His yellow locks curl back
themselves
to seek.
Marvell - Poems
Ages to come your conquering arms will bles. -*,
There they destroyed what had destroyed their
peace ;
And in one war the present age may bojjst,
The certain seeds of many wai's are lost.
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126 THE POEMS
All the foe's ships destroyed by sea or Hre,
Victorious Blake does from the bay retire.
His siege of Spain he then again pursues,
And there first brings of his success the news ;
The saddest news that e*er to Spain was broiijjiht,
Their rich fleet sunk, and ours with laurel fraught,
Whilst fame in every place her trumpet blows.
And tells the world how much to you it owes.
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OF MABVELL. 127
THE LOYAL SCOT.
BT CLEVELAND'S GHOST, UPON THE DEATH OF
CAPTAIN DOUOLASy WHO WAS BURNED ON HIS
SHIP AT CHATHAM.
Of the old heroes when the warlike shades
Saw Douglas marching on the Elysian glades,
They all, consulting, gathered in a ring,
Which of the poets should his welcome sing ;
And, as a favourable penance, chose
Cleveland, on whom they would that task impose.
He understood, but willingly addressed
His ready muse, to court that noble guest.
Much had he cured the tumour of his vein.
He judged more clearly now and saw more
plain ;
For those soft airs had tempered every thought.
Since of wise Lethe he had drunk a draught.
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128 THE POEMS
Abruptly he begun, disguising art,
As of his satire this had been a part*
Not so, brave Douglas, on whose lovely chin
Tlie early down but newly did begin.
And modest beauty yet his sex did veil
While envious virgins hope he is a male.
His yellow locks curl back themselves to seek.
Nor other courtship knew but to his cheek.
Oft as he in chill Esk or Tyne, by night,
Hardened and cooled his limbs, so soft, so white,
Among the reeds, to be espied by him.
The nymphs would rustle, he would forward
swim.
They sighed, and said, fond boy, why so untame,
To fly love's fires, reserved for other fiame ?
First on his ship he faced that horrid day,
And wondered much at those who ran away.
No other fear himself could comprehend.
Than lest heaven fall ere thither he ascend :
But entertains the while his time, too short,
With birding at the Dutch, as if in sport ;
Or waves his sword, and, could he them conjure
Within his circle, knows himself secure.
• Cleveland wrote a poem, in Latin and English, which ho
called, JiebeUis ScotuSy The Rebel Soot: A sntirc on the
oatioa in general. He ends thus,
"A Scot, when from the gallows-tree got loose,
*^ Drops into Styx, and turns a Solund goose. **
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OF MARVELL. 129
The fatal bark him boards with grappling fire,
And safely through its port the Dutch retire.
That precious life he yet disdains to save,
Or with known art to try the gentle wave.
Much him the honour of his ancient race
Inspired, nor would he his own deeds deface ;
And secret joy in his calm soul does rise,
That Monk looks on to see liow Douglas dies.
Like a glad lover the fierce fiames lie meets.
And tries his first embraces in their sheets ;
His shape exact, which the bright fiames
enfolds
Like the sun's statue stands of burnished gold ;
Round the transparent fire about him glows,
As the clear amber on the bees does close.
