The soft luxurious plague alike pervades The marble palaces and rural shades; Hence thronged Augusta builds her rosy bowers, And decks in summer wreaths her smoky towers; And hence, in summer bowers, Art's costly hand Pours courtly splendours o'er the dazzled land: The manners melt ;—one undistinguished blaze O'erwhelms the sober pomp of elder days; Corruption follows with gigantic stride, And scarce vouchsafes his shameless front to hide : The spreading leprosy taints every part, Infects each limb, and sickens at the heart. Simplicity, most dear of rural maids, Weeping resigns her violated shades : Stern Independence from his glebe retires, For you, whose tempered ardour long has borne In Virtue's fasti be inscribed your fame, And uttered yours with Howard's honoured name; Whose efforts yet arrest Heaven's lifted hand, To shed a glory, and to fix a stain, Tells how you strove, and that you strove in vain. ON THE EXPECTED GENERAL RISING OF THE FRENCH NATION, IN 1792. RISE, mighty nation, in thy strength, Devoted land! thy mangled breast By friends betrayed, by foes opprest,- The tocsin sounds! arise, arise! Stern o'er each breast let Country reign; Nor virgin's plighted hand nor sighs Must now the ardent youth detain: ON THE GENERAL RISING OF THE FRENCH. 181 Nor must the hind who tills thy soil The ripened vintage stay to press, Till Rapture crown the flowing bowl, Briareus-like extend thy hands, Then wash with sad repentant tears Each deed that clouds thy glory's page; Each phrensied start impelled by fears, Each transient burst of headlong rage: Then fold in thy relenting arms Thy wretched outcasts where they roam; O call the child of misery home! 182 ON THE GENERAL RISING OF THE FRENCH. Then build the tomb-O not alone Of him who bled in Freedom's cause; With equal eye the martyr own Of faith revered and ancient laws. Then be thy tide of glory staid; Then be thy conquering banners furled; And rise the model of the world! |