No More Learning

Stand back ye seas, and shrunk, beneath the veil
Of your abyss, with covered head bewail
Your monarch : we demand not your supplier
To compass-in our isle, — our tears suffice,
Since him away the dismal tempest rent,
Who once more joined us to the continent ;
11



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162 THE POEMS

Who planted England on the Flanderic shore,
And stretched our frontier to the Indian ore ;
Whose greater truths obscure the fables old,
Whether of British saints or worthies told.
And in a valour lessening Arthur^s deeds,
For holiness the Confessor exceeds.

He first put arms into Religion's hand,
And timorous conscience unto courage manned ;
The soldier taught that inward mail to wear.
And fearing God, how they should nothing

fear ;
Those strokes, he said, will pierce through all

below.
Where those that strike from Heaven fetch their

blow.
Astonished armies did their flight prepare,
And cities strong were stormed by his prayer ;
Of that forever Preston^s field shall tell
The story, and impregnable Clonmel,
And where the sandy mountain Fenwick scaled,
The sea between, yet hence his prayer prevailed.
What man was ever so in Heaven obeyed
Since the coraraanded sun o*er Gibeon stayed ?
In all his wars needs must he triumph, when
He coFujuered God, still ere he fought with men :
Hence, though in battle none so brave or fierce,
Yet him the adverse steel could never pierce ;
Pity it s( tijied to hurt him more, that felt
Each wuuikI himself which he to others dealt.



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OP MARVEL L. 163

Danger itself refusing to offend

So loose an enemy, so fast a friend.

Friendship, that sacred virtue, long does daim

The first foundation of his house and name :

But within one its narrow limits fall,

His tenderness extended unto all,

And that deep soul through every channel flows,

Where kindly Nature loves itself to lose.

More strong affections never reason served,

Yet still affected most what best deserved.

If he Eliza loved to that degree,

(Though who more worthy to be loved than

she? )
If so^ indulgent to his own, how dear
To him the children of the Highest were !
For her he once did Nature's tribute pay ;
For these his life adventured every day ;
And 'twould be found, could we his thoughts have

cast,
Their griefs struck deepest, if Eliza's last.
What prudence more than human did he need
To keep so dear, so differing minds agreed ?
The worser sort, so conscious of their ill,
Lie weak and easy to the ruler's will ;
But to the good (too many or too few)
All law is useless, all reward is due.
Oh ! ill-advised, if not for love, for shame,
Sparc yet your own, if you neglect his fame ;
Lest oihei-s dare to think your zeal a mask,
And you to govern only Heaven's task.



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164 THE POEMS

Valour, Religion, Friendship, Prudence died
At once with him, and all that's good beside ;
And we, Death's refuge, Nature's dregs, confined
To loathsome life, alas ! are left behind.
Where we (so once we used) shall now no more,
To fetch day, press about his chamber-door,
From which he issued with that awful state,
It seemed Mars broke through Janus' double

gate.
Yet always tempered with an air so mild.
No April suns that e'er so gently smiled ;
No more shall hear that powerful language

charm,
Whose force oft spared the labour of bis arm ;
No more sliall follow where he spent the days
In war, in counsel, or in prayer and praise,
Whose meanest acts he would himvSelf advance.
As ungirt David to the ark did dance.
All, all is gone of oui*s or his delight
In horses fierce, wild deer, or armour bright
Francisca fair can nothing now but weep.
Nor with soft notes shall sing his cares asleep.

I saw him dead: a leaden slumber lies.
And mortal sleep over those wakeful eyes ;
Those gentle rays under the lids were fled.
Which through his looks that piercing sweetness

siied ;
That port, vvliich so majestic was and strong.
Loose, and deprived of vigour, stretched along j



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OF MARVRLL.