English

The great exploits of princes you can sing,
From Julius Caesar down to Britain 's king;
Of gasping heroes welt'ring in their blood,
Who nobly perish'd for their country's good;
How Churchill tam'd the bold aspiring Gaul ,
Whose very name made trembling armies fall;
Of gallant deeds by sea, by land, perform'd,
Of Spanish navies sunk, Gibraltar storm'd.
To gain this point, you midnight vigils keep,
And search the learned dead, while others sleep;
Neglect the sprightly joys of blooming youth
To find some dark unprofitable truth.

I.
Dear Molly, why so oft in Tears?
For thy bold Son of Thunder?
Have Patience till we've conquer'd France,
Thy Closet shall be stor'd with Nants;
Ye Ladies like such Plunder.

II.
Before Toulon thy Yoke-mate lies,
Where all the live-long Night he sighs
For thee in lowsy Cabbin:
And tho' the Captain's Chloe cries,
'Tis I, dear Bully, prithee rise —
He will not let the Drab in.

BOOK II. ODE XVI .

TO THE EARL OF M — — — T

Ease from the gods the sailor prays,
O'ertaken in the' Ægean seas,
When storms begin to roar;
When clouds wrap up the moon from sight,
Nor shine the stars with certain light,
To guide him safe to shore.

Ease, fierce the Russian in war's trade:
Ease, graceful in his Tartan Plaid,
The Highlander demands,
M — — — t, not to be bought or sold,

What makes the haughty Spaniards rise in arms,
And France aspiring kindle war's alarms:
While hostile armies in dire conflict join,
And slaughter bath'd in blood defiles the Rhine ?
Ask not, my friend! but with the sprightly bowl
Chear the sad anguish of your drooping soul;
Nor let the prospect of a future ill
Restrain your pleasure, or controul your will.
The blooming beauty of your youth will fly,
As sudden storms o'ercast the clearest sky;
Cold hoary age succeeds with aching pains,

BOOK II. ODE IV .

TO THE E — — M — — OF S — — D

Avow, my noble friend, thy kind desires,
If Phillis' gentle form thy breast inspires,
Nor glory, nor can reason disapprove;
What though unknown her humble name,
Unchronicled in records old,
Or tale by flattering poets told:
She to her beauties owes her noblest fame,
Her noblest honours to thy love.

BOOK I. ODE XXXIII .

TO A GENTLEMAN IN LOVE .

Why do'st thou still in tears complain,
Too mindful of thy love's disdain?
Why still in melancholy verse
Unmeek Maria's hate rehearse,
That Thirsis finds by fate's decree
More favour in her sight than thee?
The love of Cyrus does enthrall
Lycoris fair, with forehead small;
Cyrus declines to Pholoe's eyes,
Who unrelenting hears his sighs:
But wolves and lambs shall sooner join
Than they in mutual faith combine.

BOOK I. ODE XXXII .

TO HIS LYRE .

If e'er with thee, we fool'd away,
Vacant beneath the shade, a day,
Still kind to our desire;
A Scotish song we now implore,
To live this year, and some few more,
Come then my Scotish Lyre.

First strung by Stewart's cunning hand,
Who rul'd fair Scotia's happy land,
A long and wide domain:
Who bold in war, yet whether he,

THE POET'S WISH.

Frae great Apollo, poet say,
What is thy wish, what wadst thou hae,
When thou bows at his shrine?
Not carse o' Gowrie's fertile field,
Nor a' the flocks the Grampians yield,
That are baith sleek and fine:
Not costly things brought frae afar,
As ivory, pearl, and gems;
Nor those fair straths that water'd are

BOOK I. ODE XXIV .

TO A YOUNG LADY ON THE DEATH OF HER FATHER .

What measure shall affliction know?
What bounds be set to such a woe,
That weeps the loss of one so dear!
Come, Muse of mourning! haste, ordain
The sacred melancholy strain:
When virtue bids, 'tis impious to forbear.

Thy voice, with powerful blessings fraught,
Inspires the solemn serious thought;
A heavenly sorrow's healing art,
That, whilst it wounds, amends the heart.
A far more pleasing rapture thine,

BOOK I. ODE XXIII .

TO MISS D — — .

Tell me, Maria, tell me why
Thou dost from him that loves thee run;
Why from his fond embraces fly,
And every soft endearment shun?

So through the rocks, or dewy lawn,
With plaintive cries, its dam to find,
Flies wing'd with fears the youngling fawn,
And trembles at each breath of wind.