"Yet Portugal's our old and best ally,
"And Gallic faith is but a slender tie.
"My lords! the manufacturer's a fool;
"The clothier, too, knows nothing about wool;
"Their interests still demand cur constant care;
"Their griefs are mine-their fears are my despair.
"My lords! my soul is big with dire alarms;
"Turks, Germans, Russians, Prussians, all in arms!
"A noble Pole (I'm proud to call him friend!)
"Tells me of things I cannot comprehend.

115

120

"Your lordship's hairs would stand on end to hear "My last dispatches from the Grand Vizier. "The fears of Dantzick-merchants can't be told; Accounts from Cracow make my blood run cold. "The state of Portsmouth, and of Plymouth Docks, 125 "Your Trade your Taxes-Army-Navy-Stocks"All haunt me in my dreams; and, when I rise, "The bank of England scares my open eyes. " I see-I know fome dreadful storm is brewing; "Arm all your coasts-your navy is your ruin. "I say it still; but (let me be believed)

130

"In this your lordships have been much deceiv'd. "A noble Duke affirms, I like his plan:

"I never did, my lords !-I never can

"Shame on the slanderous breath! which dares instill 135 "That I, who now condemn, advis'd the ill.

"Plain words, thank Heav'n! are always understood: "I could approve, I said-but not I wou'd. "Anxious to make the noble Duke content,

140

་་ My view was just to seem to give consent, While all the world might see that nothing less was "meant."

While JEKYLL thus, the rich exhaustless store

Of LANSDOWNE's rhetoric ponders o'er and o'er;

And, wrapt in happier dreams of future days,
His patron's triumphs in his own surveys;
Admiring barristers in crouds resort

145

From Figtree-Brick--Hare--Pump and Garden

court.

Anxious they gaze-and watch with silent awe
The motley son of politics and law,

Meanwhile, with softest smiles and courteous bows, 150
He, graceful bending, greets their ardent vows.

66

Thanks, generous friends," he cries," "kind Tem"plers, thanks!

"Tho' now, with LANSDOWNE's band your JEKYLL

«ranks,

"Think not, he wholly quits black-letter cares;

"Still-still the lawyer with the statesman shares." 455
But, see! the shades of night o'erspread the skies!
Thick fogs and vapours from the Thames arise.
Far different hopes our separate toils inspire;

Strange, novice thoughts, and alien cares delude.

165

Yes, modest Eloquence! ev'n I must court

For once, with mimic vows, thy coy support;

Oh! would'st thou lend the semblance of my charms! Fein'd agitations, and assum'd alarms!

"Twere all I'd ask :-but for one day alone

170

To ape thy downcast look-my suppliant tone:
To pause-and bow with hesitating grace-
Here try to faulter-there a word misplace:
Long-banish'd blushes this pale cheek to teach,
And act the miseries of a maiden speech.

175

PROBATIONARY

ODE S

FOR

THE LAUREATSHIP,

WITH

A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE,

BY

SIR JOHN HAWKINS, KNT.

Q

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE,

BY

THE EDITOR.

HAVING, in the year seventeen hundred and seventy-six, put forth A HISTORY OF MUSIC, in five volumes quarto (which buy), notwithstanding my then avocations as Justice of the Peace for the county of Middlesex and city and liberty of Westminster; I, Sir John Hawkins, of Queen-square, Westminster, Knight, do now, being still of sound health and understanding, esteem it my bounden duty to step forward as Editor and Revisor of THE PROBATIONARY ODES. My grand reason for undertaking so arduous a task is this: I do from my soul believe that Lyric Poetry is the own, if not twin sister of Music; wherefore, as I had before gathered together every thing that any way