PART OF THE
FOURTEENTH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH PARAPHRASE D.
NOW has th' Almighty Father, feated high
In ambient glories from th' eternal throne
Vouchfaf'd compaffion; and th' afflictive power
Has broke, whofe iron fceptre long had bruis'd
The groaning nations. Now returning Peace,
Dove-ey'd, and rob'd in white, the blissful land
Deigns to re-vifit; whilft beneath her steps
The foil, with civil slaughter oft' manur'd,
Pours forth abundant olives. Their high tops
The cedars wave, exulting o'er thy fall,
Whose steel from the tall monarch of the grove
Sever'd the regal honours, and up tore
The fcions blooming in the parent shade.
When vehicled in flame, thou flow didst pass
Prone through the gates of night, the dreary realms
With loud acclaim receiv'd thee. Tyrants old
(Gigantic forms, with human blood befmear'd)
Rofe from their thrones; for thrones they still poffefs,
Their penance and their guilt: Art thou, they cry,
O emulous of our crimes, here doom'd to reign
Affociate of our woe? Nor com'ft thou girt
With livery'd flaves, or bands of warrior-knights,
Which erft before thee ftood, a flattering crowd,
Obfervant of thy brow; nor hireling quires
Attempering to the harp their warbled airs,
Thy panegyric chaunt; but, hush'd in death,
Like us thou ly'ft unwept; a corse obscene
With duft, and preying worms, bare and defpoil'd
Of ill-got pomp. We hail thee our compeer!
How art thou with diminish'd glory fall'n
From thy proud zenith, swift as meteors glide
Aflope a fummer-eve! Of all the stars
Titled the firft and faireft, thou didst hope
To share divinity, or haply more,
Elated as fupreme when o'er the North
Thy bloody banners ftream'd, to rightful kings
Portending ruinous downfal; wondrous low,
Opprobrious and detefted art thou thrown,
Difrob'd of all thy fplendors: round thee stand
The fwarming populace, and with fix'd regard
Eyeing thee pale and breathlefs, spend their rage
In taunting speech, and jovial ask their friends,
Is this The Mighty, whofe imperious.yoke
We bore reluctant, who to defert wilds
And haunts of favages transform'd the marts,
And capital cities raz'd, pronouncing thrall
Or exile on the peerage? How becalm'd
The tyrant lies, whofe noftrils us'd to breathe
Tempefts of wrath, and shook establish'd thrones!
In folemn state the bones of pious kings,
Gather'd to their great fires, are fafe repos'd
Beneath the weeping vault: but thou, a branch
Blafted and curs'd by heaven, to dogs and fowls
Art doom'd a banquet; mingling fome remains
With criminals unabfolv'd; on all thy race
Tranfmitting guilt and vengeance. From thy domes
Thy children fkulk erroneous and forlorn,
Fearing perdition, and for mercy fue
With eyes uplift, and tearful. From thy feed
The fceptre heaven resumes, by thee ufurp'd
By guile and force, and sway'd with lawless rage.
THE Gaul, intent on univerfal sway,
Sees his own fubjects with constraint obey;
And they who most his rifing beams ador'd,
Weep in their chains, and wifh another lord.
But, if the Muse not uninspir'd prefage,
Juftice fhall triumph o'er oppreffive rage:
His power fhall be reclaim'd to rightful laws,
And all, like Savoy, fhal! defert his cause.
So when to distant vales an eagle steers,
His fiercenefs not difarm'd by length of years;
From his ftretch'd wing he fees the feathers fly,
Which bore him to his empire of the sky.
Unlike, great Queen, thy fteps to deathless fame; O beft, O greatest of thy royal name!
Thy Britons, fam'd for arts, in battle brave,
Have nothing now to cenfure, or to crave:
Ev'n Vice and factious Zeal are held in awe,
Thy court a temple, and thy life a law.
When edg'd with terrors, by thy vengeful hand
The sword is drawn to gore a guilty land;
Thy mercy cures the wound thy justice gave,
For 'tis thy lov'd prerogative to fave :
And Victory, to grace thy triumph, brings
Palms in her hand, with healing in her wings.
But as mild heaven on Eden's op'ning gems
Beftow'd the balmieft dews, and brightest beams:
So, whilft remoteft climes thy influence share,
Britain's the darling object of thy care :
By thy wife councils, and refiftless might,
Abroad we conquer, and at home unite :
Before thou bid'ft the diftant battles ceafe,
Thy piety cements domestic peace;
Impatient of delay to fix the state,
Thy dove brings olive ere the waves abate.
Hail, happy sister-lands! for ever prove
Rivals alone in loyalty and love;
Kindled from heaven, be your aufpicious flame
As lasting, and as bright, as Anna's fame!
And thou, fair northern nymphs, partake our toil,
With us divide the danger, and the spoil :
When thy brave fons, the friends of Mars avow'd,
In fteel around our Albion ftandards crowd;
What wonders in the war fhall now be fhown
By her, who fingle shock the Gallic throne!
The day draws nigh, in which the warrior-queen
Shall wave her union-croffes o'er the Seine:
Rouz'd with heroic warmth unfelt before,
Her lions with redoubled fury roar;
And urging on to fame, with joy behold
The woody walks in which they rang'd of old.
O Louis, long the terror of thy arms
Has aw'd the continent with dire alarms;
Exulting in thy pride, with hope to fee
Empires and states derive their power from thee;
From Britain's equal hand the fcale to wreft,
And reign without a rival o'er the west:
But now the laurels, by thy rapine torn
From Belgiam groves, in early triumphs borne;'
Wither'd and leaflefs in thy winter stand,
Expos'd a prey to every hoftile hand:
By ftrange extremes of destiny decreed
To flourish, and to fall with equal speed.
So the young gourd, around the prophet's head
With fwift encrease her fragrant honours fpread ;
Beneath the growing shade fecure he fate,
To fee the towers of Ninus bow to fate:
But, curs'd by heaven, the greens began to fade, And, fickening, fudden as they rofe, decay'd.
UPID refign'd to Sylvia's care
His bow, and quiver stor❜d with darts ; Commiffioning the matchlefs fair,
To fill his fhrine with bleeding hearts.
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