While round them chaunt the croaking choir, And haply soothe some lover's prudent woe, Or prompt some restive bard and modulate his lyre. I. 3. Farewell, ye nymphs, whom sober care of gain I go where Liberty to all is known, II. 1. O my lov'd England, when with thee Like mountain snows; till down their side II. 2. Ye nymphs who guard the pathless grove, Ye blue-ey'd sisters of the streams, With whom I wont at morn to rove, With whom at noon I talk'd in dreams; O take me to your haunts again, The rocky spring, the greenwood glade; To prompt my slumbers in the murmuring shade, And soothe my vacant ear with many an airy strain. II. 3. And thou, my faithful harp, no longer mourn With Venus and with Juno move In concert round the Olympian father's throne? III. 1. Thee too, protectress of my lays, To Somers' counsels, or to Hampden's arms, Thee, Freedom, I rejoin, and bless thy genuine flame, III. 2. Great citizen of Albion. Thee Heroic Valor still attends, And useful Science pleas'd to see Fills and commands the public eye; Till, pierc'd and sinking by her powerful ray, Tame Faith and monkish Awe, like nightly demons, fly. III. 3. Hence the whole land the patriot's ardour shares: ODE IX. TO CURIO. 1744. I. THRICE hath the Spring beheld thy faded fame Since I exulting grasp'd the tuneful shell: Eager through endless years to sound thy name, Proud that my memory with thine should dwell. How hast thou stain'd the splendour of my choice! Those godlike forms which hover'd round thy voice, Laws, freedom, glory, whither are they flown? What can I now of thee to Time report, Save thy fond country made thy impious sport, Her fortune and her hope the victims of thy own? II. There are with eyes unmov'd and reckless heart And all thy painted pleas to greatness and to vice. III. "Thou didst not dream of liberty decay'd, Nor wish to make her guardian laws more strong: But the rash many, first by thee misled, Bore thee at length unwillingly along." Rise from your sad abodes, ye curst of old For faith deserted or for cities sold, Own here one untried, unexampled deed; One mystery of shame from Curio learn, To beg the infamy he did not earn, [meed. And scape in Guilt's disguise from Virtue's offer'd IV. For saw we not that dangerous power avow'd With Eloquence and Reason at his side, By strength of holier spells the inchantress to control. V. Soon with thy country's hope thy fame extends; The rescued merchant oft thy words resounds; Thee and thy cause the rural hearth defends; His bowl to thee the grateful sailor crowns; The learn'd recluse, with awful zeal who read Of Grecian heroes, Roman patriots dead, Now with like awe doth living merit scan, While he, whom virtue in his blest retreat Bade social ease and public passions meet, Ascends the civil scene, and knows to be a man. VI. At length in view the glorious end appear'd: We saw the spirit through the senate reign; And Freedom's friends thy instant omen heard Of laws for which their fathers bled in vain. Wak'd in the strife, the public Genius rose More keen, more ardent from his long repose; |