B4-1 
 
 Biddolf 
 A Poem on the Earthquake at Lisbon
 
 Esrc 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND
 
 POEM 
 
 O N THE 
 
 EARTHQUAKE 
 
 A T 
 
 L I S B N. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for W. Owen, near lempk-Bar^ ^755- [Price Sixpence.]
 
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 OEM 
 
 ON THE 
 
 EARTHQUAKE 
 
 A T 
 
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 CALM was the Sky, the Sun ferenely bright. 
 Shot o'er the Sea long dazzling Streams of Light. 
 Thro' Orange Groves foft breathing Breezes play'd, 
 And gather'd Sweets like Bees where e'er they ftray'd. 
 In fair Relievo flood the lofty Town, 5 
 
 Set off by radiant Lights and Shadows brown j 
 While ev'ry Dome, each Cupola and Spire, 
 Shone doubly gilt by the Sun's lambent Fire. 
 And where beneath, the Silver Tagtis flow'd. 
 In many a {lately Row tall Veffels rode ; lo 
 
 . So 
 
 QO 
 
 5991
 
 ■{ 4 ) 
 
 So fmooth it ilow'd that all the various View, 
 Reflefted there, was downward feen anew. 
 And as it foftly ftole along the Plain, 
 Carry 'd a floating Landfliip to the Main. 
 
 Within the Town gay Crowds were feen to ftray, 15 
 While full ProcelTions grac'd the feftive Day. 
 Mechanicks by their honeft Labour fed, 
 With chearful Vifage earn'd their daily Bread ; 
 Mifers were counting o'er their ill-got Store, 
 But not contented meditating more. 20 
 
 Spendthrifts were juft awak'd from Golden Dreams; 
 Projedlors were inventing Lottery Schemes j 
 Merchants Were ftoring Goods from hidia brought ; 
 Clients were felling Lands which Lawyers bought. 
 Behold a Youth, and fitting by his Side, 25 
 
 A Damfel new-betroth'd, his deftin'd Bride ; 
 Around them throngs a Train of Virgins gay. 
 Preparing Garments for the Marriage-day. 
 Alas ! — And now rings out the Matin Bell, 
 The pious Matron iffuing from her Cell, 30 
 
 Infpir'd by true Devotion joins the Crowd, 
 And aw'd with Reverence feeks the Houfe of God j 
 There humbly proftrate kneels upon the Ground — 
 Happy the Few that watching fo are found! 
 
 iLL-fated City ! there were Revels kept, 35 
 
 Devoid of Fear, they eat, they drank, theyfleep'd. 
 No friendly Voice like that of antient Rojne, 
 Was fent to give them Warning of their Doom : 
 No Airy Warriours to each other clung. 
 Such as 'tis faid o'er deftin'd Sion hung ; 40 
 
 But like a nightly Thief their dreadful Fate, 
 Unlook'd for came and undcrmin'd their State. 
 
 For
 
 ( s ) 
 
 F*OR with a fudden Shock the folid Ground, 
 In dreadful Waves came rolling all around j 
 Not thofe rough Seas beneath the frozen Pole, 45 
 
 Impell'd by Winds, more furious Billows roll. 
 Earth's Womb was heard to groan with hollow Roar, 
 The Dwellings trembled — but Men trembled more. 
 Aghafl they reel like Drunkards here and there, 
 And all diftradted fly they know not where. 50 
 
 DeflrrucTdon drives them from their dear Abodes, 
 And where their Safety was, fell Ruin nodds. 
 Hufbands are here feen prefling thro' the Throng, 
 Nor know they drag their clinging Wives along. 
 Coy Virgins of their Lover^ once afraid, S$ 
 
 Now hang on Strangers Necks and court their Aid. 
 And there a ghaflly Group of Women fee ! 
 A Pidure of the Ghofts they foon muft be, » 
 
 Wringing their Hands, fad folemn Silence keep. 
 While Infants wonder why their Mothers weep. 60 
 
 And now a Moment's Paufe, Fate's Heralds lend, 
 A dreadful Paufe like that when Time fliall end. 
 
 { 
 Lo what a fudden Change ! On Ruin's Brink, 
 
 The Proud turn humble, and the Thoughtlefs think. 65 
 
 Dark gloomy Sadnefs overclouds the Gay, 
 
 And Hypocrites for once fincerely pray. 
 
 In their own proper Shapes now Crimes appear, 
 
 For Danger touching like Ithun'el's Spear, 
 
 Does by its Power the fatal Magic end ; 70 
 
 Down falls the Vizor, and upftarts the Fiend ! 
 
 Atheifts no longer can themfelves deceive, 
 
 And now too late they tremble and believe. 
 
 But the good Man looks boldly on his Fate, 
 
 Alone unfhaken in afhaking State. 75 
 
 B Again
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 Again the Storm with double Fury rolls, 
 And from the dreadful Deeps the Tempeft howls. 
 With thicker Throws now groans the lab'ring Earth, 
 The fure Fore-runners of the fatal Birth. 80 
 
 The City loofen'd with repeated Shocks, 
 Now to and fro from her Foundations rocks. 
 Amaz'd, confounded, of all Senfe bereft. 
 The fliipwreck'd Souls behold their Veffels cleft. 
 Down from on high the fliatter'd Tacklings rufh, 85 
 
 And big with rattling Ruin Thoufands crufh. 
 There gapes the vaft Abyfs with hideous Roar, 
 And in its Entrails fwallows Thoufands more. 
 Where fliould they run for Help ? the gufliing Tide 
 Breaks in above, below, on every Side : 90 
 
 From Danger unto Danger they retreat, 
 And while they fliun one Death, another meet.. 
 
 So Mariners, Charybdis Rock to fhun. 
 Have into Syllds Whirlpools headlong run. 
 But they between thofe Rocks and Pools might fteer ; 95 
 
 Ten Thoufand Rocks and Whirlpools threaten here. 
 
 For thofe that 'fcap'd the Caverns gaping wide. 
 In endlefs Night the falling Ruins hide ; 
 And thofe the Ruins had denied a Tomb, 
 The Fires on Funeral Piles alive confume. 160 
 
 Lo ! where the Gulphs wide yawning round the Town, 
 In fwifteil: Eddies drink the River down. 
 With it the Navy down impetuous flies. 
 And to the Centre a new Palfage tries. 
 
 Horror and Defolation cou'd no more ! 
 And now that once fair Town with all her Store, 105 
 
 And
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 And ev'ry Soul that hall'd the rifing Day, 
 Heaving in Death Hke one vaft Body lay. 
 
 The Fires, that glimm'ring ftill with pale'y Red, 
 Like Burial TaperSj nodded o'er the Dead, no 
 
 Performing the laft Office, as they wave, 
 Add Dufl and Afhes to the gen'ral Grave, 
 
 Lo ! the good King from out the ruin'd Heaps, 
 By Providence divine, like Lot, efcapes ; 115 
 
 But Lot's Command, while yet the City burn'd. 
 The weeping King had difobey'd and turn'd : 
 There in Salt Tears congeal'd, he fix'd had flaid, 
 And, like the Woman, a new Pillar made : 
 Forbid his dear Eurydice to view, 
 Like Orpheus he had look'd and perifli'd too. 120 
 
 Viewing the dreadful Havock, fore he griev'd. 
 And his fad Heart within his Bofom heav'd : 
 Tow'rs, Houfes, Palaces, all funk to Ground, 
 Ev'n God's own Fanes in the dry Deluge drown'd ! 
 Like Noah plac'd on Ararat he flood, 125 
 
 -And wail'd Mankind, while round him roU'd the Flood. 
 But yet refign'd to that all pow'rful Sway, 
 That kills and fives, that gives and takes away, 
 Like 'Job he griev'd, like "Job he kifs'd the Rod, 
 And own'd the Juflice of his angry God. 130 
 
 Slowly retiring thus with mournful Eye, 
 Anchifes Son beheld his burning Tiroy : 
 By their own horrid Light while Temples ftione, 
 When Dv/ellings, Friends, and Treafures all were gone,. 
 The pious Prince refign'd, the Lofs endures, 135 
 
 And fafe within his Breall his Gods fecures. 
 
 From
 
 (■ s ) 
 
 From every Port there Merchants flock'd for Wealth, 
 Poor pining Patients thither flew for Health : 
 In vain the Lungs decay'd their Tone refume ; 
 In vain the Cheek regains it's faded Bloom. 140 
 
 Of vi'hat Avail are now thofe wholefome Skies ? 
 For what its Air reftor'd, its Earth deftroys ; 
 And thofe whom for another Fate prepar'd, 
 The fliort Catarrh and wheezing Afthma fpar'd : 
 Like fatted Viftims dreft with Garlands gay, 145 
 
 The general Confumption fweeps away. 
 
 But let It not be thought, their horrid Deeds 
 Had puU'd this dreadful Judgment on their Heads ; 
 Or that for Crimes too horrible to tell. 
 
 Like guilty Sodom Thunderftruck they fell ; i jo 
 
 Or like prefumptaous Datha?! : Other Climes 
 Afford as frequent and as flagrant Crimes. 
 But when o'er all Degeneracy prevails, 
 And on the Minds grown callous Precept fails ; 
 Where only the leail: vicious are the beft, i^j; 
 
 Some mufl: be made Examples to the refl:. 
 
 The Chance was their's but why to them 'twas giv'n. 
 
 Remains among the Myfl:eries of Heav'n ; 
 
 Which hides its Secrets from our erring Senfe ; 
 
 For Chance on Earth in Heav'n is Providence. 160 
 
 As when to fome Frontier by flow Blockade, 
 And filent Sap, a fure Approach is made. 
 If flcilful Miners can their Chamber fet. 
 Under fome Ravelin, Horn-work, or Lunette, 
 The fl:arting Pile a loud Explofion tears, 165 
 
 And all aloof the fhatter'd Fragments bears ; 
 Stones, Arms, and blafted Guards together fly. 
 And fcatter'd round in one great Ruin lie : 
 
 While
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 While thofe who neighbouring Baftions maintain, 
 
 With Grief behold their Fellow-Soldiers flain ; \jo 
 
 Confcious of equal Guilt, none e'er prefum'd 
 
 To think for greater Crimes they firft were doom'd ; 
 
 But thankful that fo long themfelves are fpar'd, 
 
 With double Vigilance they fland prepar'd, 
 
 So may the World For now by dreadful Bands, 175 
 
 Lo the wide Univerfe inverted ftands ! 
 
 Winds, Flames, and Sulphur in her Bowels lurk. 
 
 And in her hidden Chambers fecret work. 
 
 In this great Siege the Crown-works and Lunettes 
 
 Are fpacious Provinces and wealthy States ; 1 80 
 
 Mountains her Curtains, Seas her Ditches are, 
 
 And mighty Kingdoms are the Baftions there : 
 
 And lo ! where fprings the Mine ! the Mine of Fate ! 
 
 And in wide rufiiing Ruins whelms a State ! 
 
 Let none here deem this bold poetic Strain, 185 
 
 A wild unreal Fidion of the Brain. 
 Who can with curious Eye this Globe furvey. 
 And not behold it tott'ring with Decay ; 
 All Things created God's Defigns fulfill, 
 And nat'ral Caufes work his deftin'd Will. 190 
 
 And that eternal Word which cannot lie. 
 To Mortals hath reveal'd in Prophecy, 
 That in thefe latter Days fuch Signs fliould come, 
 Preludes and Prologues to the gen'ral Doom. 
 But not the Son of Man can tell that Day ; 195 
 
 Then, left it find you fleeping, watch and pray ! 
 
 Ye filent Tenants of the dreary Deep, 
 Whom rocking Nature luU'd to your laft Sleep, 
 
 C And
 
 ( lO ) 
 
 And all the while rung out your paffing Bell, 
 
 Amidfl: the Ruins, tolling as it fell. 200 
 
 Ye who from Earth fo haftily withdrew, 
 
 That in your Deaths ye found your Burials too. 
 
 Whom yet your Friends attended to your Grave, 
 
 While flaming Piles inftead of Torches wave. 
 
 Dark Caves your State inftead of fable Rooms. 205 
 
 And nodding Tow'rs inftead of nodding Plumes. — 
 
 Yet fliall the Mufes drefs with Flowers your Bier, 
 And o'er your Grave a Monument (hall rear. 
 Bearing the mournful Tale to after Age. 
 Lo where in AEtnas Womb the Grecian Sage, 2.10 
 
 Plunging a voluntary Death endures, 
 And feeks a Fate to find a Fame like yours ; 
 But more than AEtnas Flames your Relids burn, 
 Your Pile's a Continent, a Realm your Urn. 
 And fee, a weeping World in folemn State, 2 1 5 
 
 Sad, filent foUov/ing mourns your haplefs Fate ! 
 
 Now the too deeply plough'd and furrow'd Earth 
 No. Harveft yields, but feels a fudden Dearth j 
 Like Canaan blafted finks beneath her Woes, 
 And now no more with Milk and Honey flows. 220 
 
 When lo, Britannia ftretching forth her Hand, 
 With kind Supply relieves the famifh'd Land. 
 Long may the facred Gold-thofe Temples bind, 
 Where Pharaoh's Power is us'd with Joji'ph's Mind 1 
 His Brethren their great Preferver blefs, 225 
 
 (To good Minds all are Brethren in Dlftrefs) 
 And while they feaft upon the welcome Gains, 
 Li each Man's Sack the Price untouch'd remains. 
 
 Oh
 
 { " ) 
 
 Oh Ground and Source of ev'ry focial Tye ! 
 Soft foothing Balm of Grief, and Soul of Joy ! 230 
 
 Fair Chanty, thou Bond 'twixt Great and Small, 
 Bright univerfal Medium joining all ! 
 Strong Chain that ties the Cottage to the Throne, 
 Still rifing till it links the Three in One ; 
 By thee, while yet on Earth thy Foot remains, 235 
 
 Afcending Angels mount the ^therial Plains.. 
 By thee infpir'd our good Samaritan, 
 (Great in the Monarch, greater in the Man ! 
 A helplefs People robb'd and bleeding found, 
 Pour'd out thy facred Oil, and heal'd their Wound. 240 
 
 And when, on op'ning of the Sixth great Seal, 
 With her lafl Earthquake this round World fhall reel. 
 The Sun fhall lofe his Fires in endlefs Night, 
 And the Moon turn'd to Blood glare horrid Light, 
 When Comets dire fliall fweep athwart the Sky, 245 
 
 And Stars like Leaves before the Tempefl flyj 
 When fervent Heat the Elements fhall burn. 
 And like a Furnace Earth to Aflies tin-n, 
 And all the Heavens in that dreadful Day, 
 
 Like to a Scroll roU'd up (hall pafs away 250 
 
 When the Seventh Angel his lafc Trump fliall found, 
 
 And thofe whom God hath feal'd in Myriad'% Round, 
 
 Shall raife to Heav'n the univerfal Song, 
 
 And Bninjivick 'mong the foremofl of the Throng, 
 
 In Garments white array'd fliall bend the Knee, 255 
 
 And bow before the Throne Then Charity, 
 
 Thou in his heav'nly Crov/n a Place fhall bear, 
 And fparkle in the Front the brightefl Jewel there. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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