POEMS

OF

WILLIAM THOMPSON.

EPITHALAMIUM

Her Thamis (on his golded urn he lean'd)
ON THE ROYAL NUPTIALS,

Saluted with this hymeneal song,

And hail'd her safe. Full silent was the wind, IN MAY, 1736.

The river glided gently-soft along,

Ne 4 whispered the breeze the leaves emong,
ON Thamis' banks, where many a fowry gem
Blooms wanton-wild, advanc'd a jovial crew,

Ne love-learn'd Philomel out-trill'd her lay;
Thick as the daisies which his meadows hem,

A stilness on the waves attentive hung, And with sweet berbs the liquid crystal strew;

A brighter gladness blest the face of day, [Miy. For on the liquid crystal gayly flew

All nature gan to smile, her smiles diffus'd the A painted gondelay', bedecked fair

“ Ah sacred ship, to Albion wafting good, With gold and purple, gorgeous to the view!

Our wish, our hope, our joy! who safe convey'd While loud approving shouts divide the air, “ Hail, happy future bride of Albion's worthy This beauty's paragon, this royal maid,

Through perilous sea, from lla's little flood, heir."

Jsprung, iwist, of high empyreal seed;

The child of Heav'n, the daughter of Delight, Eftsoons: the father of the silver flood,

Nurst by a Grace, with milk and honey fed! The noble Thames, his azure head uprais'd,

Oh Frederick! oh, certess, blessed wight, [hight And shook his dewy locks, worthy a god!

To whom the Gods consign the nymph Augusta A lainbent glory round his temples blaz’d, . On which the Naids all with wonder gaz'd.

“ Ab sacred ship! may favourable gales, So sparkle Thetis purple-trembling streams,

The kindest breath of Heav'n attend thy way, When Phoebus, for his golden car y prais'd, And swell the winged canvass of thy sails: Strikes the calm surface with his morning beams, May calmness be thy path, and pleausance lay And sprinkles spangles round and the wide blue On the soft bosom of the yieiding sea, inflames.

Where-e'er thou wind; or to the spicy shore

Of Araby the blest, or India's bay,
The wanton Naïds, Doris' daughters all, Where diamonds kindle, and the golden ore
Range in a ring: Pherusa, blooming-fair,

Flames into purity, to deck Augusta more!
Cymodoce dove-ey'd, with Florimal,
Sweet-smelling flowrets deck'd their long green “ Augusta, fairest princess under sky,
And Erato, to Love, to Venus dear, [hair, Welcome to Albion's renowned land,
Galene drest in smiles and lilly-white,

Albion, well known to thy great ancestry,
And Phao, with her snowy bosom bare,

Made dearer far to thee by Hymen's band, All these, and more than these, a dainty sight! The band of love, of honour and command! la daunce and merriment and sweet belgards• de- Deign to receive the nation's public voice, light.

Of heartiness unseign'd, who gleeful stand

In meet array, and thus express their joys (noise. Around the bark they daunce, wherein there in peals of loud acclaim, and mirths confused A lady fresh and fair, ah! such a one, [sat So Irrsh and fair, so ainiably great,

“ With warmer raptures, and more passionate, S, goodly.gracious seem'd as never none,

Though hard to be! the royal youth, I trow, And like thy sweet-beam'd planet, Venus shone, Shall thee en brace: bim tenfold fires elate, Tney much admire, O very Inuch her face, And sacred passions in his bosom glow, Her shape, her breast, for Love a downy throne! Wisch from thy picture erst began to flow. Her beauty's glorious shine, her every grace;

For thee he burns, for thee he sighs and prays, An angel she appear'd, at least of angel-race. Pours out his soul to thee, uor rest can know, ? Presently. 3 Beautiful looks.

4 Nor. 5 Certainly. 6 Named.

"A boat,

But dreams of thee long, livelong nights and days, “O blessed youth! receive thy bonnibel', By Beauty led through all Love's rosy-thorny- Eternal fount of virtue, love and grace! ways.

O kneel to all the gods and pray to all,

Who sparkle so divinely in her face,
“ To heal his pains soft music does divide And with celestial fires ber bosom bless.
Most heavenly melody in soothing strains; So shines Aurora in her rich attire,
Nor heavenly melody, nor aught beside,

When she Hyperion wou'd fain caress:
Save thee, ah dearest Dread! can heal his pains. Gaze all the host of stars, and all adinire,
Thy form too deeply in his breast remains. Then twinkle in their urns, and into night retire.
So ever and anon he chides the gales,
That slowly seem to brush the liquid plains; “O blessed maid! receive thy bela mour),
Oh! fly on all the wings of Heav'n, ye sails, With glee receive him and o'erflowing heart:
Oh Ay! he crys; and lo! a lover's pray'r prevails. Ne in high monarch's court, ne lady's bow'r,

A youth so furin'd by Nature and by Art, “ Now cease thy sighs. She comes, (oh blessed Conspiring both, e'er cherish'd Cupid's dart. day!)

So Phæbus, lusty bridegroom of the sky, She comes, by all the Loves and Graces drest, With native splendours shines on every part; In proud humility. See, Hymen play,

From east to west his pointed glories fly, With saffron robe and flame-embroider'd vest, He warmeth every heart, he dazzleth every eye.” (Such colours, sikerly", suit Hymen best.) And Cupid catches rosy wafts of air

Here Thamis ended. Now the goodly train To stretch the sails and fan the royal guest, Of all the Naids, in most comely wise, Nor Chastity, meek-ey'd, is wanting there, A present make of myrtle-girland green, For she, and Modesty, sweet blushing, guide the Entrail'd with flowrets and with rare device. steer.

The Graces eke, with laughter-swelling eyes,

A rosy-chaplet, steep'd in nectar bring,
“ Not Venus, queen of beauty and of bliss (The roses gather'd in the morning skies)
So goodly shone, when erst 8 the goddess sprung Then, joining with the Naids, forin a ring,
From Ocean's sparkling foam; sweet nakedness! And round them deftly daunce, and round them
A thousand Smiles and Loves upon her hung,

blitbly sing.
And all the gods for joy and wonder sung.
The Waves so proud the beamy burthen bore “ As roses and as myrtles kindly weave
Exulting; she, around ber, odours fung,

Their sweets in one, much sweeter as they blend;
And bade the Billows laugh and cease to roar; Emblem of marriage-love! So you, receive
They gladly her obey, and gently kiss the shore. Sweets interchang'd, and to each other lend;

Then, in a blest perfume, to Heav'n ascend, “ So fair she looks, nay fairer, could it be; And mingle with the gods! While here below, Did never mortal man such charms behold New myrtles, roses new, withouten end, In bow'r or hall. Spring waits upon her eye; From your luxurious stock, full plenteous, grow, Lo! Flora has her richest stores out-rollid

And with their parent-sweets, and parent-beauty Of variable fow'rs and blooming gold.

glow." The meadows smile, the birds renew their love And throw themselves in pairs the young and old; Next Albion's Genius came, bedite in gold, All nature glows where-e'er her glances move, An oaken chaplet nodded on his head; And Beauty paints each field, and music fills each | The crown he held was glorious to behold, grove.

And royally he taught his feet to tread.

Soon as he spy'd the prince's goodly head, “ But who is yon, each other youth excelling He pointed to the crown, and rais'd his voice As much as orient gold surmounteth brass? To hail the royal pair and bless their bed: Sure Honour in his visage choose her dwelling, The jolly Chorus catch the grateful noise, And sacred Truth, perdie9, adorns his face; Echo the woods and vales, and Heav'n and Earth Such goodlihead and humbless never was.

rejoice. Blest be the sight! full well those looks I kenn, Where Joyaunce sits and ever-smiling Grace; Next Liberty, the fairest nymph on ground; Frederic! 'tis he! the first and best of men, The flowing plenty of her golden hair Our dearling prince to meet Augusta well-be- Diffusing lavishly ambrosia round; seen!

Her hands a flow'ry cornucopia bear,

Which scatters joy and pleasaunce through the air. " And lo! what medled passions in him move, Earth smil'd, and Gladness danc'd along the sky; He gazes--wonders—(great is Beauty's pow'r!) Before her vanish'd Grief and pale-ey'd Care, And, sweetly lost in ecstasy and love,

And eft, in courteous guise, she cast her eye His eyes her whole, his lips ber lips devour, On that same gentle twain, her glory and her joy. Which Venus had besprent with nectar-show'r. Her slippery charms allow his eyes no rest,

And these beside, a sacred pers'nage came, But thousand arrows, nay ten thousand pour Immaculate and sweet as Sharon-rose: Into his wounded and transported breast; [blest! Upon her breast a bloody cross did flame, Sure none like her is fair, sure none like him is Aumail'd with gold and gems in goodly rows:

A pall of lawn adown her shoulders flows: 7 Surely. 8 Formerly. 9 An affirmation. 2 Handsome.

Beautiful virgin. 3 Charming lover. 4 Often.

AIR III.

Yclep'd 5 Eusebia. She pray'd aloud,

And, as th' harmonious charmer sings, Then, blessing both, for her defenders chose, In triumph points his darts, and waves his wings, And spheard her glories in a purple cloud: Th’ harmonious charmer paus'd to see Softly Augusta smild, full lowly Frederic bow'd. A list’ning, wond'ring deity;

While Silence softly chain'd her tongue, Fair Fame behind a silver trumpet blew,

The god responsive rais'd the song, Sweet to the Earth, and fragrant to the sky!

In strains like these, if strains can be
Her mantle of a many-colour'd hue,

Rais'd to the raptures of a deity,
Her rain-bow wings pouderd with many an eye, The raptures of a wond'ring deity!
And near her Honour, Pow'r and Courtesy:
Honour of open front, and steady grace;
Pow'r, clad in steel, a faulchion brandish'd high; Beauty, sacred beauty sing,
Courtesy drest in smiles her bounteous face:

Flowing from the wond'rous spring
When these attend a prince, thrice happy sub- of uncreated and primeval light!
jects case!

Beauty the first best work of God,

Spoke into being in his high abode,
The Muses clos'd this intellectual scene And next his own eternal essence bright!
From Helicon; who knows not Helicon?
Gold were their lyres, their laurels ever-green.

AIR IV.
Soon Clio to the prince a starry crown

With Beauty Music join, Presents, another to his bellibone 6.

The breath of Heav'n Then all in lofty chorus swell the song,

To mortals given Big with their happy loves and great renown.

To swell their bliss to bliss divine! Propbetic numbers float the woods emong,

With Beauty Music join. For shepherd-lad too high, for memory too long.

CHORUS. Nathless" thy tuneful sons, 0 Oxford dear!

Beauty, silent Harmony ! By Muses visited, may catch the lays,

Softly stealing through the eye Sweet-pouring streams of nectar on the ear,

Smiles into the breast a dart. And from their lips, in vision, learn to raise

Music, fine proportion'd sounds! Their loves and fame, to brighten future days.

Pours balm upon the lover's wounds
Thee fits not, Thomalin, a simple swain,

Through the ear into the heart.
High deeds to sing, but gentle roundelays:
Go feed thy flock, renew the rural strain

RECITATIVE.
On oaten pipe, content to please the humble plain. Thus once Cecilia, (tuneful Dryden sings,)

To fire with sacred rage her soul,

Touch'd into voice the sprightly strings,

And bade the silver tides of music roll.
BEAUTY AND MUSIC.

An angel, list’ning to her lyre,

To lift the modulations higher,
AN ODE.

Apply'd the aiding graces of his tongue;

And while the virgin play'd, the seraph sung. AIR I. O SOFTLY sigh into th' flute, While dear lanthe breathes the lovesick lay:

Sweetest mortal, to befriend thee, Now teach the melancholy lute

Angels from their quires attend thee,
In tender trills to melt the notes away,

Angels leave their thrones to hear
Melodious in decay!--

Music with devotion gloring,
But hark, she louder, louder sings,

Music heavenly joys bestowing, Sink, boldly sink into the strings:

Worthy a seraphic ear!
Shake, O shake the numerous wire,

RECITATIVE,
Fire the blood, the spirits fire
With musical thunder and burning desire! Again she trembles o'er the silver strings,

The silver strings, exulting to her hand,
AIR II.

Obey the sweet command,
Our souls divided with a fond surprise

And thus again the angel sings:
Dissolve in woe;

(While Silence wav'd her downy wings around,

And Gladness smil'd along the purple skies;
With rapture glow;

All nature softned at their flows of sound,
Fall with lier notes; or with her bosom rise;
Rais'd with hopes; with fears deprest;

And brightned at the radiance of their eyes:)
Sweetly tortur'd, sweetly blest;
Say'd by her voice, and vanquish’d by her eyes.

Harmony, the soul refining!
RECITATI VE.

Beauty, sense, and virtue joining
The god of love, to hear her strains

In a form and mind like thine,
Leaves bis Acidalian plains,

Nobly raise a mortal creature

To a more exalted nature; sCalled. 6 Fair damsel. 1 Nevertheless.

We alone are more divine!

AIR V.

AIR VI.

RECITATIVE.

" But he the bloomin wreath will scorn,
Rapt'rous thus the angel sung,

Wbo scorn'd my virgin-bloom:
Manna melting from bis tongue,

And me-alas! they suit not me,
Attemper'd to Cecilia's golden lyre:

Uniess to deck my tomy.
The, blended pow'rs of harmony
Trembled up the willing sky,

“ How oft the drar perfidious youth And mingled with the seraph’s flaming quire.

Invok'd each pow'r above!

How oft be languish'd at iny feet,
CHORUS.

Aud vow'd eternal love!
How swcet the music, how divine,

“ How sweet the minutes danc'd away,
When Heaven and Earth in consort join!

All melted in delight!
O sweet the music! O divine !

With him each summer-day was short,
AIR VII.

And shurt each winter-night.
Skill'd the softest notes to sing,
Skill'd to wake the sweetest string,

“ 'Twas more than bliss I felt:—and now
Dear lanthe both supplies :

Alas! 'tis more than pain. -
Thee, Cecilia, thee we find

Ye soft, ye rosy hours of love,
In her form and in her mind,

Return-return again.
The angel in her voice and eyes!:

“ Ah no.- Let blackness shade the night,
CHORUS.

When first he breath'd his vows:
Happy, O beyond expressing!

The scene of pleasure then--but, ah!
He who tastes th’immortal blessing

The source of all my woes.
Dear lanthe may bestow!

“ How cou'd I think so sweet a tongue
Beauty in its pride possessing,
Ever loving and caressing,

Cou'd e'er consent to lye?-
Music movin,

'Twas easy to deceive a maid
Bliss improving!

So soft and young as I.
He'll enjoy a heav'n below!
Happy he; beyond expressing?

“ And yet he lays the fault-on me,

(Where none cou'd e'er be laid, Unless my loving him too well)

And calis me perjur'd maid.