His own infatiate refervoir to fill:

To the lone defart Patriot-Merit frowns,

Or into dungeons Arts, when they, their chains,
Indignant, bursting, for their nobler works..

45

All other Licence fcorn but TRUTH'S and MINE. 4555
Oh fhame to think! shall BRITONS, in the field
Unconquer'd' ftill, the better laurel lofe?

Even in that* Monarch's reign, who vainly dreamt
By giddy power betray'd, and flattering pride,
To grafp unbounded fway; while, fwarming round, 460
His armies dare'd all Europe to the field;

To hostile hands while treasure flow'd profufe,
And, that great fource of treasure, fubjects' blood, i
Inhuman fquander'd, ficken'd every land;

From BRITIAN, chief, while My fuperior fons, 465
In vengeance rushing, dafh'd his idle hopes,
And bad his agonizing heart be low ::

Even then, as in the golden calm of peace,

471

What PUBLIC WORKS, at home, what ARTS arose!
What various SCIENCE fhone! what GENIUS glow'd!
'Tis not for Me to paint, diffufive shot
O'er fair extents of land, the fhining road ;
The flood-compelling arch; the long canal,
Thro' mountains piercing and uniting seas ;

The + dome refounding fweet with infant joy, 475.
From famine fav'd, or cruel-handed shame, i
And that + where Valour counts his noble scars;

The land where focial Pleasure loves to dwell,

Of the fierce Demon, Gothic Duel, freed;
The robber from his fartheft forest chae'd;
The turbid city clear'd, and, by degrees,

* Lewis XIV.

The canal of Languedoc.

The hofpitals for foundlings and invalids.

480

Into fure peace the beft police refin'd,
Magnificence, and grace, and decent joy.
Let Gallic bards record, how honour'd ARTS,
And SCIENCE, by defpotic bounty blefs'd,
At distance flourish'd from MY PARENT-EVE.
Reftoring antient tafte, how BoILEAU rofe.
How the big ROMAN foul shook, in CORNEILLE,
The trembling ftage. In elegant RACINE;

485

How the more powerful, tho' more humble voice 490
Of nature-painting GREECE, refiftlefs, breath'd

495

The whole-awaken'd heart. How MOLIERE's scene,
Chaftis'd and regular, with well-judg'd wit,
Not scatter'd wild, and native humour,.grac❜d,
Was life itself. To public honours rais'd,.
How learning in warm* feminaries spread ;
And more for glory than the small reward,
How emulation ftrove. How their pure tongue
Almost obtain❜d what was deny'd their arms.
From Rome, a while, how PAINTING, courted long,
With POUSSIN came; Ancient Defign, that lifts for
A fairer front, and looks another foul.

How the kind + Art, that, of unvalu'd price,

The fame'd and only picture, eafy, gives,

Refin❜d her touch, and, thro' the shadow'd piece, 505
All the live fpirit of the painter pour'd.

Coyeft of Arts, how Sculpture northward deign'd
A look, and bad her GIRARDON arise..

How lavish grandeur blaz'd; the barren waste,
Astonish'd faw the fudden palace swell,

And fountains pout amid its arid shades.
For leagues, bright vistas opening to the view,

The academies of Sciences, of the Belles Lettres, and of Painting...

t Engraving.

How

How forests in majestic gardens fmile'd.

How menial Arts, by their gay Sifters taught,
Wove the deep flower, the blooming foliage tram'd¿»
In joyous figures o'er the filky lawn,

The palace chear'd, illume'd the story'd wall,
And with the pencil vy'd the glowing loom ..
These laurels, Louis, by the droppings rais'd
Of thy profufion, its dishonour shade,

And green
thro' future times shall bind thy brow ;
While the vain honours of perfidious war
Wither abhor'd, or in oblivion loft.
With what prevailing vigor had they fhot,
And stole a deeper root, by the full tide
Of war-funk millions fed? Superior, ftill,
How had they branch'd luxuriant to the skies,

516

520

1525

In BRITAIN planted, by the potent juice

Of Freedom fwell'd? Forc'd is the bloom of ARTS,

A falfe uncertain spring, when Bounty gives,
Weak without ME, a transitory gleam.
Fair fhine the flippery days, enticing skies

530

Qf favour smile, and courtly breezes blow;

'Till ARTS, betray'd, truft to the flattering air Their tender bloffom: then malignant rise

535

The blights of Envy, of those infect-clouds,.
That, blafting Merit, often cover Courts:

Nay, fhould, perchance, fome kind MAECENAS aid
The doubtful beamings of his PRINCE's foul,
His wav'ring ardor fix, and unconfin'd
Diffuse his warm beneficence around;
Yet death, at laft, and wintry tyrants come,
Each sprig of Genius killing at the root.

549

But when with ME IMPERIAL BOUNTY joins, IA ›› Wide o'er the public blows eternal. fprings!

545

The tapestry of the Gobelins.Id stima“

While mingled autumn every harvest pours
Of every land; whate'er Invention, Art,
Creating Toil and Nature can produce.

Here ceas'd the GODDESS; and HER ardent wings, Dipt in the colours of the heavenly bow,

5.50

Stood waving radiance round, for fudden flight Prepar'd ; when thus, impatient, burft my prayer.'" "Oh forming light of life! Oh better fun! "Sun of mankind! by whom the cloudy North, "Sublim'd, not envies Languedocian fkies, "That, unstain'd aether all, diffusive smile : "When fhall we call these ancient laurels ours ? "And when THY WORK complete 2" Straight with HER hand,

Celestial, red, SHE touch'd my darken'd eyes.
As at the touch of day the fhades diffolve,
So quick, methought, the mifty circle clear'd,
That dims the dawn of being here below ::
The future fhone difclos'd, and, in long view,
Bright rifing aeras inftant rufh'd to light.

555

560

"They come ! GREAT GODDESS! I the TIMES

behold!

"The TIMES our fathers in the bloody field
"Have earn'd fo dear, and, not with less renown,

565

570

"In the warm struggles of the fenate-fight. "The TIMES I fee! whofe glory to supply, "For toiling ages, Commerce round the world "Has wing'd unnumber'd fails, and from each land "Materials heap'd, that, well-employ'd, with ROME "Might vie our Grandeur, and with GREECE our Art. "Lo! PRINCES I behold! contriving ftill, "And still conducting firm fome brave defign; "KINGS! that the narrow joyless circle scorn, ❝ Burst the blockade of false designing men,

575

"Of

1

« Of treacherous smiles, of adulation fell, "And of the blinding clouds around them thrown: "Their court rejoicing millions; Worth, alone, ❝ And Virtue dear to them; their best delight, "In just proportion, to give general joy.; Their jealous care THY KINGDOM to maintain ;; "The public glory theirs; unfparing love

-584

Their endless treasure; and their deeds their praise. "With THEE they work. Nought can resist YOUR force:

Life feels it quickening in her dark retreats: Strong fpread the blooms of Genius, Science, Art; His bafhful bounds disclofing Merit breaks ;' "And, big with fruits of Glory, Virtue blows Expanfive o'er the land. Another race,

590

595

Of GENEROUS YOUTH, of PATRIOT-SIRES, I fee! Not thofe vain infects fluttering in the blaze "Of court and ball and play; those venal fouls, "Corruption's veteran unrelenting bands, "That, to their vices flaves, can ne'er be free. "I fee the FOUNTAINS purg'd! whence life derives A clear or turbid flow; fee the young mind "Not fed impure by chance, by flattery fool'd, "Or by fcholaftic jargon bloated proud, "But fill'd and nourish'd by the light of truth.

6.00

Then, beam'd thro' fancy the refining ray,

And pouring on the heart, the paffions feel

"At once informing light and moving flame;

Till moral, public, graceful action crowns "The whole. Behold! the fair contention glows, "In all that mind or body can adorn, "And form to life. Inftead of barren heads, "Barbarian pedants, wrangling fons of pride, "And truth-perplexing metaphyfic wits,

605

610 " Men,