The figur'd ftreams in waves of filver roll'd, The gulphy Lee his fedgy treffes rears; 339 And fullen Mole, that hides his diving flood; 345 And filent Darent, ftain'd with Danish blood. 349 High in the midft, upon his urn reclin'd, (His fea-green mantle waving with the wind) The God appear'd: he turn'd his azure eyes Where Windfor-domes and pompous turrets rife ; Then bow'd and spoke; the winds forget to roar, And the hufh'd waves glide foftly to the fhore. Hail, facred Peace! hail long-expected days, That Thames's glory to the stars shall raise ! Tho' Tyber's ftreams immortal Rome behold, 355 Tho' foaming Hermus fwells with tides of gold, From heav'n itself tho' fev'n-fold Nilus flows, And harvests on a hundred realms bestows; These now no more shall be the Muse's themes, Loft in my fame, as in the fea their streams. 360 Let Let Volga's banks with iron fquadrons fhine, No more my fons fhall die with British blood 365 Of war or blood, but in the fylvan chace; 370 The trumpet fleep, while chearful horns are blown, And arms employ'd on birds and beafts alone. Behold! th' afcending Villa's on my fide, Project long fhadows o'er the crystal tide, Behold! Augufta's glitt'ring fpires increase, And Temple's rife, the beauteous works of Peace. I fee, I fee, where two fair cities bend. Their ample bow, a new Whitehall afcend! 375 There mighty Nations fhall enquire their doom," The World's great Oracle in times to come; 380 There Kings fhall fue, and fuppliant States be seen Once more to bend before a BRITISH QUEEN. Thy trees, fair Windfor! now fhall leave their woods, And half thy forefts rufh into thy floods, VER. 376 And Temples rife,] The fifty new Churches. P. „AS VARIATIONS. VER. 361. Originally thus in the MS. Let Venice boaft her Tow'rs amidft the Main, VOL. I. F Bear Bear Britain's thunder, and her Crofs difplay, 385 To the bright regions of the rifing day; Tempt icy feas, where fcarce the waters roll, Where clearer flames glow round the frozen Pole; Or under fouthern skies exalt their fails, Led by new stars, and borne by spicy gales! For me the balm fhall bleed, and amber flow, The coral redden, and the ruby glow, The pearly shell its lucid globe infold, 390 394 The time fhall come, when free as feas or wind 399 And VER. 388. Where clearer flames glow round the frozen Pole.] The Poet is here recommending the advantages of commerce, and therefore the extremities of heat and cold are not reprefented in a forbidding manner: as again, Or under fouthern skies exalt their fails, Led by new ftars, and borne by Spicy gales. But in the Dunciad, where the mischief of Dulness is defcribed, they are painted in all their inclemencies, See round the Poles where keener Spangles fhine, VER. 396. Unbounded Thames, etc.] A wish that Lonmay be made a FREE PORT. P. don VARIATIONS. VER. 383, etc. were originally thus, Now fhall our fleets the bloody Crofs difplay To the rich regions of the rifing day, And naked youths and painted chiefs admire 410 In brazen bonds, fhall barb'rous Discord dwell; 420 Here cease thy flight, nor with unhallow'd lays Touch the fair fame of Albion's golden days: The thoughts of Gods let GRANVILLE's verse recite, And bring the scenes of op'ning fate to light. My humble Mufe, in unambitious strains Paints the green forefts and the flow'ry plains, F 2 VARIATIONS. 425 Where Or thofe green ifles, where headlong Titan steeps Tempt icy feas, etc. VER. 421. P. IMITATIONS: Quo, Mufa, tendis ? define pervicax Hor. |