Classic Poem

IN IMITATION OF

THE FOURTH ECLOGUE OF VIRGIL.

S ICILIAN Muse, begin a lostier flight;
Not all in trees and lowly shrubs delight:
Or if your rural shades you still pursue,
Make your shades fit for able stateman's view.

The time is come, by ancient Bards foretold;
Restoring the Saturnian age of gold;
The vile, degenerate, whiggish offspring ends,
A high-church progeny from heaven descends.
O learned Oxford, spare no sacred pains
To nurse the glorious breed, now thy own Bromley
And thou, great Scarsdale, darling of this land,
Dost foremost in that fam'd commission stand;
Whose deep remarks the listening world admires,
By whose auspicious care old Ranelagh expires.
Your mighty genius no strict rules can bind;
You punish men for crimes, which you want time to find.
Senates shall now like holy synods be,
And holy synods senate-like agree.
Monmouth and Moyston here instruct the youth,
There Binks and Kimberley maintain the sacred truth.
Powis and Hamlin here, with equal claim,
Through wide West-Saxon realms extend their fame;
There Birch and Hooper right divine convey,
Nor treat their bishops in a human way.
Now all our factions, all our fears shall cease,
And Tories rule the promis'd land in peace.
Malice shall die, and noxious poisons fail,
Harley shall cease to trick, and Seynour cease to rail:
The lambs shall with the lions walk unhurt,
And Halifax and Howe meet civilly at court.
Viceroys, like Providence, with distant care,
Shall govern kingdoms where they ne'er appear:
Pacific admirals, to save the fleet,
Shall fly from conquest, and shall conquest meet:
Commanders shall be prais'd at William's cost,
And honour be retriev'd before 'tis lost.
Brereton and Barnaby the court shall grace,
And Howe shall not disdain to share a place.
Forgotten Molyneux and Mason now
Revive and shine again in Fox and Howe.
But as they stronger grow, and mend their strain,
By choice examples of King Charles's reign:
Bold Bellasis and Patriot D'Avenant then,
One shall employ the sword, and one the pen;
Troops shall be led to plunder, not to fight,
The tool of faction shall to peace invite,
And foes to union be employ'd the kingdoms to unite.
Yet still some whigs among the peers are found,
Like brambles flourishing in barren ground.
Somers maliciously employs his care
To make the lords the legislature share.
Burnet declares how French dragooning rose,
And bishops persecuting bills oppose:
Till Rochester's cool temper shall be fir'd,
And North's and Nottingham's strong reasonings be admir'd.
But when due time their councils shall mature,
And fresh removes have made the game secure;
When Somerset and Devonshire give place,
To Wyndham's Bradford, and to Richmond's grace,
Both converts great; when justice is refin'd,
And corporations garbled to their mind;
Then passive doctrines shall with glory rise,
Before them hated moderation flies,
And Anti-christian toleration dies.
Granville shall cease the long expected chair,
Go dolphin to some country seat repair;
Pembroke from all employments be debarr'd,
And Marlborough, for ancient crimes, receive his just reward.
France, that this happy change so widely has begun,
Shall bless the great design, and bid it smoothly run.
Come on young James's friends, this is the time, come on;
Receive just honours, and surround the throne.
Boldly your loyal principles maintain,
Hedges now rules the state, and Rooke the main.
Grimes is at hand the members to reward,
And troops are trusted to your own Gerhard.
The faithful club assembles at the Vine,
And French intrigues are broach'd o'er English wine.
Freely the senate the design proclaims,
Affronting William, and applauding James.
Good ancient members, with a solemn face,
Propose that safety give to order place;
And what they dare not openly dissuade,
Is by expedients ineffectual made.
E'en Finch and Mulgrave, whom the court caress,
Exalt its praises, but its power depress;
And, that impartial justice may be seen,
Confirm to friends what they refus'd the queen.
Bishops, who most advanc'd good James's cause
In church and state, now reap deserv'd applause:
While those who rather made the Tower their choice,
Are styl'd unchristian by the nation's voice.
Avow'dly now St. David's cause they own,
And James's votes for simony atone.
Archbishop Kenn shall from Long-Leat be drawn,
While firm nonjurors from behind stand crowding for the lawn.
And thou, great Weymouth, to reward thy charge,
Shalt sail to Lambeth in his grace's barge.
See by base rebels James the Just betray'd,
See his three realms by vile usurpers sway'd;
Then see with joy his lawful heir restor'd,
And erring nations own their injur'd lord.
O would kind heaven so long my life maintain,
Inspiring raptures worthy such a reign!
Not Thracian Saint John should with me contend,
Nor my sweet lays harmonious Hammond's mend;
Not though young D'Avenant, St. John should protect
Or the shrewd Doctor, Hammond's lines correct,
Nay, should Tredenham in Saint Mawes compare his songs to mine,
Tredenham, though Saint Mawes were judge, his laurel should resign.
Prepare, auspicious youth, thy friends to meet;
Sir George already has prepar'd the fleet.
Should rival Neptune (who with envious mind
In times of danger still this chief confin'd)
Now send the gout, the hero to disgrace,
Honest George Churchill may supply his place.