Of science and of arts; friend to the muse,
Of every grateful muse the favourite theme.

Hail, sov'reign lady, dearest dread! accept
E'en now this homage of th' officious muse,
That on the verge extreme of Albion's cliff
With gratulation thy first steps prevents,
Though mean, yet ardent; and salutes thine ear
With kindred accents in Teutonic lays.

JOSEPH SPENCE, M.A.

REGIUS PROfessor of MODERN HISTORY.

FROM THE

"GRATULATIO OXONIENSIS OB GEORGIUM FREDERICUM AUGUSTUM, WALLIE PRINCIPEM, NATUM." 1762.

HAIL to the sacred day, that gives an heir
To Britain's throne, and opes th' extended view
Of glories yet remote ! th' auspicious day,
Now crown'd with recent honours, nor before
To Britons unendear'd, that saw matured.
In full event great Nassau's glorious plan;
Religion, freedom, on the solid base

Of law erected; and th' important charge
Consigned to Brunswick's chosen race; a line
Of patriot kings, ordain'd to guard secure
The rich deposit, and to latest times
Inviolate the blessing to convey.

Thrice happy Britain! by th' encircling sea
Divided from the world; in arts, in arms,
Pre-eminent: but far above the rest

In the high privilege of legal sway

Distinguished; where the civil powers triform,
Of various aim, in union meet combined,
Each tempering each in just degree, hold on

Their steady course, and tend to one fix'd point,
The general good. As in this mundane frame,
Adjusted by th' All-wise Arch-builder's hand,
Each rolling sphere, wand'ring in regular maze,
Prime, or attendant; every part, each grain,
Each atom, with due poise, and moment due,
Adds his conspiring influence, and attracts,
Attracted; while the great superior orb,
All-cheering fount of light, himself obeys
The general impulse: he from his high state
With undiminish'd majesty descends,
Revolving round the common central goal,
With solemn pace, and joins the mystic dance.
O fairest form of well-built polity,
By ancient sages sought in vain, unknown
To foreign climes, Britain's peculiar boast!
O justly dear to all thy sons; of all
Regardful! safe in thy protection rests
The lowly cot; nor less the regal throne

Stands firm by thee, and owns thy guardian care.

By thee secure, the sceptre of the main,

From sire to son transmitted, shall descend

Through Brunswick's line; nor know the frequent change,
And sad vicissitude, that still attends

Tyrannic rule unblest. There dark distrust,
Pale jealousy, and fear, with haggard look,
For ever dwell while lurking fraud her snares
Spreads through the guarded dome; and close cabal,
Shunning day's dreaded eye, o’er danger broods.
See, where immured in cheerless state unseen,
Sits the proud eastern despot; feared of all,
Himself most insecure: no kindred near,
No friend as his own soul; from all the joys
Of social life sequestered; a dark void
Surrounds the desert throne, distain'd with blood
Of brethren, rivals deem'd; congenial blood,
Dire offspring, at suspicion's horrid shrine
Pour'd out, the tyrant's guardian deity.

Preposterous, who in frantic fear destroys
His best supports, and with blind confidence
Against his own bare bosom arms his slaves '!

*

But learn, ye Britons, with observance due, With holy estimation, and deep awe,

Your country, your religion, to revere,

Your laws, your liberty; ye princes, learn,
That not the vain acquist of boundless sway,
Too big for man to wield, for angel's grasp
Too big; but fair equality of rule,

But power obedient to the rein of law,
To reason, justice, faith, true greatness gives,
Gives true authority to kings. Here fix
The butt of your ambition; hither aim
Your whole intent. Be this your majesty,

Your strength; in this your safety stands; in this,
Your happiness, your virtue, and your praise.

JOSEPH SPENCE, M.A.

REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY.

AN

ODE TO THE PEOPLE OF GREAT BRITAIN.

IN IMITATION OF THE SIXTH ODE OF THE

THIRD BOOK OF HORACE.

I.

BRITON! the thunder of the wrath divine,

Due to thy fathers' crimes, and long withheld from thine,

1 An animated episode on the recent events in Russia was here expunged by the authorities appointed to revise the collection.

Shall burst with tenfold rage on thy devoted head;
Unless with conscious terror awed,

By meek heart-struck repentance led,

Suppliant thou fall before th' offended God;

If haply yet thou may'st avert his ire,

And stay his arm outstretch'd to launch th' avenging fire.

II.

Did not high God of old ordain,

When to thy grasp he gave the sceptre of the main,

That empire in this favour'd land,

Fix'd on religion's solid base should stand?
When from thy struggling neck he broke
Th' inglorious, galling, papal yoke;
Humbled the pride of haughty Spain,
And freed thee by a woman-hero's hand;
He then confirmed the strong decree:
"Briton, be virtuous and be free;

Be truth, be sanctity thy guide;

Be humble fear thy God, and fear thou none beside.”

III.

Oft has th' offended Power his rising anger shown:

Led on by his avenging hand,

Rebellion triumphs in the land;

Twice have her barbarous sons our war-train'd hosts o'er

thrown.

They fell a cheap inglorious prey;

Th' ambitious victor's boast was half suppress'd,

While heaven-bred fear and wild dismay

Unmann'd the warrior's heart, and reign'd in every breast.

IV.

Her arms to foreign lands Britannia bore;

Her arms auspicious now no more!

With frequent conquests where the sires were crown'd,

The sons ill-fated fell, and bit the hostile ground:

The tame war-trading Belgian fled,

While in his cause the Briton bled:

The Gaul stood wond'ring at his own success;
Oft did his hardiest bands their wonted fears confess:
Struck with dismay, and meditating flight,

While the brave foe still urged th' unequal fight,
While WILLIAM, with his father's ardour fired,
Through all th' undaunted host the generous flame inspired.

V.

But heavier far the weight of shame,

That sunk Britannia's naval fame :

In vain she spreads her once victorious sails;
Or fear, or rashness, in her chiefs prevails;
And wildly these prevent, those basely shun the fight.
Content with humble praise, the foe

Avoids the long-impending blow,

Improves the kind escape, and triumphs in his flight.

VI.

The monstrous age, which still increasing years debase, Which teems with unknown crimes, and genders new dis

grace,

First, unrestrain❜d by honour, faith, or shame,

Confounding every sacred name,

The hallowed nuptial bed with lawless lust profaned:

Derived from this polluted source,

The dire corruption held its course

Through the whole cankered race, and tainted all the land.

VII.

The rip'ning maid is versed in ev'ry dang❜rous art,
That ill adorns the form, while it corrupts the heart:
Practised to dress, to dance, to play,

In wanton mask to lead the way,

To move the pliant limbs, to roll the luring eye;
With folly's gayest partisans to vie,