The Rolliad Part 36

ODE ODE

_To the Honourable_ WILLIAM PITT. _To the Right Hon._ WILLIAM PITT.

_By_ W. MASON, _M.A._ _By_ W. MASON, _M.A._

?? ???, ?t? f???e?a? "Give not the Mitre now!

T?at?? f???a? ?f????a?ta? ??p?de?, Lest base-tongued ENVY squinting at my brow, ??t? ??et?? p?te s???t? pat??a?, Cry, 'lo! the price for CAVENDISH betray'd!'

??d? t??sd ?????. But in good time nor that, oh! PITT!

PINDAR, Isthm. Ode 2. forget, Nor my more early service yet unpaid, My puffs on CHATHAM in his offspring's aid, Not what this loyal Ode shall add to swell the debt."

MY OWN TRANSLATION.

I. I.

'Tis May's meridian reign; yet Eurus 'Tis now the TENTH of APRIL; yet the cold wind Forbids each shrinking thorn its In frigid fetters doth each blossom leaves unfold, bind, Or hang with silver buds her rural No silver buds her rural throne throne: emboss: No primrose shower from her green lap No violets _blue_ from her _green_ lap she throws[1], she throws[2]; No daisy, violet, or cowslip blows, Oh! lack-a-daisy! not a daisy blows, And Flora weeps her fragrant And (ere she has them) FLORA weeps offspring gone. their loss.

h.o.a.r frost arrests the genial dew; h.o.a.r frost, with bailiff's grizly hue, To wake, to warble, and to woo At Winter's suit, arrests the dew; No linnet calls his drooping No Cuckow wakes her drowsy mate: love: Shall then the poet strike the His harp then shall a Parson lyre, strum, When mute are all the feather'd When other Blackbirds all are quire, dumb, And Nature fails to warm the syrens of When neither Starlings, Daws, or the grove? Magpies prate?

II. II.

He shall: for what the sullen Spring He shall: for what the sulky Spring denies denies, The orient beam of virtuous youth An annual b.u.t.t of sugar'd SACK supplies: supplies; That moral dawn be his inspiring That beverage sweet be his inspiring flame. flame, Beyond the dancing radiance of the Cloath'd in the radiant influence of east the East, Thy glory, son of CHATHAM! fires his Thy glory, son of CHATHAM, fires his breast, breast; And proud to celebrate thy vernal And swift to adulate thy vernal fame. fame, Hark, from this lyre the strain Hark! from his lyre a strain is ascends, heard, Which but to Freedom's fav'rite In hopes, ere long, to be friends preferred, That lyre disdains to sound. To sit in state 'midst mitred peers.

Hark and approve, as did thy Hark and approve! as did thy sire, sire[3]

The lays which once with kindred The lays which, nodding by the fire fire, His muse in attic mood made Mona's To gentle slumbers sooth'd his oaks rebound. listening ears.

III. III.

Long silent since, save when, in Long silent since, save when on KEPPEL's name, t'other side, Detraction, murd'ring BRITAIN's naval In KEPPEL's praise to little purpose fame, tried, Rous'd into sounds of scorn th' I rous'd to well-feign'd scorn the indignant string[4]. indignant string; But now, replenish'd with a richer But now replete with a more hopeful theme, theme, The vase of harmony shall pour its The o'erflowing ink-bottle shall pour stream, its stream, Fann'd by free Fancy's Through quills by Dullness pluck'd rainbow-tinctur'd wing. from gosling's downy wing.

Thy country too shall hail the St. JAMES's too shall hail the song, song, Her echoing heart the notes Her echoing walls the notes prolong; prolong, While they alone with [5]envy Whilst they alone with sorrow sigh, sigh.

Whose rancour to thy parent dead Whose reverence for thy parent dead, Aim'd, ere his funeral rites were Now bids them hang their drooping paid, head, With vain vindictive rage to starve And weep, to mark the conduct of his his progeny. progeny.

IV. IV.

From earth and these the muse averts From these the courtly muse averts her her view, eye.

To meet in yonder sea of ether blue To meet with genuine unaffected joy A beam to which the blaze of noon is A scene that pa.s.ses in the Closet's pale: gloom; In purpling circles now the glory In whitening circles the dim glory spreads, spreads, A host of angels now unveil their Bedchamber Lords unveil their powder'd heads, heads, While heav'n's own music triumphs on And Tory triumphs sound throughout the gale. the room: Ah see, two white-rob'd seraphs Ah! see two Jannisaries lead lead Thy father's venerable shade; Ill.u.s.trious BUTE's thrice-honour'd shade; He bends from yonder cloud of Behind yon curtain did he stand, gold, While they, the ministers of Whilst they (which Whigs with light, horror mark) Bear from his breast a mantle Bear from his cloak a lantern bright, dark, And with the heav'n-wove robe thy And trust the hallow'd engine to thy youthful limbs enfold. youthful hand.

V. V.

"Receive this mystic gift, my son!" he "Receive this mystic gift, brave boy,"

cries, he cries, "And, for so wills the Sovereign of "And if so please the Sovereign of the the skies, skies, With this receive, at ALBION's With this receive at GEORGE's anxious hour, anxious hour, A double portion of my patriot zeal, A double portion of my Tory zeal, Active to spread the fire it dar'd to Active to spread the fire it dared to feel feel, Thro' raptur'd senates, and with Through venal senates, and with awful power boundless pow'r, From the full fountain of the tongue From the full fountain of the tongue, To call the rapid tide along To roll a tide of words along, Till a whole nation caught the Till a whole nation is deceived.

flame.

So on thy sire shall heav'n bestow, So shall thy early labours gain A blessing TULLY fail'd to know, A blessing BUTE could ne'er attain; And redolent in thee diffuse thy In fact, a Courtier be, yet Patriot be father's fame. believed.

VI. VI.

"Nor thou, ingenuous boy! that Fame "Nor thou, presumptuous imp, that fame despise disown, Which lives and spreads abroad in Which draws its splendor from a Heav'n's pure eyes, monarch's throne, The last best energy of n.o.ble Sole energy of many a lordly mind, mind[6]; Revere thy father's shade; like him Revere the shade of BUTE, subservient disdain still The tame, the timid, temporizing To the high dictates of the Royal train, will; Awake to self, to social interest Awake to self, to social interest blind: blind.

Young as thou art, occasion calls, Young as thou art, occasion calls, Thy country's scale or mounts or Prerogative or mounts or falls falls As thou and thy compatriots As thou and thy compatriots[7]

strive; strive, Scarce is the fatal moment past Scarce in the fatal moment past That trembling ALBION deem'd her Which Secret Influence deem'd her last, last, O knit the union firm, and bid an Oh! save the expiring fiend, and bid empire live. her empire live!

VII. VII.

"Proceed, and vindicate fair Freedom's "Proceed!--Uphold Prerogative's high claim, claim, Give life, give strength, give Give life, give strength, give substance to her name; substance to her name!

The native rights of man with Fraud The rights divine of Kings with contest. Whigs contest; Yes, s.n.a.t.c.h them from Corruption's Save them from Freedom's bold baleful power, incroaching hand, Who dares, in Day's broad eye, those Who dares, in Day's broad eye, those rights devour, rights withstand, While prelates bow, and bless the And be by Bishops thy endeavours harpy feast. bless'd!"

If foil'd at first, resume thy If foil'd at first, resume thy course, course, Rise strengthen'd with ANTaeAN Whilst I, though writing worse and force, worse, So shall thy toil in conquest Thy glorious efforts will end. record; Let others court the tinsel things Let others seek by other ways, That hang upon the smile of kings, The public's unavailing praise, Be thine the muse's wreath; be thou Be mine the b.u.t.t OF SACK--be thou the _the people's friend_." TREASURY'S LORD!

[1] This expression is taken from Milton's song on May Morning, to which this stanza in general alludes, and the 4th verse in the next.

[2] Improved from Milton.

[3] The poem of Curactacus was read in Ms. by the late Earl of Chatham, who honoured it with an approbation which the author is here proud to record.

[4] See Ode to the Naval Officers of Great Britain, written 1779.

[5] See the motto from Pindar.

[6] in allusion to a fine and well-known pa.s.sage in MILTON's Lycidas.

[7] Messrs. JENKINSON, ROBINSON, DUNDAS, &c. &c.

THE STATESMEN:

AN ECLOGUE.

LANSDOWNE.

While on the Treasury-Bench you, PITT, recline, And make men wonder at each vast design; I, hapless man, my harsher fate deplore, Ordain'd to view the regal face no more; That face which erst on me with rapture glow'd, 5 And smiles responsive to my smiles bestow'd: But now the Court I leave, my native home, "A banish'd man, condemn'd in woods to roam;"

While you to senates, BRUNSWICK's mandates give, And teach white-wands to chaunt his high prerogative. 10

PITT.

Oh! LANSDOWNE, 'twas a more than mortal pow'r My fate controul'd, in that auspicious hour, When TEMPLE deign'd the dread decree to bring, And stammer'd out the _Firmaun_ of the King: That power I'll wors.h.i.+p as my houshold G.o.d, 15 Shrink at his frown, and bow beneath his nod; At every feast his presence I'll invoke, For him my kitchen fires shall ever smoke; Not mighty HASTINGS, whose ill.u.s.trious breath Can bid a RAJAH live, or give him death, 20 Though back'd by SCOTT, by BARWELL, PALK, and all The sable squadron scowling from BENGAL; Not the bold Chieftain of the tribe of PHIPPS, Whose head is scarce less handsome than his s.h.i.+p's; Not bare-breech'd GRAHAM, nor bare-witted ROSE, 25 Nor the GREAT LAWYER with the LITTLE NOSE; Not even VILLIERS' self shall welcome be, To dine so oft, or dine so well as he.

LANSDOWNE.

Think not these sighs denote one thought unkind, Wonder, not Envy, occupies my mind; 30 For well I wot on that unhappy day, When BRITAIN mourn'd an empire giv'n away; When rude impeachments menaced from afar, And what gave peace to FRANCE--to us was war; For awful vengeance Heav'n appeared to call, 35 And agonizing Nature mark'd our fall.

Dire change! DUNDAS's cheek with blushes glow'd, GRENVILLE was dumb, MAHON no phrenzy show'd; Though DRAKE harrangu'd, no slumber GILBERT fear'd, And MULGRAVE's mouth like other mouths appear'd; 40 In vain had BELLAMY prepar'd the meat; In vain the porter; BAMBER could not eat; When BURKE arose no yell the curs began, And ROLLE, for once, half seem'd a gentleman: Then name this G.o.d, for to St. JAMES's Court, 45 Nor G.o.ds nor angels often make resort.

PITT.

In early youth misled by Honour's rules, That fancied Deity of dreaming fools; I simply thought, forgive the rash mistake, That Kings should govern tor their People's sake: 50 But Reverend JENKY soon these thoughts supprest, And drove the glittering phantom from my breast; JENKY! that sage, whom mighty George declares, Next SCHWELLENBURGEN, great on the back stairs: 'Twas JENKINSON--ye Deacons, catch the sound! 55 Ye Treasury scribes, the sacred name rebound!

Ye pages, sing it--echo it, ye Peers!

And ye who best repeat, Right Reverend Seers!

Whose pious tongues no wavering fancies sway, But like the needle ever point one way. 60

LANSDOWNE.

Thrice happy youth! secure from every change, Thy beasts unnumber'd, 'mid the Commons range; Whilst thou, by JOVE's aetherial spirit fired, Or by sweet BRUNSWICK's sweeter breath inspired, Another ORPHEUS every bosom chear, 65 And sticks, and stocks, and stones, roar _hear! hear! hear!_ Raised by thy pipe the savage tribes advance, And Bulls and Bears in mystic mazes dance: For me no cattle now my steps attend, Ev'n PRICE and PRIESTLY, wearied, scorn their friend; 70 And these twin sharers of my festive board, Hope of my flock, now seek some richer Lord.

PITT.

Sooner shall EFFINGHAM clean linen wear, Or MORNINGTON without his star appear; Sooner each prisoner BULLER's law escape; 75 Sooner shall QUEENSBURY commit a rape; Sooner shall POWNEY, HOWARD's noddle reach; Sooner shall THURLOW hear his brother preach; Sooner with VESTRIS, Bootle shall contend; Sooner shall EDEN not betray his friend; 80 Sooner DUNDAS an Indian bribe decline; Sooner shall I my chast.i.ty resign; Sooner shall Rose than PRETTYMAN lie faster, Than PITT forget that JENKINSON's his maker.

LANSDOWNE.

Yet oft in times of yore I've seen thee stand 85 Like a tall May-pole 'mid the patriot band; While with reforms you tried each baneful art, To wring fresh sorrows from your Sovereign's heart; That heart, where every virtuous thought is known, But modestly locks up and keeps them all his own. 90

PITT.

'Twas then that PITT, for youth such warmth allows, To wanton Freedom paid his amorous vows; Lull'd by her smiles, each offer I withstood, And thought the greatest bliss my country's good.

'Twas pride, not pa.s.sion, madden'd in my brain, 95 I wish'd to rival FOX, but wish'd in vain; Fox, the dear object of bright Freedom's care, Fox still the favourite of the BRITISH fair; But while with wanton arts the syren strove To fix my heart, and wile me to her love; 100 Too soon I found my hasty choice to blame, --Freedom and Poverty are still the same-- While piles of ma.s.sy gold his coffers fill, Who votes subservient to his Sovereign's will.

LANSDOWNE.