VERSES ON MRS. BILLINGTON'S APPEARANCE AT OXFORD. TO THOMAS BARRETT LENNARD, ESQ. George Monck Berkeley Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T142950 K111746.000 Berkeley, George Monck, 1763-1793. Poems: by the late George-Monck Berkeley, Esq. ... With a preface by the editor, consisting of some anecdotes of Mr. Monck Berkeley and several of his friends. London printed by J. Nichols; and sold by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; Mr. Edwards; Mr. Cooke, Oxford; Mr. Todd, York; Messrs. Simmons and Co.; Messrs. Flackton, Marrable, and Claris; and Mr. Bristow, Canterbury 1797 pp. 51-53. viii,DCXXXII,212p.,plate: port.; 4⁰.

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VERSES ON MRS. BILLINGTON'S APPEARANCE AT OXFORD . TO THOMAS BARRETT LENNARD , ESQ . IN ages past the sweetly-flowing strain , By Orpheus pour'd along the verdant plain , Disarm'd the tiger's fierce relentless rage , And could the lion's horrid wrath asswage : Secure from harm amidst the bloody throng , The love-lorn bard attun'd his plaintive song . Next old Amphion prov'd the pow'r of sound , And bade his walls defenceless Thebes surround . Such were the wond'rous feats of former days , And such the force of long-forgotten lays . Though now at Musick's voice no ramparts rise , No lion fell in magic thraldom lies , Yet still its sweet resistless pow'r remains , We feel its force in living vocal strains . For , hark ! how worthy of Apollo's praise , Eliza tunes her softly-thrilling lays ! And whilst full many a proud aspiring fane In echo sweet prolongs the cheerful strain , Behold , forth issuing from the portals wide , Display'd in many a long and sable tide , The letter'd sons of holy science come , By music lur'd to quit that peaceful home , Where tranquil pleasures crown the passing hour , And Wisdom dwells unaw'd by tyrant power . Behold how round Apollo's shrine they throng , And list enraptur'd to the swelling song . But mark ! — Swift passing through the buoyant air Yon gloried car a nobler tribute bear ! See Handel , source of sweet majestic strains , Direct his flight to these his favourite plains . Behold him now with mute attention pause , Now join , with rapture bright , the just applause . Since Handel then approves the lovely dame , And stamps his fiat on her lasting fame , From lov'd Parnassus' height desced , ye Nine , And round her brows your brightest laurels twine .