A Poem on Her MAJESTY's Birth-Day. Stephen Duck Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T90234 K073280.000 Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756. Poems on several occasions: By Stephen Duck. London printed for the author 1736 pp. 249-252. xl,334,[2]p. ; 4⁰.

This e-text is part of the Works section of the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA).

XML created for the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA).

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 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.

Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center; text-align: right; text-align: left; display: inline font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;
A Poem on Her MAJESTY's Birth-Day . O You , the MONARCH's Bliss , the Muse's Friend ! Accept the Tribute Duty bids me send : 'Tis what the Bard should long before have paid ; But fearful to aspire , has long delay'd . PHOEBUS alone can PHOEBUS' Chariot guide ; The Youth who dar'd to drive it , daring , dy'd . My humble Muse can humble Subjects treat ; But trembles to attempt a Theme so great : Yet , warm with Gratitude , would fain display Her Zeal to You , on this auspicious Day . To You ! whose gracious Goodness plumes her Wings , By whom she lives , by whom inspir'd , she sings : Long may she celebrate your sacred BIRTH ; Long may You stay from Heav'n , to bless the Earth ; To chear the Royal Sov'reign of our ISLE ; Increase his Joys , or soften all his Toil ; Who now , while Death in purple Triumph reigns , And sanguine Floods pollute the distant Plains ; Watchful o'er Britain's Fate , employs his Care , Or wisely to avert , or bravely meet the War . O glorious QUEEN ! by Nature form'd to bring The sweetest Comfort to the justest KING ! Let proud Oppressors , who abuse their Pow'r , Hear groaning Subjects curse their natal Hour : You , on that happy Hour , may justly feast Your Soul with Thoughts of making Thousands blest ; Whose godlike Bounties , to the Wretched , show , You're only pow'rful to relieve their Woe . WHAT tho' the Muse old Annals should explore , Mark all our Queens , and trace their Virtues o'er ? Where could she find so much exalted Sense , Nobly employ'd , like yours , in Truth's Defense ? You strive to make the Seeds of Virtue grow , To spread the Light , which Heav'n reveal'd below : Yet , free from superstitious Zeal , incline To make the Rays of Moral Goodness shine ; Supporting those , who , firm to Truth , defend That first fix'd Law , on which all Laws depend . BENEATH your Influence , Art and Science rear Their sacred Heads , and flourish by your Care : This Truth let Oxford's pompous Dome proclaim , Which boasts the Honour of a Queen's College . Royal Name . Lately your Bard survey'd the graceful Scene , Rising with Bounties of a gen'rous QUEEN ! O ! had the Muse there fledg'd her infant Wing , And early tasted of that learned Spring ; She then had soar'd in more heroic Lays , In more majestic Numbers sung your Praise ; But fearful now , must quit the glorious Theme , Must leave the Architect to speak your Fame : His Art shall there another Athens shew , And there another Guardian PALLAS You .