Who late in borrow'd characters have stood
Before thy fage tribunal, to prefer
The claims of valour, wealth, nobility,
And those foft fpecious flatt'rers, who beneath
The rofy wreath of pleasure and of love
Conceal the fickly and disgustful brow
Of riot and debauch, and often win
From weak unmanly princes the rich prize
To virtue due and wisdom, not to these
The cankers of a ftate; but least of all
Due to that traytor of his king and country,
Who lab'ring to build up the regal throne
Beyond its due proportion, and the strength
Of those foundations which the laws have laid,
O'erwhelms the people, and at once o'erturns
His royal master, places him at best
On an uneafy tott'ring pinnacle,
The mark of execration and reproach.
These claims haft thou rejected; like a king
Discerning in mankind, and knowing well
The value of his favours: like a king
Deferving the high office of the judge
And arbiter of Europe: like a king
Equal to his great fame, and worth the care
Of those immortal spirits, who this day
Have quitted their celeftial refidence,
To view and to approve thy glorious deeds..
But, Edward, be not thou amaz'd to find
That those who lately for thy favour fu'd
Were not the perfonages they affum'd.
O king! thou art beset with counterfeits
The very oppofites to us, who seem
Far better than they are. For Flattery,
Cameleon-like, accommodates with care
To the court-hue his changeful countenance.
And when a prince is brave, magnanimous,
And high in fpirit, then Ambition wears
A face of dignity, and nothing breathes
But lofty enterprizes, conqueft, pow'r,
And schemes of glory to the fov'reign ear,
Pretending love and care for his renown
With more than duteous zeal.-Of thefe beware!
For as the Theban queen, in fables old,
Was, by the fpecious guile of fraudful Jove,
In her Amphitryon's form to guilt betray'd,
So by these counterfeits are kings feduc'd,
Ev'n in the moft belov'd fufpectlefs fhapes,
To take a traytor to their royal arms.
But thou shalt know them, Edward, by their works.
And of this truth be most affur'd, that he,
Who in his private commerce with mankind
Is mean, dishoneft, interefted, falfe,
Can ne'er be true to thee; nor can he love
His prince, who feels not for his country's good.
Thus warn'd we leave thee, mighty prince: be firm,
Be conftant in the paths of fair renown.
Think it thy duty to revere thyself
The facred laws of chivalry, the wife
Injunctions by thy order laid on all
The GARTER'D KNIGHTS; fo fhall thy fame remain
The great example of all future kings.
Farewell! for lo! the Genius of thy realm
With all his pomp attended, comes to share
And grace the glories of this fignal day.
These clouds of fragrance, that far-beaming blaze,
Of heav'nly brightness, his approach declare.
Flashes of light, and fymphony of aërial mufic. Genius of England defcends in his chariot attended by spirits and bards; then alighting, he advances towards the throne, and addreffes himself to Edward.
From the gay realms of cloudless day I come,
Where in the glitter of unnumber'd worlds,
That like to ifles of various magnitudes
Float in the ocean of unbounded space;
On my invisible aërial throne
I fit, attended with a radiant band
Of spirits immortal, whofe pure effences,
While clad in human shapes on earth they dwelt,
Through the dull clay of grofs mortality
Disclos'd their heav'nly vigour, and burst forth
In godlike virtues and heroic deeds,
Their Albion gracing with as fair a growth
Of fame, as e'er enrich'd imperial Rome.
Thence ripe for heav'n and immortality,
To me, the Genius of this happy isle,
They fly, and claim the meed of their defert,
Celestial crowns, and ever-living praise
Recorded in the fongs of heav'nly bards,
That round my throne their hymns of triumph fing, Attuning to the sweet harmonious spheres
Their undifcording lyres and voice divine.
Nor thus remov'd to heav'n, and thus employ'd
In ceaseless raptures, wont they to forget
Their native country, and the public weal,
To which on earth their labours and their lives
They once devoted; but pursuing still
The bent and habit of their fouls, with me
They watch the British empire, still intent
To check alternately th' incroaching waves
Of regal pow'r and popular liberty:
I, chief attentive near the royal throne,
Take up my watchful station, to infuse
My fage and mod'rate counsels in those ears,
Which wisdom hath prepar'd and purify'd
To relish honeft, though unpleafing truth.
Thus am I always, though invifible,
Attendant, Edward, on thy glorious deeds.
But on this folemn day have I vouchsaf'd
To manifeft my prefence; to declare,
Not in those whispers which have often spoke
Peace to thy conscious heart, but audibly
And evident to all, th' affent of heav'n
To the great business, which hath gather'd here
This troop of princes from all nations round.
Hence all may know that virtue hath a train
More bright than earthly empire can command:
Know, that thofe actions which are great and good,
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