The various-tinetur'd children of the Sun : "From the prone beam let more delicious fruits 15 “A flavour drink, that in one piercing taste Bids each combine: let Gallic vineyards burst “With floods of joy ; with mild balsamic juice "The Tuscan olive : let Arabia breathe diftil: 20 "Her spicy gales, her vital gums "Turbid with gold, let southern rivers flow, And orient floods draw foft o'er pearls their maze; "Let Afric vaunt her treasures: let Peru "Deep in her bowels her own ruin breed, "The yellow traitor that her blifs betray'd, 25 “Unequall'd bliss !—and to unequall'd rage! "Yet nor the gorgeous Eaft nor golden South, "Nor, in full prime, that new-discover'd world, "Where flames the falling day in wealth and praise, "Shall with Britannia vie, while, Goddess! fhe 30 Derives her praise from Thee, her matchless charms, "Her hearty fruits the hand of Freedom own; "And, warm with culture, her thick-clust❜ring fields Prolific teem. Eternal verdure crowns "Her meads; her gardens smile eternal spring: 35 She gives the hunter-horse, unquell'd by toil, Ardent, to rush into the rapid chase: She, whitening o'er her downs, diffusive, pours Unnumber'd flocks: fhe weaves the fleecy robe "That wraps the nations: fhe to lufty droves "The richest pasture spreads; and her's, deep-wave 40 50 "Autumnal feas of pleafing plenty round. "These her delights; and by no baneful herb, "No darting tiger, no grim lion's glare, "No fierce-defcending wolf, no ferpent roll'd 45 "In spires immense progreffive o'er the land "Disturb'd. Enlivening these, add cities full "Of wealth, of trade, of cheerful toiling crowds; "Add thriving towns; add villages and farms, "Innumerous fow'd along the lively vale, "Where bold unrival'd peasants happy dwell: "Add ancient feats, with venerable oaks "Embofom'd high, while kindred floods below "Wind thro' the mead; and thofe of modern hand, "More pompous, add, that splendid shine afar. 55 "Need I her limpid lakes, her rivers, name, "Where swarm the finny race! Thee,chief, OThames! "On whofe each tide, glad with returning fails, "Flows in the mingled harvest of mankind? "And thee, thou Severn! whose prodigious fwell, 60 "And waves, refounding, imitate the main? "Why need I name her deep capacious ports, "That point around the world? And why her feas? "All ocean is her own, and every land "To whom her ruling thunder ocean bears. 65 "She, too, the mineral feeds: the obedient lead, "The warlike iron, nor the peaceful lefs, Forming of life art-civiliz'd the bond; "And that the Tyrian merchant sought of old*, * Tin. "Not dreaming then of Britain's brighter fame, 70 "She rears to Freedom an undaunted race; "Compatriot zealous, hofpitable, kind, "Her's the warm Cambrian: her's the lofty Scot, "To hardship tam'd, active in arts and arms, "Fir'd with a restless an impatient flame, 75 80 "That leads him raptur'd where Ambition calls: "And English Merit her's, where meet, combin'd, "Whate'er high fancy, found judicious thought, "An ample generous heart, undrooping foul, "And firm tenacious valour, can bestow. "Great nurse of fruits, of flocks, of commerce, fhe! "Great nurse of men; By Thee, O Goddess! taught, "Her old renown I trace, difclofe her fource "Of wealth, of grandeur, and to Britons fing "A ftrain the Mufes never touch'd before." 85 "But how shall this Thy mighty Kingdom stand? "On what uny cilding bafe? how finish'd shine?" At this her eye, collecting all its fire, Beam'd more than human; and her awful voice Majeftic thus fhe rais'd.-" To Britons bear "This closing strain, and with intenfer note "Loud let it found in their awaken'd ear." 95 They prone at laft to total ruin rush, 100 105 110 While the determin'd voice and heart are fold? Rapine, and Guile, and Violence, break loofe, Everting life, and turning love to gall! Man hates the face of man, and Indian woods 115 By those three virtues be the frame fuftain'd 129 Of British Freedom; Independent Life; Integrity in Office; and, o'er all Supreme, A Paffion for the Common-weal. Hail, Independence ! hail! Heaven's next beft gift, To that of life and an immortal foul ! 125 131 The life of life! that to the banquet high 135 That can rejoice, Contentment, furest friend, These cheer his rural, and fuftain or fire, When into action call'd, his busy hours. 145 His clear affairs, and from debauching fiends That felf-enjoyment springing from within, That Independence, active or retir'd, Which make the foundest blifs of man below; 150 |