SE A-PIECE:

CONTAINING

I. THE BRITISH SAILOR'S EXULTATION.

II. HIS PRAYER BEFORE ENGAGEMENT.

THE DEDICATIO N.

M R.

M

то

VOLTAIRE.

I.

Y Muse, a bird of paffage, flies
From frozen climes to milder skies;
From chilling blafts fhe feeks thy chearing beam,
A beam of favour, here deny'd;
Confcious of faults, her blushing pride
Hopes an asylum in fo great a name.

II.

* To dive full deep in antient days,
The warrior's ardent deeds to raise,
And monarchs aggrandize ;—the glory, Thine;
Thine is the drama, how renown'd!
Thine, Epic's loftier trump to found ;—

But let Arion's fea-ftrung harp be Mine :

III.

But where 's his dolphin? Know'st thou, where?--May that be found in Thee, Voltaire! Save thou from harm my plunge into the wave: How will thy name illustrious raise

My finking fong! Mere mortal lays,

So patroniz'd, are rescued from the grave.

IV. "Tell

* Annals of the Emperor Charles XII. Lewis XIV.

IV.

Tell me, fay't thou, who courts my smile? "What stranger stray'd from yonder isle !”No ftranger, Sir! though born in foreign climes On Dorfet downs, when Milton's page, With Sin and Death, provok'd thy rage,

Thy rage provok'd, who footh'd with gentle rhymes?

V.

Who kindly couch'd thy cenfure's eye,
And gave thee clearly to descry

Sound judgment giving law to fancy strong?
Who half inclin'd thee to confefs,

Nor could thy modefty do lefs,

That Milton's blindness lay not in his fong?

VI.

But fuch debates long fince are flown;
For ever fet the funs that shone

On airy pastimes, ere our brows were grey :
How fhortly shall we Both forget,

To thee my patron I my debt,
And thou to thine for Pruffia's golden key.

VII.

The prefent, in oblivion caft,

Full 100n fhall fleep, as fleeps the past; Full foon the wide diftinction die between The frowns and favours of the great; High-flush'd fuccefs, and pale defeat; The Gallic gaiety, and British spleen,

15

VIII Ye

VIII.

Ye wing'd, ye rapid moments! stay Oh friend! as deaf as rapid, they ; Life's little drama done, the curtain falls!Doft thou not hear it? I can hear,

Though nothing strikes the listening ear; Time groans his laft! Etérnal loudly calls!

IX.

Nor calls in vain; the call inspires
Far other counfels and defires,

Than once prevail'd; we stand on higher ground;
What scenes we fee !-Exalted aim!

With ardours new, our fpirits flame;
Ambition bleft! with more than laurels crown'd.