An ODE . TO THE People of GREAT BRITAIN . In Imitation of the Sixth ODE of the Third Book of HORACE . Written in 1746. I. BRITON ! the thunder of the wrath divine , Due to thy fathers crimes , and long with-held from thine , Shall burst with tenfold rage on thy devoted head ; Unless with conscious terrors aw'd , By meek , heart-struck repentance led , Suppliant thou fall before th' offended God : If haply yet thou may'st avert his ire ; And stay his arm out-stretch'd to launce the avenging fire . II . Did not high God of old ordain , When to thy grasp he gave the scepter of the main , That empire in this favour'd land , Fix'd on religion's solid base should stand ? When from thy struggling neck he broke Th' inglorious , galling , papal yoke , Humbled the pride of haughty Spain , And free'd thee by a woman-hero's hand ; He then confirm'd the strong degree : " Briton , be virtuous and be free ; " Be truth , be sanctity thy guide : " Be humble : fear thy God ; and fear thou none beside . " III . Oft has th' offended Pow'r his rising anger shown : Led on by his avenging hand Rebellion triumphs in the land : Twice have her barbarous sons our war-train'd hosts o'erthrown . They fell a cheap inglorious prey ; Th' ambitious victor's boast was half supprest , While heav'n-bred fear , and wild dismay , Unman'd the warrior's heart , and reign'd in every breast . IV . Her arms to foreign lands Britannia bore ; Her arms , auspicious now no more ! With frequent conquests where the fires were crown'd ; The sons ill-fated fell , and bit the hostile ground : The tame , war-trading Belgian fled , While in his cause the Briton bled : The Gaul stood wond'ring at his own success ; Oft did his hardiest bands their wonted fears confess , Struck with dismay , and meditating flight ; While the brave foe still urg'd th' unequal fight , While WILLIAM , with his Father's ardour fir'd , Through all th' undaunted host the generous flame inspir'd ! V. But heavier far the weight of shame That sunk Britannia's naval fame : In vain she spreads her once-victorious sails ; Or fear , or rashness ; in her chiefs prevails ; And wildly these prevent , those basely shun the fight ; Content with humble praise , the foe Avoids the long impending blow ; Improves the kind escape , and triumphs in his flight . VI . The monstrous age , which still increasing years debase , Which teems with unknown crimes , and genders new disgrace , First , unrestrained by honour , faith ; or shame , Confounding every sacred name , The hallow'd nuptial bed with lawless lust profan'd : Deriv'd from this polluted source The dire corruption held its course Through the whole canker'd race , and tainted all the land . VII . The rip'ning maid is vers'd in every dangerous art , That ill adorns the form while it corrupts the heart : Practis'd to dress , to dance , to play , In wanton mask to lead the way , To move the pliant limbs , to roll the luring eye ; With folly's gayest partizans to vye In empty noise and vain expence ; To celebrate with flaunting air The midnight revels of the fair ; Studious of ev'ry praise , but virtue , truth , and sense . VIII . Thus lesson'd in intrigue her early thought improves , Nor meditates in vain forbidden loves : Soon the gay nymph in Cyprus' train shall rove Free and at large amidst th' Idalian grove ; Or haply jealous of the voice of fame , Mask'd in the matron's sober name , With many a well-dissembled wile The kind , convenient husband's care beguile : More deeply vers'd in Venus' mystic lore , Yet for such meaner arts too lofty and sublime , The proud , high-born , patrician whore , Bears unabash'd her front ; and glories in her crime . IX . Hither from city and from court The votaries of love resort ; The rich , the great , the gay , and the severe ; The pension'd architect of laws ; The patriot , loud in virtue's cause ; Proud of imputed worth , the peer : Regardless of his faith , his country , or his name , He pawns his honour and estate ; Nor reckons at how dear a rate He purchases disease , and servitude , and shame . X. Not from such dastard sires , to every virtue lost , Sprung the brave youth which Britain once could boast : Who curb'd the Gaul's usurping sway , Who swept th' unnumber'd hosts away , In Agincourt , and Cressy's glorious plain ; Who dy'd the seas with Spanish blood , Their vainly-vaunted fleets subdu'd , And spread the mighty wreck o'er all the vanquish'd main . XI . No ; — 'twas a generous race , by worth transmissive known : In their bold breast their fathers spirit glow'd : In their pure veins their mothers virtue flow'd : They made hereditary praise their own . The sire his emulous offspring led The rougher paths of fame to tread ; The matron train'd their spotless youth In honour , sanctity , and truth ; Form'd by th' united parents care , The sons , tho' bold , were wise ; the daughters chaste , tho' fair . XII . How Time , all-wasting , ev'n the worst impairs , And each foul age to dregs still fouler runs ! Our sires , more vicious ev'n than theirs , Left us , still more degenerate heirs , To spawn a baser brood of monster-breeding sons .