While Summer loves to sport,

Beneath thy ling'ring light:

While fallow Autumn fills thy lap with leaves; Or Winter yelling thro' the troublous air, Affrights thy fhrinking train,

And rudely rends thy robes; So long, fure-found beneath thy fylvan fhed, Shall Fancy, Friendship, Science, rose-lip'd Health, Thy gentleft influence own, And hymn thy fav'rite name!

G

WRITTEN BY MR. MASON, OF CAMBRIGE, 1748.

AR from her hallow'd grot, where mildly bright

FA

The pointed crystals shot their trembling light, From dripping mofs where sparkling dew-drops fell, Where coral glow'd, where twin'd the wreathed shell, Pale ISIS lay; a willow's lowly fhade

Spread it's thin foliage o'er the penfive maid;
Clos'd was her eye, and from her heaving breast
In carelefs folds loofe flow'd her zoneless vest ;
While down her neck her vagrant treffes flow,
In all the awful negligence of woe;
Her urn fuftain'd her arm, that sculptur'd vase
Where Vulcan's art had lavish'd all it's grace;
Here, full with life, was heav'n-taught Science feen,
Known by the laurel wreath, and mufing mein:
There cloud-crown'd Fame, here Peace fedate and
bland,

Swell'd the loud trump, and wav'd the olive wand;

While folemn domes, arch'd shades, and vistas green, At well-mark'd distance close the sacred scene.

On this the Goddness cast an anxious look, Then dropt a tender tear, and thus she spoke : Yes, I could once with pleas'd attention trace The mimic charms of this prophetic vase; Then lift my head, and with enraptur'd eyes View on yon plain the real glories rise. Yes, ISIS! oft hast thou rejoic'd to lead Thy liquid treasures o'er yon fav'rite mead ; Oft haft thou ftopt thy pearly car to gaze, While ev'ry Science nurs'd it's growing bays; While ev'ry Youth with fame's strong impulfe fir'd, Preft to the goal, and at the goal untir'd, Snatch'd each celestial wreath, to bind his brow, The Muses, Graces, Virtues could bestow.

E'en now fond Fancy leads th' ideal train, And ranks her troops on Mem'ry's ample plain; See! the firm leaders of my patriot line,

See! SIDNEY, RALEIGH, HAMDEN, SOMERS, fhine. See нOUGH fuperior to a tyrant's doom

Smile at the menace of the flave of Rome,

Each foul whom truth could fire, or virtue move,
Each breast, ftrong panting with it's country's love,
All that to Albion gave the heart or head,
That wifely councell'd, or that bravely bled,
All, all appear; on me they grateful smile,
The well-earn'd prize of every virtuous toil

To me with filial reverence they bring,

And hang fresh trophies o'er my honour'd spring.
Ah! I remember well yon beachen spray,
There ADDISON firft tun'd his polish'd lay;
'Twas there great CATO's form first met his eye,
In all the pomp of free-born majesty ;

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My fon, he cry'd, obferve this mein with awe, "In folemn lines the strong resemblance draw; "The piercing notes shall strike each British ear; "Each British eye fhall drop the patriot tear! "And rous'd to glory by the nervous strain, "Each Youth fhall spurn at flav'ry's abject reign, "Shall guard with CATO's zeal Britannia's laws, "And speak, and act, and bleed, in freedom's cause.” The Hero fpoke; the Bard affenting bow'd The lay to liberty and CATO flow'd; While Echo, as she rov'd the vale along, Join'd the ftrong cadence of his Roman fong.

;

But ah! how Stillness slept upon the ground, How mute Attention check'd each rising found Scarce ftole a breeze to wave the leafy fpray, Scarce trill'd fweet Philomel her softest lay, When LOCKE walk'd mufing forth; e'en now I view Majestic Wisdom thron'd upon his brow, View Candour fmile upon his modeft cheek, And from his eye all Judgment's radiance break. "Twas here the fage his manly zeal exprest, Here ftript vain Falfhood of her gaudy veft;

Here Truth's collected beams firft fill'd his mind, E'er long to burst in bleffings on mankind;

E'er long to fhow to reason's purged eye,

That" NATURE'S FIRST BEST GIFT WAS LIBERTY."
Proud of this wond'rous son, fublime I ftood,
(While louder furges fwell'd my rapid flood)
Then vain as Niobe, exulting cry'd,

Iliffus! roll thy fam'd Athenian tide;

Tho' Plato's steps oft mark'd thy neighb'ring glade.
Tho' fair Lyceum lent it's awful shade,
Tho' ev'ry Academic green imprest

It's image full on thy reflecting breast,

Yet my pure stream shall boast as proud a name,
And Britain's ISIS flow with Attic fame.

Alas! how chang'd! where now that Attic boaft?
See! Gothic Licence rage o'er all my coaft;
See! Hydra Faction spread it's impious reign,
Poison each breast, and madden ev'ry brain:
Hence frontless crowds, that not content to fright
The blushing Cynthia from her throne of night,
Blaft the fair face of day; and madly bold,
To Freedom's foes infernal orgies hold ;
To Freedom's foes, ah! fee the goblet crown'd,
Hear plaufive fhouts to Freedom's foes refound;
The horrid notes my refluent waters daunt,
The Echoes groan, the Dryads quit their haunt;
Learning, that once to all diffus'd her beam,
Now sheds, by stealth, a partial private gleam,