CLI.

• The goodly London in her gallant trim,
The Phoenix, daughter of the vanish'd old,
Like a rich bride does to the ocean swim,

And on her shadow rides in floating gold.
CLII.

Her flag aloft fpread ruffling to the wind,

And fanguine ftreamers feem the flood to fire: The weaver, charm'd with what his loom defign'd, Goes on to fea, and knows not to retire.

CLIII.

With roomy decks; her guns of mighty strength, Whofe low-laid mouths each mounting billow laves:

Deep in her draught and warlike in her length,
She feems a fea-wafp flying on the waves.
CLIV

This martial prefent, piously design'd,

The loyal city gave their best-lov'd king:

And with a bounty ample as the wind,

Built, fitted and maintain'd, to aid him bring.
CLV.

By viewing Nature, Nature's hand-maid, Art

Makes mighty things from small beginnings grow:

Thus fishes first to fhipping did impart,

Their tail the rudder, and their head the prow.
CLVI.

Some log, perhaps, upon the waters swam,

And useless drift, which, rudely cut within,

*The Royal London defcribed.

Digreffion concerning shipping and navigation.

And hollow'd, first a floating trough became,
And crofs fome riv'let paffage did begin.
CLVII.

In fhipping fuch as this, the Irish kern,

And untaught Indian, on the ftream did glide: Ere fharp-keel'd boats to ftem the flood did learn, Or fin-like oars did spread from either fide. CLVIII.

Add but a fail, and Saturn fo appear'd,
When, from loft empire, he to exile went,
And with the golden age to Tyber steer'd,
Where coin and first commerce he did invent.
CLIX.

Rude as their fhips, was navigation then;

No useful compass or meridian known;

Coasting, they kept the land within their ken,
And knew no north but when the Pole-ftar fhone.
CLX.

Of all who fince have us'd the open fea,

Than the bold English none more fame have won: * Beyond the year, and out of heav'n's high way, They make difcoveries where they fee no fun.

CLXI.

But, what fo long in vain, and yet unknown,
By poor mankind's benighted wit is fought,

Shall in this age to Britain first be shown,

And hence be to admiring nations taught.

CLXII.

The ebbs of tides, and their mysterious flow,
We, as art's elements, fhall understand,

Extra anni folifque vias.

VIRG.

And as by line upon the ocean go,

Whose path fhall be familiar as the land.

CLXIII.

* Inftructed ships fhall fail to quick commerce, By which remoteft regions are ally'd; Which makes one city of the univerfe;

Where fome may gain, and all may be fupply'd.

CLXIV.

Then we upon our globe's last verge fhall go,
And view the ocean leaning on the sky:
From thence our rolling neighbours we fhall know,
And on the lunar world fecurely pry.

CLXV.

This I foretel, from † your aufpicious care,
Who great in fearch of God and nature grow;
Who beft your wife Creator's praife declare,
Since beft to praise his works, is best to know.
CLXVI.

O truly royal! who behold the law

And rule of beings in your Maker's mind:
And thence, like lembics, rich ideas draw,
To fit the levell'd ufe of human-kind.

CLXVII.

But first the toils of war we must endure,

And from the injurious Dutch redeem the feas.

War makes the valiant of his right fecure,

And gives up fraud to be chaftis'd with eafe.
CLXVIII.

Already were the Belgians on our coaft,

Whose fleet more mighty ev'ry day became

* By a more exact measure of longitude.
Apoftrophe to the Royal Society.

By late fuccefs, which they did falfely boast,

And now, by first appearing, feem'd to claim.
CLXIX.

Defigning, fubtle, diligent, and clofe,

They knew to manage war with wife delay:
Yet all thofe arts their vanity did cross,

And, by their pride, their prudence did betray.
CLXX.

Nor ftaid the English long; but, well fupply'd,
Appear as num'rous as th' infulting foe;
The combat now by courage must be try'd,
And the fuccefs the braver nation fhow.
CLXXI.

There was the Plymouth fquadron now come in,
Which in the Straits laft Winter was abroad;
Which twice on Bifcay's working bay had been,
And on the mid-land fea the French had aw'd.
CLXXII.

Old expert Allen, loyal all along,

Fam'd for his action on the Smyrna fleet:
And Holmes, whofe name fhall live in epic fong,
While mufic numbers, or while verfe has feet.
CLXXIII.

Holmes, the Achates of the Gen'ral's fight;
Who first bewitch'd our eyes with Guinea gold:

As once old Cato in the Romans fight

The tempting fruits of Afric did unfold.

CLXXIV.

With him went Sprag, as bountiful as brave,

Whom his high courage to command had brought; Harman, who did the twice-fir'd Harry fave, And in his burning fhip undaunted fought.

CLXXV.

Young Hollis, on a Muse by Mars begot,

Born Caefar-like, to write and act great deeds:
Impatient to revenge his fatal fhot,

His right-hand doubly to his left fucceeds.
CLXXVI.

Thousands were there in darker fame that dwell,
Whofe deeds fome nobler poem shall adorn:
And, though to me unknown, they, sure, fought well,
Whom Rupert led, and who were British born.
CLXXVII.

Of ev'ry fize an hundred fighting fail:
So vaft the navy now at anchor rides,
That underneath it the prefs'd waters fail,

And, with its weight, it fhoulders off the tides.

CLXXVIII.

Now anchors weigh'd, the feamen fhout fo fhrill,
That heav'n and earth, and the wide ocean rings:
A Breeze from weftward waits their fails to fill,
And refts, in thofe high beds, his downy wings.
CLXXIX.

The wary Dutch this gath'ring ftorm forefaw,
And durit not bide it on the English coaft;
Behind their treach'rous thallows they withdraw,
And there lay fnares to catch the British host :
CLXXX.

So the falfe fpider, when her nets are spread,
Deep ambush'd in her filent den does lie;
And feels, far off, the trembling of her thread,

Whofe filmy cord should bind the struggling fly.