How each brave breast with honest ardours heav'd,
When SHELDON's fane the patriot`band receiv'd ;
While, as we loudly hail'd the chofen few,
Rome's awful fenate rufh'd upon our view!
O may the day in latest annals shine,
That made a BEAUFORT, and an HARLEY mine:
That bade them leave the loftier fcene awhile,
The pomp of guiltlefs ftate, the patriot toil,
For bleeding Albion's aid the fage defign,
To hold fhort dalliance with the tuneful Nine.
Then Mufic left her golden fphere on high,
And bore each strain of triumph from the sky;
Swell'd the loud fong, and to my chiefs around,
Pour'd the full Peans of mellifluous found.
My Naiads blythe the floating accents caught,
And lift'ning danc'd beneath their pearly grot:
In gentler eddies play'd my wanton wave,
And all my reeds their fofteft whispers gave;
Each lay with brighter green adorn'd my bow'rs,
And breath'd a fresher fragrance on my flow'rs.
But lo! at once the fwelling concerts cease,
And crouded theatres are hush'd in peace.
See, on yon fage how all attentive stand,
To catch his darting eye, and waving hand.
Hark! he begins, with all a TULLY's art
To pour the dictates of a CATO's heart.
Skill'd to pronounce what nobleft thoughts inspire,
He blends the speaker's with the patriot's fire;
Bold to conceive, nor timorous to conceal,
What Britons dare to think, he dares to tell.
"Tis his alike the ear and eye to charm,
To win with action, and with fense to warm;
Untaught in flow'ry diction to dispense
The lulling founds of sweet impertinence;
In frowns or smiles he gains an equal prize,
Nor meanly fears to fall, nor creeps to rife;
Bids happier days to ALBION be restor'd,
Bids ancient Juftice rear her radiant fword;
From me, as from country wins applause,
And makes an OXFORD's a BRITANNIA's caufe.
While arms like thefe my fteadfast fages wield,
While mine is Truth's impenetrable shield;
Say, fhall the PUNY CHAMPION fondly dare
To wage, with force like this, fcholaftic war?
Still vainly fcribble on with pert pretence,
With all the rage of pedant impotence?
Say, fhall I fofter this domeftic pest,
This parricide that wounds a mother's breaft?
Thus in the stately fhip, that long has bore
Britain's victorious crofs from fhore to fhore,
By chance, beneath her clofe fequefter'd cells,
Some low-born worm, a lurking mischief dwells;
Eats his blind way, and faps with secret toil
The deep foundations of the watry pile.
In vain the forreft lent it's ftatelieft pride,
Rear'd her tall mast, and fram'd her knotty fide,
In vain the thunder's martial rage fhe ftood,
With each fierce conflict of the ftormy flood;
More fure the reptile's little arts devour,
Than waves, or wars, or Eurus' wintry pow'r.
Ye venerable bow'rs, ye feats fublime,
Clad in the moffy veft of fleeting time;
Ye ftately piles of old munificence,
At once the pride of Learning and defence,
Where ancient Piety, a matron hoar,
Still feems to keep the hofpitable door :
Ye cloisters pale, that length'ning to the fight,
Still step by step to mufings mild invite ;
Ye high-arch'd walks where oft the bard has caught
The glowing fentiment, the lofty thought;
Ye temples dim, where pious duty pays
Her holy hymns of ever-echoing praise;
Lo! your lov'd ISIS, from the bord❜ring vale,
With all a mother's fondness bids you hail!
Hail, OXFORD, hail! of all that's good and great,
Of all that's fair, the guardian and the feat
Nurse of each brave purfuit, each generous aim,
By Truth exalted to the throne of fame!
Like Greece in Science and in liberty,
As Athens learn'd, as Lacedæmon free!
Ev'n now,
confefs'd to my adoring eyes,
In awful ranks thy facred fons arife;
With ev'ry various flow'r their temples wreath'd,
That in thy gardens green its fragrance breath'd.
Tuning to knightly tale his British reeds,
Thy crowding bards immortal CHAUCER leads:
His hoary head o'erlooks the gazing choir,
And beams on all around celeftial fire:
With graceful step fee ADDISON advance,
The sweetest child of Attic Elegance :
To all, but his belov'd embrace deny'd,
See LOCKE leads reafon, his majestic bride:
See facred HAMMOND, as he treads the field,
With godlike arm uprears his heav'nly shield.
All who, beneath the fhades of gentle peace,
Beft plan'd the labours of domeftic ease;
Who taught with truth, or with perfuafion mov'd;
Who footh'd with numbers, or with fenfe improv'd;
Who told the pow'rs of reafon, or refin'd,
All, all that strengthen'd or adorn'd the mind;
Each priest of health who mix'd the balmy bowl,
To rear frail man, and stay the fleeting foul;
All crowd around, and echoing to the sky,
Hail, OXFORD, hail! with filial transport cry.
And fee
yon folemn band! with virtuous aim,
"Twas theirs in thought the glorious deed to frame:
With pious plans each mufing feature glows,
And well-weigh'd counfels mark their meaning brows:
"Lo! thefe the leaders of thy patriot line,"
HAMDEN, and HOOKER, HYDE, and SIDNEY fhine.
Thefe from thy fource the fires of freedom caught:
How well thy fons by their example taught !
While in each breast th' hereditary flame
Still blazes, unextinguifh'd and the fame!
Nor all the toils of thoughtful peace engage,
"Tis thine to form the hero as the fage.
I fee the fable-fuited prince advance
With lillies crown'd, the spoils of bleeding France,
EDWARD -----the Muses in yon hallow'd shade
Bound on his tender thigh the martial blade :
Bade him the steel for British freedom draw,
And OXFORD taught the deeds that CRESSY faw.
And fee, great father of the laureat band,
The *
BRITISH KING before me feems to ftand.
He by my plenty-crowned fcenes beguil'd,
And genial influence of my seafons mild,
Hither of yore (forlorn, forgotten maid)
The Mufe in pratling infancy convey'd ;
From Gothic rage the helpless virgin bore,
And fix'd her cradle on my friendly shore:
Soon grew the maid beneath his foft'ring hand,
Soon pour'd her bleffings o'er th' enlighten'd land.
'Tho' rude the † dome, and humble the retreat,
Where firft his pious care ordain'd her seat,
Lo! now on high fhe dwells in Attic bow'rs,
And proudly lifts to heav'n her hundred tow'rs.
* Alfred. Regis Romani. V. Virg. Æn. 6.
+ Aurea nunc, olim fylveftribus horrida dumis.
|