L

485

The turbid city clear'd, and, by degrees,
Into sure peace the best Police refin'd,
Magnificence, and grace, and decent joy.
Let Gallic bards record how honour'd Arts
And Science, by despotic bounty bless'd,
At distance flourish'd from My parent-eye;
Restoring ancient taste how Boileau rofe;
How the big Roman foul shook, in Corneille,
The trembling stage; in elegant Racine,
How the more powerfultho' more humble voice 490
Of Nature-painting Greece resistless breath'd
The whole-awaken'd heart; how Moliere's scene,
Chaftis'd and regular, with well-judg'd wit,
Not scatter'd wild, and native humour, grac'd,
Was life itself; to public honours rais'd,
How learning in warm feminaries * spread;
And, more for glory than the small reward,
How Emulation strove; how their pure tongue
Almost obtain'd what was deny'd their arms;
From Rome, a while, how Painting, courted long, 500
With Pouffin came; ancient Design, that lifts

495

1

A fairer front, and looks another foul;

How the kind Art + that, of unvalu'd price,

The fam'd and only picture easy gives,

Refin'd her touch, and thro' the shadowed piece, 505
All the lived fpirit of the painter pour'd;

* The academies of Sciences, of the Belles Lettres, and of Painting. † Engraving.

510

Coyest of arts, how Sculpture northward deign'd
A look, and bade her Girardon arife;
How lavish Grandeur blaz'd the barren waste,
Aftonish'd, saw the fudden palace swell,
And fountains spout amid its arid shades;
For leagues, bright vistas opening to the view,
How forests in majestic gardens smil'd;
How menial Arts, by their gay fisters taught,
Wove the deep flower, the blooming foliage train'd
In joyous figures o'er the silky lawn,

The palace cheer'd, illum'd the story'd wall,
And with the pencil vy'd the glowing loom **.

516

These laurels, Louis! by the droppings rais'd Of thy profusion, its dishonour fhade, And green thro future times shall bind thy brow, While the vain honours of perfidious war Wither abhorr'd, or in oblivion loft, With what prevailing vigour had they fhot, And stole a deeper root, by the full tide Of war-funk millions fed? Superior still, How had they branch'd luxuriant to the skies,

520

525

In Britain planted, by the potent juice
Of Freedom swell'd? Forc'd is the bloom of Arts,
A falfe uncertain spring when Bounty gives,

530

Weak without Me, a transitory gleam.

Fair shine the flippery days, enticing skies

Of favour fmile, and courtly breezes blow,

The tapestry of the Gobelins,

Till Arts, betray'd, trust to the flattering air
Their tender blossom; then malignant rife
The blights of Envy, of those insect-clouds
That, blasting merit, often cover courts :
Nay, should, perchance, some kind Mæcenas aid
The doubtful beamings of his prince's foul,

535

His wav'ring ardour fix, and unconfin'd

540

Diffuse his warm beneficence around;

Yet death, at last, and wintry tyrants, come,

Each sprig of genius killing at the root:

But when with Me imperial Bounty joins,
Wide o'er the Public blows eternal spring,
While mingled autumn every harvest pours
Of every land; whate'er Invention, Art,
Creating Toil, and Nature, can produce.

545

Γ

550

Here ceas'd the goddess, and her ardent wings, Dipt in the colours of the heavenly bow, Stood waving radiance round, for sudden flight Prepar'd, when thus, impatient, burst my prayer: "Oh! forming Light of life! Oh! better Sun! " Sun of mankind! by whom the cloudy North, "Sublim'd, not envies Languedocian skies, "That, unstain'd ether all, diffufive fmile, "When shall we call these ancient laurels ours? "And when Thy work complete?" Straight with her Celestial red, she touch'd my darken'd eyes: [hand, As at the touch of day the shades dissolve, So quick, methought, the misty circle clear'd,

555

56.

That dims the dawn of being here below;
The future shone disclos'd, and, in long view,
Bright rifing eras instant rush'd to light.

"They come! great Goddess! I the times behold, "The times our fathers, in the bloody field, 566 "Have earn'd fo dear, and, not with less renown, " In the warm struggles of the Senate-fight: "The times I fee! whose glory to fupply, "For toiling ages, Commerce round the world 570 " Has wing'd unnumber'd fails, and from each land " Materials heap'd that, well employed, with Rome "Might vie our grandeur, and with Greece our art. "Lo! princes I behold, contriving ftill, " And still conducting firm some brave design; 575 "Kings! that the narrow joyless circle scorn, "Burst the blockade of false designing men, "Of treacherous smiles, of adulation fell, "And of the blinding clouds around them thrown, "Their court rejoicing millions; worth alone, 580 " And virtue, dear to them; their best delight, "In just proportion to give general joy; "Their jealous care Thy kingdom to maintain; "The public glory theirs; unsparing love "Their endless treasure; and, their deeds their praise, "With Thee they work. Nought can refift Your force; " Life feels it quickening in her dark retreats; "Strong spared the blooms of Genius, Science, Art; "His bashful bonds difclofing Merit breaks; Volume II.

N

584

595

"And, big with fruits of glory, Virtue blows 590 "Expanfive o'er the land. Another race "Of Generous Youth, of Patriot Sires, I fee! "Not those vain insects fluttering in the blaze "Of court, and ball, and play; those venal souls, " Corruption's veteran unrelenting bands, "That, to their vices flaves, can ne'er be free. " I fee the fountain's purg'd, whence life derives "A clear or turbid flow; see the young mind "Not fed impure by Chance, by Flattery fool'd, "Or by Scholastic Jargon bloated proud, "But fill'd and nourish'd by the light of Truth: "Then, beam'd thro' fancy the refining ray, "And pouring on the heart, the passions feel "At once informing light and moving flame; "Till moral, public, graceful action, crowns 605 "The whole. Behold! the fair contention glows, In all that mind or body can adorn,

600

And form to life. Instead of barren heads, " Barbarian pedants, wrangling fons of pride, "And truth-perplexing metaphyfic wits, 610 "Men, Patriots, Chiefs, and Citizens, are form'd. "Lo! Justice, like the liberal light of Heaven, "Unpurchas'd shines on all, and from her beam, Appalling guilt, retire the savage crew

" That prowl amid the darkness they themselves 615 "Have thrown around the laws. Oppreffiongrieves; "See how her Legal Furies bite the lip,