Thofe miracles 'twas needlefs to renew;

The chofen flock has now the promis'd land in view. XV.

A warlike prince afcends the regal state,

A prince, long exercis'd by fate:

Long may he keep, tho' he obtains it late!

Heroes in heaven's peculiar mold are caft;

They, and their poets, are not form'd in hafte :

Man was the first in God's defign, and man was made the last.

Falfe heroes, made by flattery fo,

Heav'n can strike out, like sparkles, at a blow;
But, ere a prince is to perfection brought,
He cofts Omnipotence a second thought.
With toil and fweat,

With hardning cold, and forming heat,
The Cyclops did their strokes repeat,
Before th' impenetrable fhield was wrought.
It looks as if the Maker would not own
The noble work for his,

Before 'twas try'd and found a master-piece.
XVI.

View then a monarch ripen'd for a throne.

Alcides thus his race began,

O'er infancy he swiftly ran;

The future god, at firft, was more than man:
Dangers and toils, and Juno's hate,

Even o'er his cradle lay in wait,

And there he grapled first with fate :

In his young hands the hiffing snakes he prest ;
So early was the deity confeft:

Thus, by degrees, he rose to Jove's imperial feat;
Thus difficulties prove a foul legitimately great.
Like his, our hero's infancy was try'd;
Betimes the Furies did their fnakes provide;
And to his infant arms oppofe

His father's rebels, and his brother's foes;
The more opprest, the higher still he rose :
Thofe were the preludes of his fate,

That form'd his manhood, to fubdue
The Hydra of the many-headed, hiffing crew.

XVII.

As after Numa's peaceful reign,
The martial Ancus did the fcepter wield,
Furbish'd the rusty sword again,
Refum'd the long-forgotten fhield,
And led the Latins to the dufty field:
So James the drowsy Genius wakes
Of Britain, long entranc'd in charms,
Reftiff, and fumb'ring on its arms:

'Tis rous'd, and with a new strong nerve the fpear already fhakes.

No neighing of the warrior steeds,

No drum, or louder trumpet, needs
T' infpire the coward, warm the cold;

His voice, his fole appearance, makes them bold. Gaul and Batavia dread th' impending blow;

Too well the vigour of that arm they know; They lick the dust, and crouch beneath their fatal foe. Long may they fear this awful prince,

And not provoke his lingring fword;

Peace is their only fure defence,

Their beft fecurity his word.

In all the changes of his doubtful state,
His truth, like Heaven's, was kept inviolate:
For him to promife, is to make it fate.

His valour can triumph o'er land and main :
With broken oaths his fame he will not stain,

With conquest basely bought, and with inglorious

gain.

XVIII.

For once, O heav'n, unfold thy adamantine book;
And let his wond'ring fenate fee,

If not thy firm immutable decree,

At least the second page of great contingency;
Such as confifts with wills originally free:
Let them with glad amazement look
On what their happiness may be:
Let them not still be obftinately blind,
Still to divert the good thou haft design'd,
Or with malignant penury

To starve the royal virtues of his mind.
Faith is a Chriftian's, and a fubject's teft;
Oh give them to believe, and they are furely bleft!

They do; and, with a distant view, I fee

Th' amended vows of English loyalty:
And all beyond that object there appears
The long retinue of a profperous reign,
A feries of fuccefsful years,

In orderly array, a martial, manly train.
Behold e'en to remoter fhores

A conquering navy proudly spread;
The British cannon formidably roars,

While, starting from his oozy bed,
Th' afferted Ocean rears his reverend head,

To view and recognize his ancient lord again:
And, with a willing hand, restores
The fafces of the main.

BRITANNIA REDIVIVA:

A POEM on the PRINCE, born on the 10th June 1688.

Ο

UR vows are heard by times, and heav'n takes care

To grant, before we can conclude the pray'r: Preventing angels met it half the way, And fent us back to praife, who came to pray. Just on the day, when the high-mounted fun Did fartheft in its northern progress run, He bended forward, and ev'n stretch'd the sphere Beyond the limits of the lengthen'd year, To view a brighter fun in Britain born; That was the business of his longest morn; The glorious object seen, 'twas time to turn. Departing fpring could only stay to shed Her gloomy beauties on the genial bed, But left the manly fummer in her stead, With timely fruit the longing land to chear, And to fulfil the promise of the year. Betwixt two seasons comes th' aufpicious heir, This age to bloffom, and the next to bear.

* Laft folemn Sabbath faw the church attend,
The Paraclet in fiery pomp defcend;
But when his wondrous † octave roll'd again,
He brought a royal infant in his train.
So great a bleffing to so good a king
None but th' eternal Comforter could bring.
Or did the mighty Trinity confpire,
As once in council to create our fire?
It seems as if they fent the new-born guest
To wait on the proceffion of their feaft;
And on their facred anniverfe decreed

To ftamp their image on the promis'd feed.
Three realms united, and on one bestow'd,
An emblem of their myftic union show'd :
The mighty Trine the triple empire fhar'd,
As every perfon would have one to guard.
Hail fon of pray'rs! by holy violence

Drawn down from heav'n; but long be banish'd thence,
And late to thy paternal skies retire:

To mend our crimes whole ages would require;
To change th' inveterate habit of our fins,
And faith what thy godlike fire begins.
Kind heav'n, to make us Englishmen again,
No less can give us than a patriarch's reign.

The facred cradle to your charge receive,
Yc feraphs, and by turns the guard relieve;
Thy father's angel, and thy father join
To keep poffeffion, and fecure the line;

*Whit-Sunday.
Trinity-Sunday.