Collin, for Song renown'd o'er all the Plain,
Sung not in fofter Notes his am'rous Pain;
Sure he, when Death untun'd his artful Breath,
To Damon did his Pipe and Skill bequeath.

CORYDON.

O that th' indulgent God of Verfe wou'd grant
This Boon to Me, his earneft Supplicant,
That my low Soul he wou'd vouchsafe t'inspire
With Damon's Portion of celeftial Fire;

Then fhou'd my bolder Mufe no longer brook
The flow'ry Meads, and humble Shepherd's Crook;
A loftier Flight her daring Wing fhou'd try,
And with the Eagle mount the vaulted Sky;
Then, Orpheus-like, fo fweetly wou'd I mourn
By cruel Fate Favonia from us torn,
(Favonia! lov'd by all, by all deplor'd,
With ev'ry Grace adorn'd, and Virtue ftor'd,)
That ev'n th' infernal fullen Pow'rs, who wield
Death's rigid Scepter, to my Plaints fhou'd yield;
Tho' hard as Adamant their Bofoms are,
Unmov'd, and deaf to ev'ry Vulgar Pray'r,
The melting Force of my perfuafive Lays
Such Pity in their flinty Breasts fhou'd raise,
That they their Captive fhou'd again restore,
And waft her back to the forfaken Shore;
My lafting Numbers fhou'd from Death retrieve
The Nymph; in them the fhou'd for ever live.

PRO

PROLOGUE

ΤΟ

JULIUS CESA R.

Spoken at St. Paul's School, Jan. 27, 1712

Hou'd Shakespear's Ghost return again to Light,
And fee us play his Cafar here To-night,
How wou'd He fmile to view our mimick Rage,
And little Heroes ftrut along the Stage?

To fee in Miniature his lofty Scenes

Acted by beardless Statesmen in their Teens?

Yet our green Age may justly plead our Cause,
Procure our Pardon, if not gain Applaufe.
In Great and Worthy Things, th' Attempt alone
May claim fome Portion of deferv'd Renown.
The Thirst of Fame, the very Love of Praise,
A Noble Generous Turn of Soul betrays:.
'Tis this the panting Hero's Mind excites
To Tasks of Glory, and his Toil requites.
'Twas Loye of Fame, that Cafar's Bofom fir'd
With active Valour, and his Breast inspir'd
O'er the whole Globe t'extend the Roman Sway,
And make the diftant Poles their Laws obey.

Impell'd by This, what dauntlefs Souls-can dare,
Let matchlefs Marlb'rough's mighty Deeds declare ;
Great Marlborough! in whofe accomplish'd Mind
All Cafar, but his Vices, we may find;
Who, in a juster Cause, and not his Own,
Has Cafar's Conduct and his Courage shown.

Yet

Yet not to Thirft of Fame alone we owe
Heroic Actions, but to Beauty too:
Oft' your Refiftlefs Charms, ye fhining Fair,
In worthy Deeds may juftly claim a Share;
Love oft' the noble Martial Flame inspires,
And at your Eyes the Hero's Bofom fires,
Who for your Smiles does Honour's Paths pursue,
And conquers Nations, but to conquer you.

EPIGRA

DEliver'd in a dull and lifeless Strain,

The best Discourses no Attention gain;

For if the Orator feems half afleep,
He'll scarce his Auditors from Snoring keep.

M.

To a LADY, offering to tell the

:

Author his Fortune.

LOE, You well my future Fate may fnow,

CL

Which, whether good or bad, from you must flow. With needlefs Care you search the Stars and Skies; No Stars can influence Me, but thofe bright Eyes. The Gods, that govern by Supreme Decree, In their own Minds may all Events foresee.

On

On Arithmetic and Geometry.

AIL heav'nly Pair! by whofe confpiring Aid
The beauteous Fabrick of the World was made!

Led on by You, audacious Men forget

The narrow Bounds by envious Nature fet;
To yon' bright Mansions foar with happy Flight,
Survey the Starry Realms, and range thro' Worlds of
Light!

EPIGRAM.

Occafion'd by reading an infipid Satyr against Sir Richard Steele, Intitled, Inftructions to a Painter. Written ex tempore, in the Year 1713.

Ainter, one Figure more, at My Request, Let on the living Canvas be expreft; There let an Afs a Satyr's Vifard wear, Confpicuous by uncommon Length of Ear, Whilft on the Ground a feeble Lion feels The Coward Fury of his fpurning Heels.

Written under an O AK..

HAIL, friendly Plant! beneath the Shade
By whofe wide-fpreading Branches made,
Extended on the Grafs along,
I meditate my careless Song,

Provok'd

Provok'd by Birds that tune their Lays,
And Winds that whisper in thy Sprays.
When I furvey thy stately Head,
And aged Trunk with Mofs o'erfpread,
Diviner Thoughts enrich my Brain,
And lift me to a loftier Strain;
Thus Mona's Bards receiv'd of old
The Secrets they the People told,
Whilft whifp'ring Genii of the Air
Infpir'd the Truths, they did declare.
Cou'd I compofe a deathless Song,
Like Thee Majeftick, Lofty, Strong;
To Thee my grateful Mufe fhou'd raife)
Some Trophy worthy of thy Praise;
With fadeless Leaves thy Head fhou'd crown,
And make thee Equal in Renown,
To Royal Charles's Starry Tree,
That twinkles o'er the Southern Sea.
I'd tell how Jove's Imperial Mind
Was pleas'd with thy Majestic Kind;
(Who from the Thunder's blafting Stroke
Does ftill exempt his favour'd Oak ;)
And Oaken Wreaths the Brows did grace
Of Victors in the dusty Race:

But this my Verse in vain wou'd strive;
My Verfe, which cannot Thee furvive.

*The Isle of Anglefey, frequented by the Druids

t Dr. Halley has diftinguish'd one of the Southern Conftellations by the Name of the Robur Carolinum, or Charles's Oak.

TO