest), To make the highest of the lowest, The Exchequer gave to you. * Allen, Lord Bathurst. 1-13 When in your hands the seals you found, Did it not make your brains go round ? Did it not turn your head ? I fancy (but you hate a joke) You felt as Nell* did when she woke In Lady Loverule's bed. See Harry Vane in pomp appear, And since he's made Vice-Treasurer, Grown taller by some inches : See Tweedalef follow Carteret's call ; See Hanoverian Gower,;|: and all The black funereal F inches. § * In the " Devil to Pay."— W. -f- John Hay, Marquis of Tweedale ; he married Lord Carteret's youngest daughter. — "W. $ John Leveson, Earl of Gower, Lord Privy SeaL — W. § Daniel Finch, Earl of Winchelsea, and his brothers William and Edward. The Eai-1 of Winchelsea was of so dark a complexion, and so slovenly in his dress, that he was called the Chimney Sweeper. — W. 144 And see with that important face Berenger's* clerk to take his place^ Into the Treasury come ; With pride and meanness act thy part, Thou look'st the very thing thou art, Thou Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Oh, my poor country ! is this all ^You 've gain'd by the long-labour'd fall Of Walpole and his tools? He was a knave suppose — what then ? He M parts — but this new set of men A'n't only knaves, but fools. More changes, better times this isle Demands ; oh ! Chesterfield,t Argyle, • Henry Furuese. f Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chestei"field. 145 To bleeding Britain bring 'em : Unite all hearts, appease each storm, 'Tis yours such actions to perform, My pride shall be to sing 'em.* " " And Doddington 's to sing 'em." — So it is in the original MS, ^^ VOL. I. AN ODE, HUMBLY INSCRIBED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM EARL OF BATH:* BY THE AUTHOR OF " THE COUNTRY GIRL." (Written in Nov. 1742.^ Neque enim lexjustior ulla, Quam necis artifices arte perire sua. Parcius junctas quatiunt Jenestras Ictibus crebris juvenes protervi : Nee tibi somnos adimunt : aniatque Janua limen. Quce prius multum facilis morebat Carclines, Sfc. S^c. HoR. Lib. 1, Od. XXV. GREAT Earl of Bath, your reign is o'er; The Tories trust your word no more, " I^ord Bath left above twelve hundred thousand pounds in land and money; four hundred thousand pounds in cash, stocks, and mortgages. His own estate was improved to 147 The Whigs no longer fear ye ; Your gates are seldom now unbarr'd, No crowds of coaches fill your yard, And scarce a soul comes near ye. Few now aspire at your good graces, Scarce any sue to you for places, Or come with their petition. To tell how well they have deserv'd, How long, how steadily they starv'd For you in opposition. Expect to see that tribe no more, Since all mankind perceive that pow'r Is lodg'd in other hands : Sooner to Cart'ret now they'll go. Or e'en (though that's excessive low) To Wilmington and Sands. fifteen thousand pounds a year ; and the Bradford estate, which he got from ]\Irs. Smith, Lord Bradford's mistress, was as much. The Earl of Darlington is now in possession of this estate, which produces thirty thousand a year. — 0&. 1764. L 2 148 With your obedient wife retire, And, sitting silent by the fire, A sullen tete-a-tete,* Think over all you've done or said. And curse the hour that you were made Unprofitably great. With vapours there, and spleen o'ercast. Reflect on all your actions past, With sorrow and contrition ; And there enjoy the thoughts that rise From disappointed avarice. From frustrated ambition. There soon you'll loudly, but in vain. Of your deserting friends complain, That visit you no more ; But in this country 'tis a truth. As known as that love follows youth. That friendship follows pow'r. • Lady Bath, with an infernal temper, had a great deal 149 Such is the calm of your retreat ! You through the dregs of Ufe must sweat Beneath this heavy load ; And I'll attend you, as I've done, Only to help reflection on. With now and then an ode. of wit. Lord Bath saying to her in one of her passions, " Pray,mydear, keep your temper," she replied, "Keep my temper ! I don't like it so well, I Avonder you should." — W. THE STATESMAN. Qtiem virum, aut heroa, lyra, vel acri Tibia sumis celebrare, Clio ? Quern deum? S(c. HoR. Lib. 1, Ode xii. WHAT statesman, what hero, what king, Whose name through the island is spread. Will you choose, O my Clio, to sing, Of all the great living or dead? Go, my Muse, from this place to Japan In search of a topic for rhyme : The great Earl of Bath is the man, Who deserves to employ your whole time. But, howe'er, as the subject is nice. And perhaps you're unfurnished with matter; May it please you to take my advice. That you may'nt be suspected to flatter. J51 When you touch on his Lordship's high birth, Speak Latin as if you were tipsy : Say, we are all but the sons of the earth, Eit genus nonfecimus ipsi. Proclaim him as rich as a Jew ; Yet attempt not to reckon his bounties : You may say, he is married ; that's true, Yet speak not a word of his Countess. Leave a blank here and there in each page. To enrol the fair deeds of his youth ! When you mention the acts of his age. Leave a blank for his honour and truth ! Say, he made a great monarch* change hands; He spake — and the minister t fell. Say, he made a great statesman of Sands ; (Oh ! that he had taught him to spell !) George II. ■)• Mr. Walpole. 152 Then enlarge on his cunning and wit : Say, how he harangu'd at the Fountain;* Say, how the old patriots were bit, And a mouse was produc'd by a mountain. Then say how he mark'd the new year. By increasing our taxes, and stocks : Then say how he chang'd to a peer, Fit companion for Edgecumbef and Fox. • In the Strand, where all the Torys met. t Richard, the first Lord Edgecumbe ; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on the fall ofWalpole's administra- tion — Ob. 1758. A NEW ODE. Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa Perfiisus liquidis urguet odoribus Grato, Pt/rrha, sub antro ? Hon. Od. 5, Lib. WHAT (good Lord Bath) prim patriot now, With courtly graces woes thee ? And from St. Stephen's Chapel to The House of Lords pursues thee ? How gay and debonnair you 're grown ! How pleasM with what is past ! Your title has your judgment shown, And choice of friends your taste. With sparkling wits to entertain Yourself and your good Countess, You've hit on sweet-lip'd Harry Vane • And high-bred Harry Furnese. 154 But to direct th' affairs of state, What geniuses you 've taken? Their talents, hke their virtues, great ! Or all the world's mistaken. The task was something hard, 'tis true, Which you had on your hands, So, to please Prince and people too. You wisely pitched on Sands. O Britain ! never any thing Could so exactly hit ye : His mien and manners charm'd the King His parts amazM the City. But, to make all things of a piece. And end as you begun ; To find a genius such as his, What was there to be done ? O where — where were they to be found ? Such stars but rare appear! Dart not their rays on every ground, Gild ev'ry hemisphere. 165 But you with astronomic eyes, Not Tycho Brahe's more true, From far spy'd some bright orbs arise, And brought them to our view. Sir John''s* clear head and sense profound, Blaz'd out in Parliament, Gibbon,f for eloquence renownM, To grace the court you sent. To these congenial souls you join'd Some more, as choice and proper, Bright Bootle ? darling of mankind ! Good Limerick and sage Hooper.;]; Such virtue and such wisdom shone, In evVy chosen spirit ! All men at least this truth must own. Your nice regard to merit ! * Sir John Rushout. •|- Father of the celebrated Historian. $ Mr. Hooper was a Hampshire gentleman, and uncle to the late Earl of INlalmsbury, to whom he left his estate: he was much consulted on affairs relative to Finance and Revenues of the country. He retired from public ; and lived for many years at Heron-Court, Hampshire. 156 What prayVs and praise to you belong, For this blest reformation ! Thou joy of ev'ry heart and tongue ! Thou saviour of the nation ! O Walpole, Walpole, blush for shame, With all your tools around you ! Does not each glorious patriot name, Quite dazzle and confound you ? Had you sought out this patriot race, Triumphant still you 'd been ; By only putting them in place, You had yourself kept in. AN ODE, FHOM THE EARL OF BATH TO AMBITION. Peccat ad extremum ridendus. AWAY, Ambition, let me rest ; All party rage forsake my breast, And opposition cease. Arm me no more for future strife, Pity my poor remains of life. And give my age its peace. I 'm not the man you knew before, For I am Pult'ney now no more, My titles hide my name. (Oh, how I blush to own my case !) My dignity was my disgrace. And I was rais'd to shame. 158 To thee I sacrific'd my youth, Gave up my honour, friendship, truth, My king and country's weal. For thee I sinn'd against ray reason. The daily lie, the weekly treason, Proclaim'd my Winded zeal. For thee I ruin'd Orford's pow'r; Oh ! had I well employ'd that hour. My reign had known no end: But then (oh, fool !) like Brutus, I Left able, pow'rful Antony, T' avenge his fallen friend. He drives me to this abject state, And still he urges on my fate, And heaps my measure full : All Orford's wrongs are now repaid, I'm fall'n into the pit I made. And roar in my own bull. 159 Leave me, and to great Varus go, On him resistless smiles bestow, Inflame his kindled heat : Display thy pow'r, thy temptings show. Thy glorious height, the sunny brow, With all that charm and cheat. Varus, on whom, while yet a child. You, goddess, favourably smil'd, And form'd him for your tool ; Bid him the path of Greatness try. Teach him to conquer or to die, To ruin, or to rule. Here all my views of greatness cease, I only ask content and peace. Which I will never barter For all the gifts that you can show'r; The pride of wealth, the pomp of pow'r. Employments and a garter. But at that word what thoughts return! Again I feel Ambition burn. 160 My dreams my hopes obey ; There all my wishes crovvn'd I feel, Enjoy the ribband, treas'ry, seal. Which vanish with the day. I THE HEROES:* A NEW BALLAD. To the Tune of " Sally in our Alley." OF all the jobs that e'er had past Our house, since times of jobbing Sure none was ever hke the last, Ev'n in the days of Robin : * In the time of the Rebellion these Lords had proposed to raise regiments of their own dependents, and were al- lowed ; had they paid them too, the service had been noble : beinfT paid by the Government, obscured a little of the merit ; being paid without raising them, would deserve too coarse a term. It is certain, that not six of the regiments ever were raised ; not four of which were employed. The chief persons who were at the head of this scheme, was the Dukes of Bedford and INIontagu; the Duke of Bedford actually raised and served with his regiment.— W. VOL.1. M 162 For he himself had blush'd for shame At this polluted cluster Of fifteen nobles* of great fame, All brib'd by one false muster. • The Duke of Bedford was Secretarj- of State 1751. The Duke of Newcastle was jealous of him, because of his intimacy with the Earl of Sandwich, who had been hoisted to the head of the Admiralty by the weight of the Duke of Bedford, into whose affections Sandwich had worked himself by means of intrigues, cricket matches and acting plays : he warmly opposed, though ineifectually, the Clandestine Marriage bill : he was a man of inflexible honesty and good- will to his country ; he was a great oeconomist, but with more generosity and goodness than generally unite with that passion ; his pai-ts were certainly not shining, but he spoke readily, and on trade well ; his foible was speaking on every thing, and imagining he understood it. He was governed by his Duchess, though unmeasurably obstinate ; his manner was impetuous, which he was so little sensible of, that, when he was told the Earl of Halifax was to suc- ceed him as Secretary of State, he observed he is too warm and overbearing, the King will never endure him. If the Duke of Bedford could have thought less well of himself, the world would probably have thought better of him._^V. 163 Two Dukes* on horseback first appear, Both tall and of great prowess ; Two little Barons in the rear (For they're, you know, the lowest :) But high and low they all agree To do whatever man dar'd ; Those ne'er so tall, and those that fall A foot below the standard. Three regiments one dukef contents. With two more places you know ; Since his Bath knights, his grace dehghts In Tri-a jiincV in U-no. Now Bolton comes with beat of drums. Though fighting be his loathing ; He much dislikes both guns and pikes. But relishes the cloat.hing. • John, fourth Duke of Bedford. Charles, fourth Duke of Bolton. ■]■ The Duke of Montagu. M 2 164 Next doth advance, defying France, A peer in wondVous bustle ; With sword in hand, he stout doth stand,. And brags his name is Russell : He'll beat the French from ev'ry trench, And blow them off the water; By sea and land he doth command, And looks an errant otter. But of this clan, there's not a man For bravery that can be, (Tho' Anstruther* should make a stir,) Compar'd with Marquis Granby :t • Colonel Anstruther. -)■ The Marqnis of Granby was an honest, open-hearted young man ; of undaunted spirit, but no capacity ; he drank as profusely as a German; he was honest and affable, and of such unbounded good nature and generosity, that it was impossible to say which principle actuated him in the dis- tribution of the prodigious sums that he spent and flung away. — W. 105 His sword and dress both well express His courage most exceeding : And by his hair, you'd almost swear He's valiant Charles of Sweden. The next are Harcourt, Hahfax, And Falmouth, choice commanders ! For these the nation we must tax, But ne'er send them to Flanders, Two corps of men do still remain. Earl Cholmondley's* and Earl Berkeley's ; The last, I hold, not quite so bold As formerly was Herc'les. * George,Earlof Cholmondley,a vain, empty man, shoved lip so high by his father in law. Sir Ilobert Walpole, and fallen into contempt and obscurity by his own extravagance and insufficiency. He was Knight of the Bath, I^ord of the Admiralty, and Master of the Horse, to the Prince of Wales. — W. Lord Cholmondlev has been borrowing money to buv damask for his fine room at Richmond. On his going in the crowd, a woman offered him roses, and said, " they are right damask, my Lord." He supposes she" was put up to it.— \Y. 166 And now, dear Gower, thou man of pow'r, And comprehensive noddle : Tho' you've the gout, yet as you're stout, Why wa'n't you plac'd in saddle ? Then you might ride to either side. Choose which king you 'Id serve under; But, dear dragoon, change not too soon, For fear of th' other blunder. This faithful band shall ever stand, Defend our faith's defender ; Shall keep us free from popery. The French and the Pretender. Now God bless all our ministry, May they the crown environ. To hold in chain whatever Prince reign, And rule with links of iron. -^ SIR CHARLES II ANBURY WILLIAMS* TO EDWARD HUSSEY, ESQ. I STOP, stop, ray steed ! Hail, Cambria, liail, With craggy clifts and darksome vale. May no rude steps defile 'em Your poet with a vengeance sent From London post, is hither bent, To find a safe asylum. * If Sir Charles had many superiors in poetry, he had none in the wit of liis poetry ; in conversation he was less natural, and overbearing; hated with the greatest good na- ture, and the most disinterested generosity, for fools dreaded his satire, few forgave his vanity. He had thrown up his place in some disgust : the loss of jNIr. Winiiington, and a quarrel with the Irish, occasioned by an Ode he wrote on the marriage of the Duchess of ^Manchester and Mr. Hussey, had driven him to shelter his discontents in a foreign em- bassy, where he displayed great talents for negotiation, and pleased as much by his letters as he had formerly by his poetry. — W. 168 Bar, bar the doors, exclude e'en fear Who prest upon my horse's rear. And made the fleet still fleeter ; There shall my hurry'd soul repose, And, undisturb'd by Irish prose, Renew my lyric metre. Thus Flaccus at Philippi field, Behind him left his little shield, And sculk'd in Sabine cavern : Had I not wrote that cursed ode. My coward heart I ne'er had show'd, The jest of ev'ry tavern. Ye guardians of Mercurial men, I boast from you my sprightly pen, I rhyme by your direction : Why did you partial gifts impart ? You gave a head, but gave no heart, No heart, for head's protection. Hence 'tis my wit outruns my strength, And scans eeich inch of Hussey's length, 169 His length of sword forgetting; Hence angry boys my rhyme provoke, I ne'er (too serious proves the joke) Can think on't without sweating. What the Lieutenant* once deny'd My inauspicious wit supply'd, And forc'd me into action ; To me as to this scribe indite, Hibernians sons — I cannot write To give them satisfaction. Fool, could I sing for other's sport, The taking of the duchess' fort, And which the way to win her: I, undisturb'd, my town enjoy'd, Then (Nero like) with fire destroy'd, In springing mines within her. • Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. 170 Oh ! had I sung sweet roundelay, Great George's birth, or new-year's day, As innocent as Colley,* Your other Pope (oh ! hear, ye Nine) He'd gladly all his odes resign. And screen himself in folly. Ah ! since ray fear has forc'd me hither, I feel no more that sweet blue weather, The Muses most delight in : Dark, and more dark, each cloud impends. And ev'ry message from my friends, Conveys sad hints of fighting. To harmless themes I '11 tune my reed ; Listen, ye lambkins, whilst ye feed, Ye shepherds, nymphs and fountains ; Ye bees, with soporiferous hums, Ye pendent goats, if Hussey comes, Convey me to your mountains. * Colley Gibber, Poet Lauieat. 171 There may I sing secure, nor fear Shall pull the songster by the ear, T' advise me whilst Tm writing : Or, if my satire will burst forth, I'll lampoon parsons in my wrath, Their cloth forbids them fighting. Whene'er I think, can Williams brook To sculk beneath this lonely nook. And tamely bear what few will ? H — r — t like Priam's son appears, Cries, as he shakes his bloody ears, Beware of Irish Duel. I flutter like Macbeth ; arise Strange scenes, and swim before my eyes, Swords, pistols, bloody — shocking! Whole crowds of Irish cross my view, I feel th' involuntary dew, Run trickhng down my stocking. 172 Sure sign how all's within, I trow ; Cornwall* once forc'd such streams to flow, So dreadful he to meet is ; Should gentle Cornbury, Leicester, Bath, Or drowsy Stanhope wake in wrath, 'Twould cause a diabetes. Oh, Patrick, courage-giving saint, Reverse my prayer thou late didst grant, Or I'm for ever undone ; Rust all their pistols, break their swords, And if they'll fight it out in words, I'll come again to London. * Velters Cornwall, Esq. of Mocas-Court, Herefordshire, and member for that County. an fSpigram* SIR Thomas, of Wentworth,* inflexibly good, Had long Ministerial power withstood ; At length through ambition an Earl he was made. So first lost his friends, and then lost his head ; So Pultney consider like his thy condition. How great and how glorious thy long Opposi- tion ; Thou art now made an Earl, have a care of thy head. Our Pyms and our Hambdens are not all yet dead. • Thomas Wentworth, first Earl of Strafford. The prosecution of Lord Strafford, or rather the manner in which it was carried on, is less justifiable. He was doubt- less a great delinquent, and well-deserved the severest purdshment ; but nothing short of a cleai-lj-proved case of self-defence, can justify or even excuse a departure from the sacred rules of criminal justice, — Vide Mr. Fox's His- tory, page 10. A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE EARL OF BATH AKD HIS COUNTESS. TO the Earl said the Countess, what makes yoa so dull? E. Because for your Ladyship I 've played the fool. C. Forme? do you say, Sir; your Lordship I mean — E. Ay, curse that damn'd title, 'tis that gives me spleen. C. You have no sense of honour, no notions of glory— E. Yours are, Polly Walpole* should not rank before ye ; • lyady Mary Walpole, natural daughter of Sir Robert, whom George II. allowed the rank of an Earl's daughter. 175 For, more honour\l, we had been happier still, Had you been plain Madam, and I been plain Will. Lord Bath and Lord Sandys have had their pockets picked at Cuper's Gardens. I fancy it was no bad scene, the avarice and jealousy of their peeresses on their return. —W. Grass grows just before my Lord Bath's door where nobody will visit. — W. TO THE EARL OF BATH; IMITATED FROM CATULLUS. SAY, Earl of Bath, can you your friends deceive. And them, tho' true, without reluctance leave? Tell me, perfidious man, thou Lordling say. Can you your friends forsake, and then betray? Have not the pangs of guilt your bosom seized? Think not with impious acts the Gods are pleased. But these are thoughts which never plagued thy breast. Who basely left us, and when much distrest. What can we do against a race unjust. Where find a man who 's faithful to his trust ? Our friendship you by false pretensions gain'd. As if no danger in your breast remained ; 177 But now a traitor to the social tie, Your actions give your former vows the lie ; Nor words nor deeds retracted longer bind, Your words retracted, and your deeds are wind ; You may forget and hve a wretch abhorr'd, But know the Gods remember and record ; Faith well remembers, reverend Deity, And will exact due penitence from thee. flVrilien on the Earl of Bath's door in Piccadilly.) Here dead to fame, Uves patriot Will, His grave a lordly seat ; His title proves his Epitaph, His robes his winding-sheet. VOL. I. N AN ODE TO THE HON. PHILIP YORKE:* IMITATED FROM HORACE. Ode xvi. Book ii. FOR quiet, Yorke, the sailor cries, When gathering storms obscure the skies, The stars no more appearing; The Candidate for quiet prays, Sick of bumpers and huzzas, Of blest Electioneering. Who thinks that from the Speaker's chair, The Serjeant's mace can keep off care, * He married the grand daughter and heiress of the Duke of Kent. He succeeded as second Earl of Hardwick, and was father of the Countess De Grey, and the Dowager Lady Grantham. 17f) Is vvonderously mistaken ; Alas! he is not half so blest As those who 've Liberty and rest, And dine on beans and bacon. Why should we then to London run, And quit our cheerful country sun, For business, dirt, and smoke ; Can we by changing place and air. Ourselves get rid of, or our care, In trutli 'tis all a joke. Care climbs proud ships of mightiest force, And mounts behind the General's horse. Outstrips Hussars and Pandours ; Far swifter than the flying hind, Swifter than clouds before the wind. Or Cope* before Highlanders. " Sir John Cope being reinforced by two regiments of Dragoons, amounting to near three thousand men, marched to give battle to the Pretender's army : but was attacked by two thousand four hundred Highlanders with such im- petuosity, that, in less than ten minutes, they were totally routed. The Dragoons fled in the utmost confusion : all the infantry were either kUled or taken.— -Swo/W^. N 2 ISO A man when once he 's safely chose, Should laugh at all his threat'ning foes, Nor think of future evil ; Each good has its attendant ill, A seat is no bad thing, but still Elections are the Devil. Its gifts with hand impartial Heaven Divides — To Orford* it was given, To die in full-blown glory j To Batht indeed a longer hfe. But though he lives, 'tis with his wife, And shunn'd by Whig and Tory. The Gods to you, with bounteous hand. Have granted seats and parks, and land, Brocades and silks you wear ; With Claret and ragouts you treat, Six neighing steeds, with nimble feet, Whirl on your gilded car. * Robert Walpole, the second Earl, who died in the flower' of his age, April 1751. He was auditor of the Exchequer,, and was succeeded by the Earl of Lincoln, t Wm. Pultney, Earl of Bath. 181 To rae they've given a small retreat, Good Port and Mutton, best of meat. With broad-cloth on my shoulders ; A soul that scorns a dirty job, Loves a good rhyme, and hates a mob, I mean that 's not freeholders. THE CAPUCHIN: A NEW BALLAD, To the Tune of " Ye Commons and Peers." (Written in September 1742 J Ecce iterum Crispinus, et est mihi scepe vocandus. WHO at Paris has been, Has a Mendicant seen, Who for charity follows to dun ye ; Offer him what you will, He refuses it still, For he has sworn that he'll never touch money. But near him one stands, With two open hands, (A Creature that follows for hire) Any gifts that you make, He'll readily take, And at night he accounts with the friar. I 183 So the great Earl of Bath, Has sworn, in his wrath. That he'll never accept of a place j Neither Chancellor he, Nor Treasurer will be. And refuses the seal and the mace. But near him a crowd, Stand bawling aloud, For all that two courts* can afford ; And 'tis very well known, That for them what is done. Is the same as if done for my Lord. But I'm told, noble peer. Lest these things should take air, And with dirt all mankind should upbraid ye ; That you try a new way, 'Tis as safe I dare say. And make them account with my Lady. " St. James's and Leicester-House. 184 But indeed this won''t do, And the world will see throu*i Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo. — Hor. SHALL these mad efforts of indignant foes, My name to blacken, break my mind's repose ; What's the base murmuring of the people's breath. To the high sounds of Lord and Earl of Bath: At their first patriot they roar and rave. And call me Hypocrite, and call me knave ; For I who Pultney was, am Pultney still, In form tho' varying, fixt in principle ; The principle from which I ne'er did swerve. Has ever urged me my dear self to serve ; With titles honour'd, and large wealth increas'd, My pride I pamper and my avarice feast : 202 Let patriots for themselves unskilFd to crave, For sake of virtue, sake of justice starve ; High joy'd T smile when they frown at my ways. And while they hiss me, clap to my own praise. ^^ A NEWER ODE THAN THE LAST. Ad Hominem Iterum iterum movebo. GREAT Earl of Bath, Be not in wrath, At what the people say ; Bob was abused, And roughly used — Each dog must have his day. 'Tis true you are A man of war. Of courage stout and try'd ; It was, we know, But word and blow. When honour seem'd your guide. 204 Lord Fanny* once Did play the dunce, And challeng'd you to fight ; And he so stood, To lose his blood, But had a dreadful fright. Poor member Ned, Said something bad, And wrote it down to York ; Your sword you drew, And at him flew. And fought like any Turk. » Lord Hervey, who fought a duel with Mr. Pultney. He being turned out of place turned patriot, and made three fine orations against the repeal of the Gin Act. Sir Charles Williams made a couple of ballads on the occasion, with much wit, to ridicule both Sandys and Lord Hervey. — W. 205 No man so dread, That wore a head, Durst either speak or write Things, to dispraise Your virtuous ways, But draw he must, and fight. Tho' once so brave, rU call you knave, And show you 're courage-bound ; For if you dare With me to war. You must the nation round. ■m The following Character of Sir Robert Wal- POLE* was drawn from the Life hy Sir Charles Han'bciry Williams, Knight of the Bath, in an Epistle to the Right Honourable Henry Fox. BUT Orford's self I've seen, whilst I have read, Laugh the heart's laugh, and nod th' approving head. Pardon, great Shade ! if, duteous, on thy hearse I hang my grateful tributary verse : If I, who followed through thy various day, Thy glorious zenith, and thy bright decay, Now strew thy tomb with flowers, and o'er thy urn, With England, Liberty, and Envy, mourn. His soul was great and dar'd not but do well. His noble pride still urg'd him to excel ; • Sir Robert Walpole was killed by Jurin's jNIedicine for the stone. — W. 207 Above the search of gold, if in his heart Ambition govern'd, Av'rice had no part. A genius to explore untrodden ways, Where prudence sees no track nor ever strays ; Which books and schools, in vain attempt to teach. And which laborious art can never reach. Falsehood and flattery, and the tricks of Court, He left to Statesmen of a meaner sort ; Their cloaks and smiles were offer''d him in vain. His acts were justice, which he darM maintain. His words were truth, and held them in disdain. Open to friends, and e'en to foes sincere. Alike remote from jealousy and fear; Tho' Envy's howl, tho' Faction's hiss, he heard, Tho' senates frown'd, tho' death itself appear'd; Calmly he view'd them, conscious that his ends Were right, and Truth and Innocence his friends. Thus was he form'd to govern and to please ; Familiar greatness, dignity with ease, Compos'd his frame ; admir'd in every state. In private amiable, in public great. 208 Gentle in power, but daring in disgrace, His love was liberty, his wish was peace. Such was the man that smil'd upon my lays : And what can heighten thought, or genius raise. Like praise from him whom all mankind must praise ; Whose knowledge, courage, temper, all surprised. Whom many lovM, few hated, none despis'd.* • Sir Robert Walpole was bold, open, steady ; never de- jected; he never gave up his party to serve himself; he was content to have one great, honest view, and would overlook or trample on the intermediate degrees ; he raised himself to the head of administration without interest, without fortune, and without alliances. His mastery was, under- standing the interest of his own country : with the greatest confidence of himself he had no pride ; he loved magnifi- cence, and was generous to a fault ; his friendship was chiefly confined to persons much below him. — W. ^^^ ^TtT^ BRITANNIA^S GHOST TO THE EARL OF BATH. WHILE Pultney, seeking lost repose, His downy pillow prest ; Fresh horrors in his soul arose, And further banish'd rest. For, lo, Britannia by his side, All ghastly pale and wan, Thus in deep doleful accent cry'd ; " Oh, base perfidious man ! " How can'st thou hope that balmy sleep " Should close thy guilty eyes ; " When all Britannia's sons must weep " Her fall'n thy sacrifice. VOL. I. p 210 " Long had she trusted to thine aid, " Against her bosom foe ; " Depending on the vows you made, " To ward the fatal blow. " Hence she each traitor had supprest, " Or boldly had defy'd; " Till leaning on her Guardian's breast, " His treacherous arm she spy'd. " ' And art thou Pultney V said she, ' fie f " ' Thou of the traitor crew ! " ' Nay, brave Caesar hke I'll die, '' ' Since Brutus lives in you.' " But, oh, why must Britannia bleed, *' To sate Ambition's flame ; " Ah, titles thence you '11 gain indeed, " But gain with endless shame. " How can you e'er atonement make, " For all your broken vows ? — Why, cancel your late grand mistake, " Her interest to espouse. iC 211 " So shall her genius yet revive, " You barter guilt for fame ; " She shall revere you when alive, " When dead, adore your name." " Ah ! too," he said, '^ too false I 've prov'd, " Too fickle vile a thing, " Ever to be sincerely loved, " By Country, Court, or King." Hereat the spectre disappear'd, But Conscience in its stead ; Dire cursing legions quickly reared, Round his devoted head. Then to his wife he, raving, cried, " Thou daughter of perdition ; " Britannia 's ruin'd by thy pride ; " Pm damn'd by thy ambition." p 2 AN ODE FROM FAME TO THE EARL OF BATH. Audivere, Lyce, dii mea vota, dii Audivere, Lyce; fis anuSy et tamen Visformosa videri, Liidisqiie et bibis, hnpudens. HE is grown old ; he is abhorrM, Whom falsely once all men ador'd ; I thank you, gods, for so you ought To stamp the man who merits nought. And yet to bribe the goddess Fame, No art by him is left untry'd ; So great is Bubo's want of shame. His drunkenness and pride. But know 'tis P 1 that goddess seeks, His shining virtues claim her choice ; For him alone her trumpet speaks, For him alone is heard her voice. 213 For streams more crystal than her skies, The goddess flies from dirty Bath;* Oh, Bubo, thou art fiU'd with lies, O, Virtue, he has left thy path ! Nor title can nor strings of blue, Nor wealth immense thy fame restore ; Nor heav'nly peace of mind renew — What Time has buried is no more ! Where is the man who nextto Wyndhamf shone The Nation's column and the Senate's pride? Where is the Patriot the Camillus gone ? Of true applause where now the levelling tide ? But Wyndham dy'd while credit bloom'd, Cursed, O Bubo, is thy fate ; An aged raven thou art doom'd, The world's contempt — not worth its hate. • Pultney, Earl of Bath. f Sir AVilliam Wyndham, father of the first Earl of Egremont. THE PATRIOT PARROT A ZEALOUS Patriot had a parrot taught, To mimic sound, to prattle his own thought; " Rogues all, rogues all," was PolFs eternal tone, " Rogues all, rogues all," who e'er approach a throne. How well the master judged, how well the bird, Critics decide — the master is preferr'd ; Servile he cringes, fawns, adores the throne, But honest Poll, still keeps her honest tone. " Rogues all, rogues all," is her eternal song, " Rogues all, rogues all," who Ve slaves the court among ! 215 *' Curse on this noisy bird," the patriot cries; " Rogues all, rogues all," still honest Poll replies. " Tom, take the bird, wring off his neck, for hoarse, " Hoarse is as raven"'s croak his voice,and worse." " Rogues all, rogues all," still honest Poll re- plied — Who more a patriot lived than Poll, or dy'd ? The Moral. From Poll's heroic soul let Statesmen see. With their first lesson should their last ag-ree ; The bird disdain'd his servile master's wrath — Was it the bird of Sandys,* or of Bath ?t • Samuel, first Lord Sandys — Thus Sandys thinks he has spoken an Epigram when he crinkles up his nose and lays a smart accent on Ways and Meant. — W. t Wm. Pultney, Earl of Bath. AN EPITAPH ON THE POLITICAL MEMORY OF WILLIAM PULTNEY, EARL OF BATH; Who died to Fame, Julj/ loth, 1742. PULTNEY, no friend to truth, in fraud sincere, In act unfaithful, and from honour clear ; Who broke his promise, served his private ends, Who gain'd a title, and who lost all friends ; Dishonour'd by himself, by none approv'd, Curs'd, scorn'd, and hated, e'en by those he lov'd. A BALLAD: IN IMITATION OF " WILLIAM AND MARGARET," ADDRESSED TO WM. EARL OF BATH. 'TWAS in the hour when guiltless care Is lull'd in soft repose; When nothing wakes, save fell despair, Beset with cureless woes. Inviting sleep, lo, William lay. The down he vainly prest ; Honour, alas ! had soar'd away. And shame had poisoned rest. Britannia, with that stern regard That conscious worth puts on, Before his frantic eye appeared, And pierc'd him with a groan. Her cheek had lost its rosy bloom. And languid roll'd her eye ; This once could brighten midnight gloom, That shame the Tyrian dye. 218 The laurel wreath, by glory's hand Twin'd round her awful brow, As what her grief and rage disdained. She rent in fury now. Away she hurl'd her boasted shield, Away her useless spear ; What joys to slaves, can trophies yield. What pride the pomp of war. " Behold the dire effects," she cried, " Of WilHara's perjured truth ! " Behold the Orphan, who relied " On a false guardian's oath. " How couldst thou with a lover's zeal, " My widow'd cause espouse, " Yet quit that cause, you serv'd so well, " In scorn of all thy vows ? " How couldst thou swear, wealth,titles,power, " Thy candour would disclaim ; " Yet barter, in an evil hour, " That candour for a name ? 219 " How couldst thou win my easy heart, " A patriot to beheve ? " How could I know, but by the smart, " A patriot would deceive ? " Bethink thee of thy broken trust, " Thy vows to me unpaid ; " Thy honour humbled in the dust, " Thy country's weal betrayed. " For this may all my vengeance fall " On thy devoted head ; " Living be thou the scorn of all, " The curse of all when dead."" This said, while thunder round her broke. She vanished into air ; And William's horror while she spoke, Was followed by despair. -^^ ON THE ARRIVAL OF GENERAL OGLETHORPE.* ARRIVE in safety all ye Heroes brave, That from America survive the grave ; Let Fame cry fraud, ill-conduct, or neglect, No Inquisition Britons now expect. Since Orford loaded with an age of crimes, Escapes insulting, these degenerate times : Since Bath, that great Paladium, till of late. Defends each vice in Ministers of State : Well may these Ministers remit the scores Of Generals, Admirals, and Commodores. * It was uncertain whether he was a Whig or a Jacobite, whether very brave or a coward ; for he had fought several duels, and had run away in the Rebellion. He was a troublesome, tiresome, speaker, but now and then tempered with good sense. — AV. HOR. LIB. II. ODE XVI.— Ofmm Divos, S^c. IMITATED : INSCRIBED TO THE EARL OF BATH. IN each ambitious measure crost, Each friend that should support you lost, By Faction's tempest rudely tost : At length you ask the gods for ease. But what avails your pious care, Your heart pour'd out in endless prayer, Ease is not venal tho' you are. As wealth may tempt, or titles please. For not the Treasurer, Staff, and all That Orford grasp'd before his fall. Or his successor Pelham shall. Can ease the self-devoted mind. Care flies into the rooms of State, Nor can the slaves that on him wait Drive the curst phantom from the Gate : Care stays, when none else dare, behind. 222 How happier at his frugal board Lives the plebian tho' no lord, His father's wealth his only hoard ; Who acts within his proper sphere ; Whilst honest Morpheus o'er his brows. His choicest wildest poppies strows, And sleep, the gods best gift, bestows, Unbroke by avarice or fear. Why flies our arrow to those heights ? Our feeble thread spun by the Fates, Each hour the fatal Scissars waits, Nor will one moment's pause afford 1 We bustle to be raised on high. New lands explore, new suns descry, Alas ! 'twere well could self, too, fly. And lose the squire in the lord. Beyond the present hour forbear, The following is not worth your care ; In life's contracted span how rare, 223 To see one man completely blest ! See, Orford wisely laying down, Nor giving foes one parting frown, Whilst peace his latest hours shall crown ; And good old Wilmington at rest. With twice ten thousand pounds a year, You yet may live, and taste good cheer, The' you '11 ne'er be Lord Treasurer, So you repent you of that sin ; Whilst I, as others will, no doubt. When * * * * returns with many a shout, Shall laugh to see your friends trot out. As shamefully as they came in. WYNDHAM AND PULTNEY ; OR THE VISION AT BATH. BATH, vex'd with courts, the country sought, To ease his troubled mind ; But httle dreamt the angry Peer, More trouble there to find. He strove to lay aside all cares, Ev'n those for wealth or fame ; Nor brought a spark of malice down, Except against the game. The live-long day in sport he spent, His toils survived the light ; And yet, tho', wearied, home he came, He slept not sound at night. 225 Oh, Thought, thou busy, restless thing. In Peasant and in Peer ; How durst thou plague so great a man. Who holds his peace so dear? A man so great, three nations once, Did on his steps attend ; Ev'n Statesmen trembled at his frown. And Kings to him did bend. Yet him, at times, thou durst reproach, Durst tax him with his deeds ; Thus boldly should a man presume, For his offence he bleeds. To stir his soul, yet 'scape his ire. An act he would not boast. Knowing no mortal venture might. Thought introduced a ghost. The night was as Corruption dark, Like Justice, mankind slept ; When to his lordship's working brain, This dreadful Vision crept. VOL. I. Q 226 His mind revolving vast events, His conscience Fancy caught ; And sudden to his aching sight, Great Wyndham's * shadow brought. With awful grandeur stalk'd the spright. With terror shook the Peer; When thus, the dread harangue begun, He heard or seem'd to hear. " Oh, Pultney ! listen, Wyndham speaks, " To him and truth attend ; " Who, living, still your cause espous'd, And now in death your friend. f( " How bright thy thought, thy words how free, " How upright seem'd thy soul : '' As if no hope thy heart could seize, " Nor any fear control. • Sir WiUiam Wvndham. 227 " Why didst thou seem so wise and good, " And yet but act a part ; " Why, when applauded for that skill, " Did it not touch thy heart ? " How, once believihg Virtue fair, " Be to her cause untrue ; *' Or fancy, after acting thus, " A title was thy due? " Why justice seek, why fraud expose, " If this you did not mean ? " Or having both to light reveaPd, " Why, after, turn a screen ? " How could you zealous seem for right, " While meditating wrong ? " Or how believe, an ill-got pow'r " Should e'er continue long? " By friends admir'd, by nations lov'd, " Like Cato's, Pultney's name ; " How could'st thou shght so great a good, " How fool away such fame ? Q 2 228 " How sprightly Stanhope* could you quit, " Deceive the great Argyle ? " How cheat the generous-hearted Pitt; " Sir WilUamf how beguile ? " How slight thy faith, how break thy word, " Thy country how undo ? " Who'd from a Briton this expect ? " Of Britons all from you. " Ah ! fooUsh man, to barter fame, " For titles' tinsel grace ! " And poorly sell thy own desert, " To dignify thy race. " Yet know that this thou can'st not do, " 'Tis Virtue gives a name ; " For titles if they 're basely got, " Are but entails of shame." The cock had crowM, the morning dawn'd, And clowns began to wake ; Before the chief could from his view, This dreadful Vision shake. Earl of Chesterfield. f Sir Wm. Stanhope. 220 Then up he started from his bed, And hurried back to town ; Where his return made as much noise As did his going down. But tho' his body changed its place, Yet, as arch Horace writes. His mind was just, still where it was, He could not sleep at nights. He bus'ness hates, forgets the post. From council stays away ; And what made people stare at most, He miss'd the King's birth-day. Since then he sullen is, or sad, Of great affairs makes light ; Talks much of being what he was, And setting all things right. Now God preserve our glorious King, And send his Bishops grace ; Keeping all Lords for evermore, From Bath's unhappy case TO MR. GARNIER AND MR. PEARCE OF BATH. A GRATEFUL ODE, In return for the extraordinary kindness and hu- manity they shewed to me and niy eldest daughter, now Lady Essex,* 1753. I. WHAT glorious verse from Love has sprung ? How well has Indignation sung? • Mother of George Capel Coningsbv, the 5th and pre- sent Earl of Essex, and of Elizabeth Lady INlonson, widow of John, the third Lord. Her Ladyship died 19th July, 1759, in childbed.— Xiaat Ii(^,. 231 And can the gentle Muse, Whilst in her once-belov''d abode I stray, and suppliant kneel, an ode To Gratitude refuse ? It. Gamier, my friend, accept this verse, And thou receive, well-naturM Pearce, All I can give of Fame : Let others other subjects sing, Some murd'rous chief, some tyrant king, Humanity 's my theme. III. Whilst arts hke yours, employed by you. Make verse on such a theme your due, To whom indulgent heav'n Its favVite povv'r of doing good. By you so rightly understood, Judiciously has giv'n. IV. Behold, obedient to your povv'r. Consuming fevers rage no more, 232 Nor chilling agues freeze ; The cripple dances, freed from pain, The deaf in raptures hear again, The blind, transported, sees. V. Health, at your call, extends her wing, Each healing plant, each friendly spring, Its various powV discloses ; O'er death's approaches you prevail. See Chloe's cheek, of late so pale, Blooms with returnins; roses. VI. These gifts, my friends, which shine in you, Are rare, yet to some chosen few Heav'n has the same assign'd ; Health waits on Mead's prescription still, And Hawkins' hand, and Ranby's skill, Are blessings to mankind. VII. But hearts like yours are rare indeed, "Which for another's wounds can bleed. 233 Another's grief can feel ; The lover's fear, the parent's groan, Your natures catch, and make your own. And share the pains you heal. VIII. But why to them, Hygeia, why Dost thou thy cordial drop deny Who but for others live ; Oh, goddess, hear my prayV, and grant That these that health may never want, Which they to others give. HOR. LIB. I. ODE XXX.— Venus ! Regina, Cnida Paphosq. ^c. PARAPHRASED BY SIR CHARLES HANBURY WILLIAMS, AS GENERAL CHURCHILL'S* ADDRESS TO VENUS.f (Written in December 1739: Mr. Churchill being just then made Deputy Ranger of St. James'' s Park, under Lokd Weymouth.j O VENUS, joy of men, and gods. Leave for awhile thy blest abodes, • General Charles Churchill, natural son of a Brother of the great Duke of iMarlborough. This Ode was the first production that made Sir C. H. Williams known as a Poet. He had written before many bad verses, particularly an Epistle to i\Ir. G. Lyttleton, beginning with these two wretched lines " Dear George, since now you're at that time of life, '• In which your friends would have you take a wife." [H. Wal^ole.] f Vide — The imitation of " O Venus, Regina." 235 And come and visit my land : - Propitious, on thy vot'ry smile, Quit Paphos, and the Cyprian isle, And reign in my Duck island. Thee, goddess, thee, my pray'rs invoke ; To thee alone my altars smoke; O treat me not with rigor : Thy wanton son bring with thee too. My dying embers he'll renew, And give me back fresh vigor. Bring too the Graces to my arms, Girls that are prodigal of charms. Of every favour lavish : Melting and yielding let them be ; Consider I am sixty-three, And that's too old to ravish. Let florid youth attend thy train ; Much wanted by thy crazy swain ; 236 And dearest Venus prithee, To crown my gifts, and ease my pain, Since Ward has labour'd long in vain Let Mercury come with thee. A LAMENTABLE CASE. SUBMITTED TO THE BATH PHYSICIANS. YE fam'd physicians of this place, Hear Strephon's and poor Chloe's case, Nor think that I am joking ; When she would, he can not comply, When he vvou'd drink, she's not a-dry ; And is not this provoking ? At night, when Strephon comes to rest, Chloe receives him on her breast. With fondly-folding arms : Down, down he hangs his drooping head. Falls fast asleep, and lies as dead. Neglecting all her charms. Reviving when the morn returns, With rising flames young Strephon burns. 238 And then, wou'd fain be doing ; But Chloe, now asleep or sick, Has no great relish for the trick, And sadly balks his wooing. O cruel and disastrous case. When in the critical embrace That only one is burning ! Dear doctors, set this matter right. Give Strephon spirits over night, Or Chloe in the morning. ^9^ A BALLAD: (Written in June 1743 J SOME think Lord Carteret* bears the sway, And rules the kingdom, and the king ; The Lord of Bath does, others say. And others swear 'tis no such thing. That 'tis Lord Wilmington, no doubt. Directs this nation, Caryf boasts ; But in their guesses, they're all out. We're governed by the Lord of Hosts. " Lord Carteret was created Earl of Granville, his person was handsome, open, and engaging; his eloquence rapid and pompous : he was an extensive Scholar, Master of Classic criticism, and modern jjolitics : it is difficult to say, whether he was oftener intoxicated with wine or ambition : in fits of the former he shewed contempt for every body ; in rants of the latter for truth — W. His genius was magnificent and lofty ; his heart without gall or friendship, for he never tried revenge on his enemies, or wished to ser\'e liis friends. — W. f A particular friend and adviser of the Earl of Wil- minglon's. 240 A moment's patience, and I '11 prove The argument I'm now pursuing; Who is there, but the Lord above, That knoweth what this nation's doing. Whether the war goes on with Spain, In which so many Britons fell ; And what our fleets do on the main. The Lord, and only he, can tell. The Lord, and he alone doth know. How taxes will be rais'd this year ; The Lord knows how much 'tis we owe, And the Lord knows, when we shall clear. The Lord knows how our army '11 fare, We're govem'd by the Lord knows who; Our king* is gone, the Lord knows where, And the Lord knows what we shall do. " The King was then abroad at Hanover. ON THE PRINCESS* GOING TO ST. JAMES'S IN FEBRUARY 1741-2. WHEN to each other's fond embrace. The son and father came ; Both parties hk'd tlie thing so muchy That they too did the same^ * The reconciliation between the Royalties is finished, and £.50,000 a year more added to the Heir Apparent'a revenue; he will have money now to tune up Glover^ Thomson, and Dodsley. — "NV. Frederic, Prince of Wales, his chief passion was women ; but like the rest of his race, beauty was not a necessary in- gredient. Miss • • » * whom he had debauched without loving, and who had been debauched without loving him, so well as either Lord Harrington or Lord Hervey, who both pretended to her first favoiu"s, had no other charms than being a maid of honour, who was willing to cease to be so upon the first opportunity. Of his favourites, Lady Archibald Hamilton, had been neither young nor handsome within his memory ; and Lady ^Middlesex was short, plain, and very yellow ; vain, full of Greek and Latin, music, and painting. — W. VOL. I. K 242 Strange miracle ! sure future times Will scarce believe these stories ; Lions may couple now with lambs, When Whigs embrace with Tories. But disappointments very soon Will lessen this affection ; And tho' now party names are dead, They'll have a resurrection. And when the day of judgment comes, To loosen these embraces ; Then some shall go and gnash their teeth, And some to happy places. HORACE, ODE XI. LIB. II. IJIITATED IN ANODE FROM PAUL FOLEY TO NICHOLAS FAZAKERLEY.* Studiis florentem ignobilis oil. — Virg. NEVER, dear Faz, torment thy brain^ With idle fears of France or Spain, * Fazakerley was a tiresome Jacobite lawyer. He dis- tinguished himself by opposing the Marriage clause in the Regency bill ; he supported the Bill for Subsidiary Treaties in the time of peace ; he likewise distinguished himself in opposing the INJarriage bill, 17.53; he headed the Tories at a meeting at the Horns Tavern, respecting the St. Mitchel Election ; Avherein he declared, that that election was not to be decided by its merits, but was a contest for power be- tween the Duke of Newcastle and ]Mr. Fox,— W. R 2 244 Or any thing that's foreign ; What can Bavaria do to us? What Prussia's monarch, or the Russ? Or ev'n Prince Charles of Loraiue ? Let us be cheerful whilst we can, And lengthen out the short-hv'd span, Enjoying ev'ry hour; The moon itself we see decay. Beauty 's the worse for ev'ry day, So is the sweetest flow'r. How oft, dear Faz, have we been told, That Paul and Faz are both grown old. By young and wanton lasses ! Then since our time is now so short, Let us enjoy the only sport Of tossing off our glasses. From White's we'll move th' expensive scene, And steal away to Richmond Green : 24-5 There, free from noise and riot, Polly each morn shall fill our tea, Spread bread and butter, and then we Each night get drunk in quiet. Unless perchance Earl Leicester comes, As noisy as a dozen drums. And makes a horrid pother : Else might we quiet sit and quaff, And gently chat, and gayly laugh At this, and that, and t'other. Bradshaw shall settle what's to pay, Adjust accounts by Algebra : I always order dinner : Bradshaw, tho' solemn, yet is sly, And leers at Poll with roguish eye. To make the girl a sinner. Powell (d'ye hear), let's have the ham. Some chickens, and a chine of lamb ; 24C And what else — let's see — look ye, Bradshaw must have his damn'd bouilli; Bath fattens on his fricassee ; I '11 have my water-suchy. When dinner comes, we'll drink about, (No matter who is in or out) Till wine or sleep o'ertake us ; Each man may nod, or nap, or wink ; And when it is our turn to drink. Our neighbour then shall wake us. Thus let us live in soft retreat. Nor envy nor despise the great ; Submit to pay our taxes ; With peace or war we'll be content, Till eas'd by a good parhament. Till Stanhope's hand relaxes. Never enquire about the Rhine, But fill your glass and drink your wine, 247 Hope things may mend in Flanders. The Dutch we know are good alhes ; So are they all, with subsidies ; And we have choice commanders. Then here's the King ; God bless his grace Tho' neither you nor I have place, He has many a sage adviser ; And yet no treason sure 's in this, Let who will take the pray 'r amiss, God send them all much wiser ! * * This has been attributed to the Earl of Bath, but in the uncertainty of its belonging to Sir Charles, it is inserted here. ORPHEUS AND HECATE, INSCRIBED TO THE PATRONESS OF THE ITALIAN OPERA LADY BIXGLEY. Tantuni Odiis, Irccque dahut- -ilia Sorores Node vocat genitas Met. lib. 4-. WHEN Orpheus, as old poets tell, Carry'd his music down to hell, He fiU'd the shades \\dth joys ; Alecto, and Tisiphone, Megsera, with Brown Hecate, Transported heard his voice. 249 And whilst he led the song divine, The spectres all in chorus join ; Such was grim Pluto's will ! Tantalus quaff 'd a flowing bowl, Sisyphus ceas'd his stone to roll, Ixion's wheel stood still. His person, melody, and lyre Set the infernal queen on fire, Who courted him to stay : But Pluto, to prevent all strife. Ordered the Poet, with his wife, Back to the realms of day. Joyful they speed for upper air ; When, to divide the happy pair, Hecat' contriv'd a spell : Now, now, she cry'd, in rapt'rous tone, His harmony is all ray own 1 I '11 make a heav'n in hell ! 250 For me, and my Tartarean crew, Endless the wanton song renew ! O ever touch the lyre ! But still the bard, in heav'nly lays. Would sing his king's and maker's praise. And kindle martial fire. Enrag'd the triple-headed * dame Howl'd ; in a trice the furies came, Threat'ning a dreadful fate : 'Till Phoebus, with the tuneful Nine, And lovely Graces all combine To shield him from their hate. Thus sav'd from death, he shares the love Of men below, and blest above, • Tuque trkept Hecate Met. Lib. 7. The ancients represented Hecate with three heads, that t)f a horse, a bitch, and a savage ; the second is supposed to be the head used on this occasion. 251 The virtuous, brave, and wise : Whilst every chaste, and pious mind. To vice averse, to good inchnM; Must Hecat's name despise. ^^ LADY DOROTHY BOYLE* ENAMOURED WITH LORD EUSTON. BEHOLD, one moment, Dorothea's fate ! In fortune opulent by lineage great ; In manners gentle, rich in evVy grace, And youth sat blooming in her heav'nly face. By Nature docile, and by Art improv'd, Nay, more, she lov'd, with tenderness she lovM, The faithless Polydore, yet all these charms Could not one night confine him to her arms ; But left in all the hell of love and grief, From death, alone, she hop'd to find relief ; • Dorothy Boyle, eldest daughter of the Earl of Burling- ton, who married the Earl of Euston, son to Charles II., Duke of Grafton. She died without issue, 1742; and he died, mr. ►53 The milder tyrant, death, corrects her fate, Receives her at his ever-open gate ; There dries her tears, and bids her sigh no more. And shuts out hfe, and love and Polydore. SONG IN COMUS. WOULD you taste the noon-tide air. To yon fragrant bower repair ; Where, woven with the Poplar bougli, The Manthng Vine shall shelter you. Down each side a Fountain flows, Tinkling, murmuring, as it goes ; Lightly o'er the mossy ground. Sultry Phoebus scorching round. Around, the languid herds and sheep, Stretch'd on sunny hillocks, sleep ; Whilst on the Hyacinth and Rose, The fair does all aione repose. All alone, yet in her arms. Your breast may beat to Love's alarms ^ Where blest and blessing they shall own. The joys of love are joys alone. SONG. AT St. Osyth's, near the mill, There dwells a lovely lass ; O, had I her good will, How sweetly life would pass. No bold intruding care, Our bliss should e'er annoy ; Her looks can gild despair, And heighten ev'ry joy. Like nature's rural scene. Her artless beauties charm ; Like them with joy serene. Our wishing hearts they warm. Her wit with sweetness crown'd, Steals ev'ry sense away ; The list'ning swains around, Forget the shortening day. 256 Health, Freedom, Wealth, and Ease, Without her tasteless are ; She gives them pow'r to please. And makes them worth our care. Is there, ye powers, a bliss, Reserved for my share ? Indulgent hear my wish. And grant it all in her. END OF VOL. I. Inj-''' 9X^ T. C. 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