To cafe my Limbs opprefs'd and faint with heat, Greedy of reft, impatient for retreat. There will I lie, and wait thy airy flight, Rife at thy Call, and spread again my fight. But 'tis in vain I beg a space for ease, Not fo the Mufe, whom I invoke, decrees. Grown paffive I to her Impreffions bend, Walk a few steps, and then my Eyes defcend Upon a Vito, whofe unlook'd-for fight Strikes me with fuch amazement of delight, That I no longer my Complaints purfue, But find new Vigour from the healing View. So for a while an absent Friend we mourn, And beg of Heav'n to haften his return. But fhould fome lovely Dame invade our Eyes, Whose Aspect fills us with a fweet Surprize, No more we feel the Torments of our Grier, But from each charming View we gain relief.
Here my transported Eye, thro even Rows Of Trees, which Mountains fhelter and inclofe, Meets with fo diftant and fo fair a fight, So much variety of true Delight,
That I'm concern'd, left doubting which to chufé My.dazled Eyes amidst the heap fhould lofe Part of the beauteous ftore. Aflift me then Here, my companion Muse, and teach my Pen To fet in order what my fight commands, And praise each worthy Object as it stands. First then my careful Eye reviewing down, Salutes the Chappel of the Neighb'ring Town; Here the bright Dames that dwell about the place, (And Greenwich boasts of fome,whose beavenly Grace Commands remembrance) daily come to pay Thanks for thofe Bledlings which their Charms dif- Humble in all their Beauty may concern, (play; But proud to those who for that Beauty burn:
Not imitating Heaven, that was fo kind To grace their Bodies, and inrich their Mind. Elfe would Aurelia match the purest Flame, That ever touch'd a Heart, or found a Name. Aurelia, in whom sparkles every Grace, Juno in Mein, and Venus in her Face.
Aurelia, whom the Groves and Walks reherse, The Ornament and Grandeur of my Verfe. But O! the fame both Groves and Walks repeat, That Thyrfis lies ftill dying at her Feet.
Next the fair River offers to my view A rifing Grove of Ships, that gently flow In with the Tide, whofe fhaded Waters seem To be no part of the incircling Stream: Which might be ta'en for Land, as here it fhows, But for the Motion which the Ships disclose. Tall Sons of Oak, that on the Waves aspire To lift themselves above their lofty Sire That grew at Land, and by the help of Sails, Waiting for Seasons, and for profp'rous Gales, Spread the wide Ocean o'er, and for our use Bring home the Riches that all Climes produce : Whilft the whole World with fear & wonder meets Our Flags, and pays low homage to our Fleets; Which still with all their Pride my Eyes can trace, Winding the River to falute that Place Which claims their just Obedience, and gives To them that Succour it from them receives. Here London fwelling, doth it felf present So stately, and with fuch a huge extent, That my fix'd Eye, with admiration fill'd, Dwells on a View, that fuch a Scene doth yield Of lofty Monuments, that rise fso high, As if they would again the Heavens defy, And make the Earth contiguous with the Sky. Among the reft, contending for the Height, Two the most eminent engage my Sight:
Both with such state, and fuch a tow'ring rife, As if they scorn'd the reach of humane Eyes; But fwell'd with emulation would aspire To be confum'd in Elemental Fire. As Rival Statesmen, fcorning to abide An Equal, often fink beneath their Pride. In a more humble, yet a fweet Afcent, The City's Fortress doth it felf present Full in my Eye, and with an easier Face (In all its compass Strength unites with Grace) Diverts the horror of the former fight, Rais'd by the Rival Spire's amazing height. From hence our numerous Armies are fupply'd With all their Stores, here William can provide For greater Forces, nor would yet the Place Appear exhaufted, but difclofe a face Of vast surrounding War, to fhew our store By him made endless, as our Ille fecure. Here are the Regal Enfigns kept with care, In folemn state, amidst the Pomp of War. An Emblem of our Monarch's lofty Name, Who has fo much surpass'd all Kings in Fame, In Fields of Battel, and at home in Peace, Born to Triumph, and make Disorder cease. Nor does this famous Tower alone difclofe Peculiar Wonders of our own, but shows Variety of Creatures hither brought By curious Men from Countries far remote, As Presents fit for Kings, who here maintain The Captive Beafts, fuch as the Lybian Plain, And Defarts of wild Africk once obey'd
As Lords of all their Waft, and barb'rous Shade. Till Men by Stratagem their Power controul'd, And dar'd to feize them in their strongest Hold. Now my unfteddy Eye removing flys O'er all the lofty Buildings, and espies
Beyond their wide Extent a fpacious Hill, Whose gentle rife, and fruitful fides reveal A beauteous Profpect, and whofe tow'ring height Looks o'er the stately Town, and bounds my fight. Its lofty Top feems level with the Sky, Affording Wonder, as it gives me Joy : Whilft o'er its wide, extended face is feen Perpetual Bloom, and ever-fpringing Green.
* In allusion to Sir John Denham.
*O could I rife like thee, and make thy Height
The graceful Measure of my Mufe's flight!
Bounded tho wide, tho mild, yet full of state, High without Force, without afpiring Great. Here, Hamfted, I should dwell upon thy Praise, Search all thy Beauties, and delight to gaze Upon thy Face, could but my lab'ring Eyes Preferve their Vigour, and avoid Surprize. But fuch thy Distance is, and fuch thy Grace, That dazled with thy Luftre, and the Space That lies between, my ftrain'd o'er-burden'd fight Is forc'd to lose thy Beauty, and thy Height. But fo furrounded is the lovely Hill,
Whereon I stand, with Perspectives that fill My Eyes with Admiration and Delight, That wherefoe'er I turn, I please my fight With fome new Profpect, fuch Variety, Such mixture of Extremes in all I fee, Of Joy and Wonder, that my ravish'd Eyes Defcry throughout a perfect Paradife.
But that which most delights me, is that pair Of Groves, where all that's pleasant, sweet, or fair In Art or Nature, doth oblige my fight, And where a Maze of Walks might well invite The God of Love to keep his amorous Court, His wanton Revels, and his Midnight Sport.
The Muses too with all their Train might here Indulge their Thoughts apart, nor interfere With other Paftime, but apply their Trade, Tune all their Harps, and court Apollo's Aid. Then in a critical well-chofen Hour,
The God infpiring, ufe his offer'd Power. O happy Groves, that thus may conscious prove Of Heavenly Numbers, and Celestial Love! Here, various Dames we fee, divinely bright, Walk in these Shades, when Time and Air invite. Doom'd to difquiet we their steps pursue, And unprepar'd feel Wounds at every view. But O! Aurelia fhoots the keenest Dart, (Heart. Which not my Senfe alone, but pierces thro my As in the Groves of lofty Cynthus, when
Diana walks with all her fhining Train
To feek fome cool Retreat, each lovely Maid Reflects a thoufand Graces thro the Shade. The Goddess by her Stature, Shape, and Air, Majestically tall, proportion'd, fair, Surpaffes all the reft: fuch here we fee Aurelia, when he leads her Company Within the Groves of this delightful Hill; So doth she shine, fuch Excellence reveal.
O lovely Greenwich, how dost thou furprize Our Souls with Wonder, and with Joy our Eyes! Thy num'rous different Beauties to reherfe Requires the strength of more exalted Verfe. Fain would I trace them, but my stock of Art Is unproportion'd to the willing part. Yet fure 'twere stupid to forget to name The Ranger of thy Park, fo high in Fame. DORSET the Patron, and the Rule of Wit, The Nation's Honour, and the Court's Delight: The Soul of Goodnefs, and the Spring of Senfe, The Poet's Theme, Reward, and Great Defence.
« ElőzőTovább » |