Classic Poem

Ode

(1)

Great Thou ! whom 'tis a crime almost to dare to praise;
Whose firm, establisht and unshaken glories stand,
And proudly their own fame command,
Above our pow'r to lessen, or to raise,
And all, but the few heirs of thy brave Genius and thy Bays:
Hail mighty Founder of our Stage! for so I dare
Entitle thee, nor any modern censures fear,
Nor care what thy unjust detractors say:
They'll say perhaps that others did materials bring,
That others did the first foundations lay;
And glorious 'twas (we grant) but to begin:
But thou alone could'st finish the Design,
All the fair Model and the workmanship was thine.
Some bold Advent'rers might have bin before,
Who durst the unknown world explore:
By them it was survey'd at distant view,
And here and there a Cape and Line they drew
Which only serv'd as hints and marks to thee,
Who wast resersv'd to make the full Discovery.
Art's Compass to thy painfull search we ow,
Whereby thou wentst so far, and we may after go;
By that we may Wit's vast and trackless Ocean try,
Content no longer as before
Dully to coast along the shore,
But steer a course more unconfin'd and free,
Beyond the narrow bounds, that pent Antiquity.