"Friendship itself ne'er knew a charm like this, “Nor Colin's talk could please like Delia's kiss. "Ye Muses skill'd in ev'ry winning art,
"Teach me more deeply to engage her heart : "Ye Nymphs! to her your freshest roses bring, 55 "And crown her with the pride of all the spring; "On all her days let health and peace attend;
May she ne'er want nor ever lose a friend! "May some new pleasure ev'ry hour employ, "But let her Damon be her highest joy!
"With thee my Love! for ever will I stay, "All night caress thee and admire all day; "In the same field our mingled flocks we'll feed, "To the same spring our thirsty heifers lead; "Together will we share the harvest toils, "Together press the vine's autumnal spoils. "Delightful state! where Peace and Love combine "To bid our tranquil days unclouded shine! "Here limpid fountains roll thro' flow'ry meads, "Here rising forests lift their verdant heads, "Here let me wear my careless life away, "And in thy arms insensibly decay.
"When late old age our heads shall silver o'er, "And our slow pulses dance with joy no more, "When Time no longer will thy beauties spare, 75 "And only Damon's eye shall think thee fair, "Then may the gentle hand of welcome Death "At one soft stroke deprive us both of breath! May we beneath one common stone be laid, "And the same cypress both our ashes shade! 80
"Perhaps some friendly Muse in tender verse "Shall deign our faithful passion to rehearse, "And future ages with just envy mov'd "Be told how Damon and his Delia lov'd."
WRITTEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, In the Year 1727.
PARENT of Arts! whose skilful hand first taught The tow'ring pile to rise, and form'd the plan With fair proportion, Architect divine! Minerva! thee to my advent'rous lyre Assistant I invoke, that means to sing Blenheim, proud monument of British fame, Thy glorious work! for thou the lofty tow'rs Didst to his virtue raise whom oft' thy shield In peril guarded, and thy wisdom steer'd Thro' all the storms of war.-Thee too I call Thalia! sylvan Muse, who lov'st to rove Along the shady paths and verdant bow'rs Of Woodstock's happy grove, there tuning sweet Thy rural pipe while all the Dryad train Attentive listen, let thy warbling song Paint with melodious praise the pleasing scene, And equal these to Pindus' honour'd shades.
When Europe freed confess'd the saving pow'r Of Marlb'rough's hand, Britain, who sent him forth
Chief of confed'rate hosts to fight the cause Of Liberty and Justice, grateful rais'd This palace, sacred to her leader's fame ; A trophy of success with spoils adorn'd Of conquer'd towns, and glorying in the name Of that auspicious field where Churchill's sword 25 Vanquish'd the might of Gallia, and chastis'd Rebel Bavar.-Majestick in its strength Stands the proud dome, and speaks its great design. Hail, happy Chief! whose valour could deserve Reward so glorious! grateful Nation hail! Who paidst his service with so rich a meed? Which most shall I admire, which worthiest praise, The hero or the people? Honour doubts, And weighs their virtues in an equal scale. Not thus Germania pays th' uncancell'd debt 35 Of Gratitude to us.-Blush Cæsar! blush,
When thou beholdst these tow`rs, Ingrate! to thee A monument of shame! Canst thou forget Whence they are nam'd, and what an English arm Did for thy throne that day? but we disdain Or to upbraid or imitate thy guilt.
Steel thy obdurate heart against the sense Of obligation infinite, and know
Britain, like Heav'n, protects a thankless world For her own glory, nor expects reward.
Pleas'd with the noble theme her task the Muse Pursues untir'd, and thro' the palace roves With ever-new delight. The tap'stry rich With gold, and gay with all the beauteous paint
Of various colour'd silks, dispos'd with skill Attracts her curious eye. Here Ister rolls
His purple wave, and there the Granick flood With passing squadrons foams; here hardy Gaul Flies from the sword of Britain, there to Greece Effeminate Persia yields.-In arms oppos'd 55 Marlb'rough and Alexander vie for fame With glorious competition, equal both In valour and in fortune; but their praise Be diff'rent, for with diff'rent views they fought, This to subdue and that to free mankind.
Now thro' the stately portals issuing forth The Muse to softer glories turns, and seeks The woodland shade delighted. Not the vale Of Tempe, fam'd in song, or Ida's grove, Such beauty boasts. Amid the mazy gloom Of this romantic wilderness once stood The bow'r of Rosamonda, hapless fair! Sacred to grief and Love: the crystal fount In which she us'd to bathe her beauteous limbs Still warbling flows, pleas'd to reflect the face Of Spenser, lovely maid! when tir'd she sits Beside its flow'ry brink, and views those charms Which only Rosamond could once excel. But see where flowing with a nobler stream A limpid lake of purest waters rolls
Beneath the wide-stretch'd arch, stupendous work! Thro' which the Danube might collected pour His spacious urn: silent a while and smooth The current glides, till with an headlong force
Broke and disorder'd down the steep it falls In loud cascades; the silver-sparkling foam Glitters relucent in the dancing ray. In these retreats repos'd the mighty soul Of Churchill, from the toils of war and state Splendidly private, and the tranquil joy
Of Contemplation felt, while Blenheim's dome Triumphal ever in his mind renew'd
The mem'ry of his fame, and sooth'd his thoughts With pleasing record of his glorious deeds. So by the rage of Faction home recall'd Lucullus, while he wag'd successful war Against the pride of Asia and the pow'r Of Mithridates, whose aspiring mind No losses could subdue, enrich'd with spoils Of conquer'd nations back return'd to Rome, And in magnificent retirement past But not alone
Th'ev'ning of his life.
In the calm shades of honourable ease
Great Marlb'rough peaceful dwelt; indulgent Heav'n Gave a companion to his softer hours, With whom conversing he forgot all change Of fortune or of state, and in her mind Found greatness equal to his own, and lov'd Himself in her.Thus each by each admir'd In mutual honour mutual fondness join'd; Like two fair stars with intermingled light In friendly union they together shone, Aiding each other's brightness, till the cloud Of night eternal quench'd the beams of one.
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