FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89  
90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   >>   >|  
ure by a prelate[3] raised, Whitehall, Built with the fortune of Rome's capitol; Both, disproportion'd to the present state Of their proud founders, were approved by Fate. 90 From hence he does that antique pile[4] behold, Where royal heads receive the sacred gold; It gives them crowns, and does their ashes keep; There made like gods, like mortals there they sleep; Making the circle of their reign complete, Those suns of empire! where they rise, they set. When others fell, this, standing, did presage The crown should triumph over popular rage; Hard by that House,[5] where all our ills were shaped, Th' auspicious temple stood, and yet escaped. 100 So snow on Aetna does unmelted lie, Whence rolling flames and scatter'd cinders fly; The distant country in the ruin shares; What falls from heaven the burning mountain spares. Next, that capacious Hall[6] he sees, the room Where the whole nation does for justice come; Under whose large roof flourishes the gown, And judges grave, on high tribunals, frown. Here, like the people's pastor he does go, His flock subjected to his view below; 110 On which reflecting in his mighty mind, No private passion does indulgence find; The pleasures of his youth suspended are, And made a sacrifice to public care. Here, free from court compliances, he walks, And with himself, his best adviser, talks; How peaceful olives may his temples shade, For mending laws, and for restoring trade; Or, how his brows may be with laurel charged, For nations conquer'd and our bounds enlarged. 120 Of ancient prudence here he ruminates, Of rising kingdoms, and of falling states; What ruling arts gave great Augustus fame, And how Alcides purchased such a name. His eyes, upon his native palace[7] bent, Close by, suggest a greater argument. His thoughts rise higher, when he does reflect On what the world may from that star expect Which at his birth appear'd,[8] to let us see Day, for his sake, could with the night agree; 130 A prince, on whom such diff'rent lights did smile, Born the divided world to reconcile! Whatever Heaven, or high extracted blood Could promise, or foretell, he will make good; Reform these nations, and improve them more, Than this fair park, from what it was before. [1] See 'Macaulay.' [2] Pall Mall derived its name from a particular game at bowls, in which
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89  
90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

nations

 

ruminates

 

kingdoms

 

rising

 
ruling
 

Alcides

 

purchased

 

Augustus

 

states

 

prudence


falling
 

adviser

 
peaceful
 
compliances
 

suspended

 

sacrifice

 
public
 

olives

 
temples
 
charged

laurel

 

conquer

 

bounds

 

enlarged

 
mending
 
restoring
 

native

 

ancient

 

expect

 

Reform


improve

 
foretell
 

promise

 

Whatever

 

reconcile

 
Heaven
 

extracted

 

derived

 
Macaulay
 

divided


reflect

 

higher

 

thoughts

 
suggest
 

argument

 

greater

 

prince

 

lights

 

palace

 

people