[Page 314]

An EPISTLE, Desiring the Queen's Picture.

Written at Paris, 1714. But left unfinish'd by the sudden News of Her Majesty's Death.

1 The Train of Equipage and Pomp of State,
2 The shining Side-board, and the burnish'd Plate
3 Let other Ministers, Great Anne, require;
4 And partial fall Thy Gift to their Desire.
5 To the fair Portrait of my Sov'reign Dame,
6 To That alone, eternal be my Claim.
7 My bright Defender, and my dread Delight,
8 If ever I found Favor in Thy Sight;
9 If all the Pains that for Thy Britain's Sake
10 My past has took, or future Life may take,
11 Be grateful to my Queen; permit my Pray'r,
12 And with This Gift reward my total Care.
13 Will Thy indulgent Hand, fair Saint, allow
14 The Boon? and will Thy Ear accept the Vow?
15 That in despight of Age, of impious Flame,
16 And eating Time, Thy Picture like Thy Fame
17 Entire may last; that as their Eyes survey
18 The semblant Shade, Men yet unborn may say;
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19 Thus Great, thus Gracious look'd Britannia's Queen;
20 Her Brow thus smooth, Her Look was thus serene;
21 When to a Low, but to a Loyal Hand
22 The mighty Empress gave Her high Command,
23 That He to Hostile Camps, and Kings shou'd haste,
24 To speak Her Vengeance as Their Danger past;
25 To say, She Wills detested Wars to cease;
26 She checks Her Conquest, for Her Subjects Ease;
27 And bids the World attend Her Terms of Peace.
28 Thee, Gracious Anne, Thee present I adore,
29 Thee, Queen of Peace If Time and Fate have Pow'r
30 Higher to raise the Glories of thy Reign;
31 In Words sublimer, and a nobler Strain,
32 May future Bards the mighty Theme rehearse.
33 Here, Stator Jove, and Phoebus King of Verse,
34 The Votive Tablet I suspend ****

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Title (in Source Edition): An EPISTLE, Desiring the Queen's Picture. Written at Paris, 1714. But left unfinish'd by the sudden News of Her Majesty's Death.
Author: Matthew Prior
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Genres: epistle

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Prior, Matthew, 1664-1721. Poems on Several Occasions [English poems only]. London: Printed for JACOB TONSON at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, and JOHN BARBER upon Lambeth-Hill. MDCCXVIII., 1718, pp. 314-315. [42],506,[6]p.: ill.; 2°. (ESTC T075639) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [H 6.8 Art.].)

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