[Page 186]

VERSES to the Author, In IMITATION of HORACE's ODE on PINDAR.

By a DIVINE.

Apply'd to the Marriage of his Highness the Prince of Orange with ANNE, Princess Royal of Great Britain.

1 WHO hopes to rival MILTON's Flame,
2 With waxen Pinions fondly flies;
3 His Fall will give the Sea a Name,
4 While he attempts to reach the Skies.
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5 MILTON is like a Flood, whose Tide,
6 Swell'd with tempestuous Deluge, roars;
7 Which from some lofty Mountain's Side
8 Resistless foams, and knows no Shores.
9 With sacred Laurels justly crown'd,
10 Whether, in bold, unfetter'd Strains,
11 His tow'ring Muse the common Bound,
12 Superior to all Rhyme, disdains;
13 Whether the Realms of endless Day
14 He fill with Wars, and rude Alarms;
15 Or set, in terrible Array,
16 Seraphic Legions, clad in Arms.
17 Aloft, with all their Forests, thrown
18 See Hills, from their Foundations raz'd!
19 See Angels hurl'd with Vengeance down,
20 When the MESSIAH's Standard blaz'd!
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21 Or leads he to connubial Bow'rs
22 The new-form'd Pair? The teeming Ground
23 Smiles with a Wilderness of Flow'rs,
24 Diffusing Gales of Fragrance round.
25 Lo! ADAM, with majestic Mien,
26 For Empire and Command design'd!
27 Consummate Beauty crowns his Queen,
28 With Dignity and Sweetness join'd.
29 While he the charming Scene displays,
30 Where Innocence and Pleasure reign'd;
31 Delighted with his sacred Lays,
32 We hear it lost, and feel it gain'd.
33 His Lays, inimitably fine,
34 With Ecstasy each Passion move,
35 When loud they trumpet War divine,
36 Or softly warble human Love.
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37 O STEPHEN! this Britannic Swan
38 Surmounts the Clouds with noble Flight,
39 While I, at Distance, only can
40 Admire him less'ning to the Sight.
41 As the poor Bee, with endless Toil,
42 To suck the Thyme, and blooming Rose,
43 Skims over Richmond's fragrant Soil,
44 Thus I with pleasing Pain compose.
45 You, with a happy Genius blest,
46 In bolder Strains shall NASSAU sing,
47 When ANNA, by the Graces drest,
48 He to the Nuptial Dome shall bring:
49 ANNA, enrich'd with various Charms
50 By the indulgent Care of Heav'n;
51 Than whom, into his longing Arms,
52 No greater Treasure can be giv'n.
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53 Not, tho' with Riches of the East,
54 At his Command, the Ganges flow;
55 Tho', with full Empire, he possess'd
56 Whate'er Ambition wish'd below.
57 Ye NEREIDS, with propitious Gales
58 The gilded Vessel kindly aid;
59 Let CUPIDS fan the swelling Sails,
60 And waft him to the Royal Maid.
61
* This was written before the Prince came to England.
When THAMES, with floating Forests crown'd,
62 LEANDER safe arriv'd proclaims,
63 And of tumultuous Joy the Sound
64 Shall bid AUGUSTA rise in Flames;
65 Loud Thunder, bursting from her Tow'rs,
66 Shall signalize the sacred Day;
67 And Transport to the Belgic Shores,
68 For Blessings which they lent, convey.
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69 Around while Hymeneals ring,
70 My Voice to highest Pitch I'll raise;
71 Thrice happy, if I can but sing
72 An humble Ode to NASSAU's Praise.
73 You, soaring in Heroic Verse,
74 By native Strength of Wing upborn,
75 His godlike Virtues shall rehearse,
76 And Beauties, which the Bride adorn.
77 He, in your Lays, shall finish'd rise,
78 For Council, or th'embattled Field;
79 Immortals the contested Prize
80 To her superior Charms shall yield.
81 Then, ravish'd with prophetic Views,
82 Succeeding Glories shall presage;
83 And, from the Genial Bed, the Muse
84 Raise Princes, to improve the Age:
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85 Who, bravely prodigal of Blood,
86 Shall prove, that to set free Mankind,
87 And conquer for the Public Good,
88 The Race of NASSAU was design'd.
89 Thus great ALCIDES (Poets feign)
90 By Labours gain'd the Seats above;
91 Countries preserv'd, and Monsters slain,
92 Assert the genuine Son of JOVE.

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Title (in Source Edition): VERSES to the Author, In IMITATION of HORACE's ODE on PINDAR. Apply'd to the Marriage of his Highness the Prince of Orange with ANNE, Princess Royal of Great Britain.
Author: Stephen Duck
Themes: marriage
Genres: occasional poem; imitation

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Source edition

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756. Poems on several occasions: By Stephen Duck. London: printed for the author, 1736, pp. 186-192. xl,334,[2]p. ; 4⁰. (ESTC T90234; OTA K073280.000)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Other works by Stephen Duck