ODE.
[]I.
'TIS May's meridian reign; yet EURUS cold
Forbids each ſhrinking thorn its leaves unfold,
Or hang with ſilver buds her rural throne;
No primroſe ſhower from her green lap ſhe throws *,
No daiſy, violet, or cowſlip blows,
And FLORA weeps her fragrant offspring gone.
Hoar froſt arreſts the genial dew;
To wake, to warble, and to woo
No Linnet calls his drooping love:
Shall then the Poet ſtrike the lyre,
When mute are all the feather'd quire,
And Nature fails to warm the Syrens of the grove?
[6]II.
He ſhall: for what the ſullen Spring denies
The orient beam of virtuous youth ſupplies;
That moral dawn be his inſpiring flame.
Beyond the dancing radiance of the Eaſt
Thy glory, Son of CHATHAM! fires his breaſt,
And, proud to celebrate thy vernal fame,
Hark, from his lyre the ſtrain aſcends,
Which but to Freedom's fav'rite friends
That lyre diſdains to ſound.
Hark and approve, as did thy Sire *
The Lays which once with kindred fire
His Muſe in Attic mood made MONA's oaks rebound.
[7]III.
Long ſilent ſince, ſave when, in KEPPEL's name,
Detraction, murd'ring Britain's naval fame,
Rous'd into ſounds of ſcorn th' indignant ſtring *.
But now, repleniſh'd with a richer theme,
The vaſe of Harmony ſhall pour its ſtream,
Fan'd by free Fancy's rainbow-tinctur'd wing.
Thy Country too ſhall hail the ſong,
Her ecchoing heart the notes prolong;
While they alone with † envy ſigh,
Whoſe rancour to thy parent dead
Aim'd, ere his funeral rites were paid,
With vain vindictive rage to ſtarve his progeny.
[8]IV.
From Earth and Theſe the Muſe averts her view,
To meet in yonder ſea of Ether blue
A beam to which the blaze of noon is pale;
In purpling circles now the glory ſpreads,
A hoſt of angels now unveil their heads,
While Heav'n's own muſic triumphs on the gale.
Ah ſee, two white-rob'd Seraphs lead
Thy Father's venerable ſhade;
He bends from yonder cloud of gold,
While they, the miniſters of light,
Bear from his breaſt a mantle bright,
And with the Heav'n-wove robe thy youthful limbs enfold.
[9]V.
"Receive this myſtic gift, my Son!" he cries,
"And, for ſo wills the Sov'reign of the ſkies,
"With this receive, at ALBION's anxious hour,
"A double portion of my patriot zeal,
"Active to ſpread the fire it dar'd to feel
"Thro' raptur'd Senates, and with awful power
"From the full fountain of the tongue
"To roll the rapid tide along
"Till a whole nation caught the flame.
"So on thy Sire ſhall Heav'n beſtow
"A bleſſing TULLY fail'd to know,
"And redolent in thee diffuſe thy Father's fame.
[10]VI.
"Nor thou, ingenuous Boy! that Fame deſpiſe
"Which lives and ſpreads abroad in Heav'n's pure eyes,
"The laſt beſt energy of noble mind *;
"Revere thy Father's ſhade; like him diſdain
"The tame, the timid, temporizing train,
"Awake to ſelf, to ſocial intereſt blind:
"Young as thou art, Occaſion calls,
"Thy Country's ſcale or mounts or falls
"As thou and thy compatriots ſtrive;
"Scarce is the fatal moment paſt
"That trembling ALBION deem'd her laſt,
"O knit the union firm, and bid an Empire live.
[11]VII.
"Proceed, and vindicate fair Freedom's claim,
"Give life, give ſtrength, give ſubſtance to her name;
"The native rights of Man with Fraud conteſt;
"Yes, ſnatch them from Corruption's baleful power,
"Who dares, in Day's broad eye, thoſe rights devour,
"While Prelates bow, and bleſs the Harpy feaſt.
"If foil'd at firſt, reſume thy courſe,
"Riſe ſtrengthen'd with Antaean force,
"So ſhall thy toil in conqueſt end.
"Let others court the tinſel things
"That hang upon the ſmile of Kings,
"Be thine the Muſe's wreath; be thou THE PEOPLE's FRIEND."
ASTON, May 11th, 1782.
FINIS.