Classic Poem

Whate'er distinguish'd patriots rise
The times and manners to revise,
And drooping merit raise,
The Song of Triumph still persues
Their footsteps, and the moral Muse
Dwells sweetly on their praise

It is a task of true delight
The ways of goodness to recite
And all her works refin'd;
Tho' modest greatness under-rate
Its lustre, 'tis as fix'd as fate,
Says Truth, with music join'd.

All hail to this auspicious morn,
When we, for gallant W ARKWORTH born,
Our gratulations pay:
Tho' Virtue all the live-long year
Refuse her eulogy to hear,
She must attend to-day.

All hail to that transcendent FAIR,
That crown'd thy wishes with an heir
And bless'd her native land:
Still shoots thy undegen'rate line,
Like oak from oak, and pine from pine,
As goodly and as grand.

Well therefore might thy grateful heart
Its just munificence impart
For women in their throes;
And ope'd an hospitable door
To skreen the children of the poor
From all their wonted woes.

O form'd the highest rank to grace,
And hold with dignity thy place,
How great soe'er the trust:
No eminence can be so high,
But ease and native majesty
Their conduct will adjust.

O free and open of access,
As well the grievance to redress,
As honour to decree:
When tim'rous meekness wou'd be gone
Inviting goodness draws her on,
And bids to make her plea

Thy love of seemliness was great
To beautify the judgment-seat,
And licence to repel;
“In order and proportion due
Let ev'n the place be just and true,
Where truth and justice dwell.”

Hail, genuine patriotic zeal,
Which stedfast to the common-weal
By loyalty adheres:
Thy vessel wins applause supreme,
As sailing safe from each extreme,
In glorious pomp she steers.

From such an active spirit sprung
W ARKWORTH the lov'd, the gay, the young,
By hostile threats unaw'd,
Presented his victorious hand,
When valiant G RANBY made a stand
For ages to applaud!

'Twas by this noble thirst of fame,
That in his absence he became
Our universal choice,
Asserting with a gen'rous strife,
“Who for his country risks his life
Deserves his country's voice!”

By such a spirit warm'd and sway'd,
Thou hast attain'd for Ireland's aid
The zenith of thy sphere;
Thy deputation is profest
From GEORGE the E MP'ROR of the West ,
Whose title's now so clear.

And may the humble muse presume
To counter-work the mines of Rome,
By what she shall conceive?—
'Tis thine to hear Religion's cries,
From foul and impious blasphemies
Her honour to retrieve.

O how illustrious and divine
Were all the heroes of thy line
'Gainst Rome's ambitious C HEAT !
Born all these base insidious arts,
Which work the most in weakest hearts,
To dare and to defeat!

When arbitrary James, a name
Consign'd to everlasting shame,
Against his charge rebell'd;
To rule the Lord's free sheep disdain'd,
And with a tyrant's grasp profan'd
The sceptre that he held.

The delegate of Rome was sent
Contempt and sorrow to augment
Throughout th' astonish'd realm,
And the great vessel of the state
Had well nigh sunk with all its freight,
While folly kept the helm.

Great S OMERSET , thy house's pride,
With scorn majestic dar'd deride
Th' attempt of rash despair;
And when the Babylonian Whore
Came thund'ring at the palace door
Refus'd her entrance there.

The charge thou art about to take
Shall all those genuine sparks awake
Residing in thy breast;
Each lurking priest thou shalt surprize,
And pluck the mask from black disguise,
Whose sons the land infest.

Those enemies of human peace
The race that hate mankind's increase,
And blood and rapine prize;
Who fill the soul with hellish fears,
Denying Scripture to our ears,
And beauty to our eyes.

Live, then, and triumph o'er deceit,
That with new honours we may greet
The house of A RMS and A RTS ,
Till blest experience shall evince
How fairly you present that Prince,
Who's sovereign of our hearts.

In pity to our sister isle,
With sighs we lend thee for a while;
O be thou soon restor'd—
Tho' S TANHOPE , H ALIFAX were there,
We never had a man to spare
Our love cou'd less afford.