The light of life! the fun of human-kind!
Whence heroes, bards, and patriots borrow flame,
Even where the keen depressive North descends,
Still fpread, exalt, and actuate your powers!
While flavish fouthern climates beam in vain. 275
And may a public spirit from the Throne,
Where every virtue fits, go copious forth,
Live o'er the land, the finer arts inspire,
Make thoughtful Science raise his penfive head,
Blow the fresh bay, bid Industry rejoice,
And the rough sons of lowest Labour smile;
As when, profuse of spring, the loosened West
Lifts up the pining year, and balmy breathes
Youth, life, and love, and beauty, o'er the world.

280

But hafte we from these melancholy fhores, 285 Nor to deaf winds and waves our fruitless plaint Pour weak. The country claims our active aid; That let us roam, and where we find a spark Of public virtue, blow it into flame.

Lo! now my fons, the fons of Freedom! meet 290 In awful fenate: thither let us fly,

Burn in the patriot's thought, flow from his tongue In fearless truth, myfelf, transform'd, prefide, And shed the spirit of Britannia round.

295

This said, her fleeting form and airy train Sunk in the gale, and nought but ragged rocks Rufh'd on the broken eye, and nought was heard But the rough cadence of the dashing wave.

A POEM.

IN FIVE PARTS.

TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS,

FREDERICK,

PRINCE OF WALES.

SIR,

WHEN I reflect upon that ready condefcenfion, that preventing generofity, with which your Royal Highnefs received the following Poem under your protection, I can alone afcribe it to the recommendation and influence of the subject. In you the cause and concerns of Liberty have so zealous a patron, as entitles whatever may have the leaft tendency to promote them to the diftinction of your favour: and who can entertain this delightful reflection, without feeling a pleasure far fuperior to that of the fondeft author, and of which all true lovers of their country muft participate? To behold the nobleft difpofitions of the prince and of the patriot united; an overflowing benevolence, generofity, and candour of heart, joined to an enlightened zeal for Liberty, an inti

mate perfuafion that on it depends the happiness and glory both of kings and people; to see these shining out in public virtues, as they have hitherto smiled in all the focial lights and private accomplishments of life, is a profpect that cannot but inspire a general fentiment of fatisfaction and gladness, more eafy to be felt than expreffed.

If the following attempt to trace Liberty from the firft ages, down to her excellent establishment in Great-Britain, can at all merit your approbation, and prove an entertainment to your Royal Highness; if it can in any degree answer the dignity of the fubject, and of the name under which I presume to shelter it, I have my beft reward; particularly as it affords me an opportunity of declaring that I am, with the greatest zeal and respect,

SIR,

Your Royal Highness's

moft obedient

and moft devoted fervant,

JAMES THOMSON,

COMPARED.

LIBERTY.

PART I.

The Contents.

THE following Poem is thrown into the form of a poetical Vision. Its scene the ruins of ancient Rome. The goddess of Liberty, who is fuppofed to fpeak through the whole, appears characterised as British Liberty, to ver. 44. Gives a view of ancient Italy, and particularly of republican Rome, in all her magnificence and glory, to ver. 112. This contrafted by modern Italy; its vallies, mountains, culture, cities, people; the difference appearing firongest in the capital city, Rome, to ver. 234. The ruins of the great works of Liberty more magnificent than the borrowed pomp of Oppreffion ; and from them revived Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture, to ver. 256. The old Romans apoftrophifed, with regard to the several melancholy changes in Italy: Horace, Tully, and Virgil, with regard to their Tiber, Tufculum, and Naples, to ver. 287. That once finest and most ornamented part of Italy, all along the coaft of Baize, how changed, to ver. 321. This defolation of Italy applied to Britain, to ver. 344. Addrefs to the Goddess of Liberty, that fhe would deduce, from the first ages, her chicf cftablishments, the defcrip. tion of which conftitute the fubje&t of the following parts of this Poem. She affents, and commands what the fays to be fung in Britain, whose happiness, arifing from Freedom, and a limited monarchy, the marks, to ver. 391. An immediate Vision attends, and paints her words. Invocation.

O
My lamented Talbot! while with thee
The Mufe gay-rov'd the glad Hefperian round,
And drew the inspiring breath of ancient arts,
Ah! little thought she her returning verse
Should fing our darling subject to thy shade.

5

10

And does the myftic veil from mortal beam
Involve thofe eyes where every virtue fmil'd,
And all thy father's candid spirit shone?
The light of reafon, pure, without a cloud;
Full of the generous heart, the mild regard ;
Honour difdaining blemish, cordial faith,
And limpid truth, that looks the very
foul:
But to the death of mighty nations turn
My ftrain; be there abforpt the private tear.
Mufing I lay, warm from the facred walks,
Where at each step Imagination burns;
While scattered wide around, awful and hoar,
Lies, a vaft monument! once-glorious Rome,
The tomb of Empire! Ruins! that efface
Whate'er of finifh'd modern pomp can boast.
Snatch'd by these wonders to that world where
Unfettered ranges, Fancy's magic hand

Led me anew o'er all the folemn scene,

15

20

[thought

26

Still in the mind's pure eye more folemn dreft;
When ftraight, methought, the fair majestic Power
Of Liberty appear'd; not, as of old
Extended in her hand, the cap and rod,
Whofe flave-enlarging touch gave double life;
But her bright temples bound with British oak,
And naval honours nodded on her brow.
Sublime of port, loose o'er her shoulder flow'd
Her fea-green robe, with conftellations gay.
An ifland-goddess now; and her high care

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