Classic Poem

The Minister that's Brave and Just ,
True to his King's and Country's Trust,
Defies the Tyrant Faction ;
Howe'er its many Heads may stare,
Grown dreadful with a Gorgon Air
Of general Distraction .

Not threatning B — — d who commands
The restless City's furious Bands,
And brandishes her Dagger ;
Not thundring P — — y , tho' he awes
The S — n — te to desert his Cause,
His steady Soul can stagger.

Th' impending Storm, that louder grows
From shrinking Friends, and swelling Foes,
Intrepidly he faces:
Untouch'd with Guilt, he knows no Fears,
And only Greater yet appears
Divested of his Places.

Thus S OMERS , for great Service done,
Thus M ARLBOROUGH , for Realms o'er run,
Were by their Country treated;
Who now quaff Nectar 's flowing Tide,
With just G ODOLPHIN by their Side,
Celestially seated.

Thus our great Founder W ILLIAM rose,
By Opposition of his Foes,
To his Immortal Glory:
Thus our brave G EORGE advanced to Fame,
And still shall have Old Steady's Name
In everlasting Story.

G EORGE thus address'd his Brother Gods,
Assembled in their blest Abodes,
And B RITAIN'S Fate debating:
Long have the S — — s ceas'd to reign,
Since J — 's Priests and foreign Queen
Drove on his Abdicating .

Soon as he from the Church withdrew
His Grace by solemn Promise due
And broke all Limitation,
His forfeit Crown by just Decree
Was doom'd to W ILLIAM and to M E ,
To save a sinking Nation.

The Bigot King shall now no more
Hold Commerce with R OME'S Scarlet Whore ,
And back her Superstition;
No more shall S — — 's perjur'd House
B RITAIN'S Credulity abuse,
While plotting her Perdition.

But Foes subdued my Pity meet,
W ILLIAM 's fam'd B OYNE gave one Defeat,
And my D UNBLAIN another:
My Coward Cousin now I own,
Since S COTLAND proves him J — 's Son,
Whoever was his Mother.

Nay, Frauds forgotten, I'm content
He should be rank'd in right Descent:
Let but the British Ocean
Still rore between his Sons and mine,
And let the Royal Exiles reign,
Where they can find Promotion.

Since Tyranny has met its Fate,
And Liberty in Church and State
Now triumphs o'er its ruin;
B RITAIN shall stand most truly Great ,
And see her Foes bow at her Feet,
For Peace most humbly suing.

Her Fleets shall all around proclame
To distant Shores her dreaded Name,
In Peals of British Thunder:
Cross from the Old World to the New
Their Sails shall fly, her Fame pursue,
And fill both Worlds with wonder.

Nor shall she seek for Golden Mines ,
That base Allay to grand Designs,
That stain to the victorious:
Shou'd Heroes, after Actions bold,
Turn Misers, and now thirst for Gold,
How must they fall inglorious!

No Bounds shall check her conqu'ring Arms,
Whenever a just Cause alarms,
And Wrongs are to be righted:
Nor scorching Suns, nor freezing Poles
Shall bar my Britons daring Souls,
When once to War excited.

But these great Things, that I relate,
Can only be her glorious Fate,
On this express Condition;
That with false Zeal no more she burns,
No more to S — — 's Race returns,
And Papal Imposition.

To raise again that hated Line,
Shou'd e'er a factious People join,
Grown Mad with too much Freedom;
Again my Pow'rs shall take the Field,
Again the Coward Chiefs shall yield,
And Sword or Ax shall bleed 'em.

Thrice shou'd Rebellion rear her Head,
With Front of Brass, but Heart of Lead,
Still bent upon Restoring ;
Before my Sons thrice shall she fly,
Thrice at their Feet in vain shall lie
Wives for their Lords imploring.

Non hoc jocosae conveniet lyrae:
Quo Musa tendis? define pervicax
Referre sermones Deorum, &
Magna modis tenuare parvis.

But whither wou'd my Muse aspire?
Forbear to tune the merry Lyre
To Themes past thy attaining:
For to attempt, in humble Odes,
The Acts of Heroes, Speech of G ODS ,
At best is but profaning .