Classic Poem

To my learned friend, Mr. T. Powell , upon His Translation of Malvezzi's Christian Politician .

Wee thank you, worthy Sir, that now we see
Malvezzi languag'd like our Infancie,
And can without suspition entertain
This forraign States man to our brest or brain,
You have enlarg'd his praise, and from your store
By this Edition made his worth the more.
Thus by your learned hand (amidst the Coile )
Outlandish plants thrive in our thankless soile,
And wise men after death, by a strange fate,
Lye Leiguer here, and beg to serve our State
Italy now, though Mistris of the Bayes ,
Waits on this Wreath , proud of a forraign praise,
For, wise Malvezzi , thou didst lye before
Confin'd within the language of one shore,
And like those Stars which neer the Poles doe steer
Wer't but in one part of the Globe seen cleer,
Provence and Naples were the best and most
Thou couldst shine in, fixt to that single Coast,
Perhaps some Cardinal to be thought wise
And honest too, would ask, what was thy price ?
Then thou must pack to Rome , where thou mightst lye
E'r thou shouldst have new cloathes eternally,
For though so neer the seav'n hills , ne'rthelesse
Thou cam'st to Antwerp for thy Roman dresse;
But now thou art come hither, thou mayst run
Through any Clime as well known as the Sun ,
And in thy sev'rall dresses like the year
Challenge acquaintance with each peopled Sphere.
Come then rare Politicians of the time,
Brains of some standing, Elders in our Clime,
See here the method: A wise, solid state
Is quick in acting, friendly in debate,
Ioynt in advice, in resolutions just,
Mild in successe, true to the Common trust.
It cements ruptures, and by gentle hand
Allayes the heat and burnings of a land,
Religion guides it, and in all the Tract
Designes so twist, that heav'n confirms the act;
If from these lists you wander as you steere,
Look back, and Catechise your actions here,
These are the Marks to which true States-men tend,
And grcatness here with goodness hath one End.