183.

But with a fore-wind pushing them above, 735 And fwelling tide that heav'd them from below,

O'er the blind flats our warlike fquadrons move, And with spread fails to welcome battle

184.

go.

It feem'd as there the British Neptune ftood, With all his hofts of waters at command, 740 Beneath them to fubmit th'officious flood; And with his trident fhov'd them off the fand.

185.

To the pale foes they fuddenly draw near,
And fummon them to unexpected fight:
They start like murderers when ghosts appear,
And draw their curtains in the dead of
night.

186.

746

Now van to van the foremost squadrons meet *,
The midmoft battles hafting up behind:
Who view far off the ftorm of falling fleet,
And hear their thunder rattling in the

wind.

750

Ver. 742.

with his trident fhov'd them off the fand.] Levat ipfe tridenti, et vaftas aperit fyrtes, &c. Virg.

Original edition.

* Second battle. Original edition.

Ver. 748.
Derrick has, hastning.

hafting up behind:] Original edition. TODD.

187.

At length the adverfe admirals appear; The two bold champions of each country's right:

Their describe the lifts as they come near,

eyes

And draw the lines of death before they fight.

188.

755

The distance judg'd for fhot of every fize,
The linftocks touch, the ponderous ball ex-

pires:

The vigorous feaman every port-hole plies,
And adds his heart to every gun he fires!

189.

Fierce was the fight on the proud Belgians fide, For honour, which they feldom fought be

fore:

760

But now they by their own vain boasts were

ty'd,

And forc'd, at leaft in fhow to prize it more.

190.

But sharp remembrance on the English part, And shame of being match'd by such a foe, Rouze confcious virtue up in every heart,

765

And seeming to be stronger makes them fo.

Ver. 766. And seeming to be stronger makes them so.]

Poffunt, quia poffe videntur. Virg.

Original edition.

191.

Nor long the Belgians could that fleet sustain, Which did two generals' fates, and Cæfar's

bear:

Each several ship a victory did gain,

As Rupert or as Albemarle were there.

192.

770

Their batter'd admiral too foon withdrew, Unthank'd by ours for his unfinish'd fight: But he the minds of his Dutch mafters knew, Who call'd that providence which we call'd flight.

193.

Never did men more joyfully obey,

Or fooner understood the sign to fly :

With fuch alacrity they bore away,

775

As if to praise them all the States ftood by.

194.

O famous leader of the Belgian fleet,

Thy monument infcrib'd fuch praise shall

wear,

As Varro timely flying once did meet,
Because he did not of his Rome defpair.

195.

Behold that navy, which a while before
Provok'd the tardy English to the fight;

Ver. 784.

780

English to the fight;] Orig. ed. This I think must be the poet's own reading; and Derrick's "close to fight," I fuppofe an errour: clofe occurs in the next line.

Todd.

Now draw their beaten veffels clofe to fhore, 785 As larks lie dar'd to fhun the hobbies flight.

196.

Whoe'er would English monuments survey,
In other records may our courage know:
But let them hide the ftory of this day,
Whose fame was blemish'd by too base a foe.

197.

Or if too bufily they will enquire

Into a victory, which we difdain;

Then let them know, the Belgians did retire Before the patron faint of injur'd Spain.

198.

Repenting England this revengeful day
To Philip's manes did an offering bring:

Ver. 794.

791

795

patron faint] St. James, on whofe day this

victory was gained. Orig. ed.

Ibid.

the Belgians did retire

Before the patron fuint of injur'd Spain.

This victory was completed on the twenty-fifth day of July, a day facred to St. James the Great, patron of Spain, which nation our author calls injured, inafmuch as the Hollanders had rebelled against King Philip II. being aided by Queen Elizabeth : and the next stanza refers to this tranfaction, for which the poet fuppofes us now to have atoned. The monarchy mentioned in the 199th ftanza is Spain, with which Queen Elizabeth had been long at variance, when, in our author's opinion, we overlooked the growing power of France and Holland, which merited much DERRICK.

more our attention.

Ver. 795. Repenting England] Repent? What of one of the moft glorious and meritorious actions that Queen Elizabeth was ever engaged in, affifting the oppreffed Hollanders against the execrable tyranny of Philip II. I could wish to forget that our poet ever wrote lines of fuch an abject spirit, and fo unworthy of a true Englishman. Dr. J. WARton. Ver. 796. Philip's manes] Philip the fecond, of Spain, L

VOL. I.

England, which firft, by leading them aftray,
Hatch'd up rebellion to destroy her king.

199.

Our fathers bent their baneful industry,
To check a monarchy that flowly grew;
But did not France or Holland's fate foresee,
Whose rising power to swift dominion flew.

200.

800

804

In fortune's empire blindly thus we go,
And wander after pathless destiny;
Whose dark reforts fince prudence cannot know,
In vain it would provide for what shall be.

201.

But whate'er English to the blefs'd fhall go, And the fourth Harry or first Orange meet; Find him difowning of a Bourbon foe,

And him detefting a Batavian fleet.

202.

810

Now on their coafts our conquering navy rides, Waylays their merchants, and their land be

fets;

Each day new wealth without their care pro

vides ;

They lie afleep with prizes in their nets.

203.

So, close behind fome promontory lie

The huge leviathans to attend their prey;

815

against whom the Hollanders rebelling, were aided by Queen Elizabeth. Orig. ed.

Ver. 815. So, clofe behind] This poem is overloaded with
Dr. J. WARTON.

fimiles.