Where the white poplar and the lofty pine
Join neighb'ring boughs, sweet hospitable shade,
Creating, from Phoebean rays secure,
A cool retreat, with few well-chosen friends,
On flowery mead recumbent, spent the hours
In mirth innocuous, and alternate verse!
With roses interwoven, poplar wreaths,
Their temples biud, dress of sylvestrian gods!
Choicest nectarean juice crown'd largest bowls,
And overlook'd the brim, alluring sight,
Of fragrant scent, attractive, taste divine!
Whether from Formain grape depress'd Falern,
Or Setin, Massic, Gauran, or Sabine,
Lesbian, or Cœcuban, the cheering bowl
Mov'd briskly round, and spurr'd their heighten'd wit To sing Mecænas' praise, their patron kind..
But we not as our pristine sires repair
T' umbrageous grot or vale; but when the sun
Faintly from western skies his rays oblique
Hastens in prone career, with friends select
Swiftly we hie to Devil*, young or old,
Jocund and boon; where at the entrance stands
A stripling, who with scrapes and humil cringe
Greets us in winning speech, and accent bland:
With lightest bound, and safe unerring step,
He skips before, and nimbly climbs the stairs. 150
The Devil-tavern, Temple-bar, frequented by his friends.
Melampus thus, panting with lolling tongue,
And wagging tail, gambols and frisks before
His sequent lord, from pensive walk return'd,
Whether in shady wood or pasture green,
And waits his coming at the well-known gate.
Nigh to the stair's ascent, in regal port,
Sits a majestic dame, whose looks denounce
Command and sov'reignty! with haughty air,
And study'd mien, in semicirc'lar throne
Enclos'd, she deals around her dread commands: 165
Behind her (dazzling sight!) in order rang'd,
Pile above pile, crystalline vessels shine:
Attendant slaves with eager strides advance,
And, after homage paid, bawl out aloud.
Words unintelligible, noise confus'd:
She knows the jargon sounds, and straight describes,
In characters mysterious, words obscure;
More legible are Algebraic signs,
Or mystic figures by magicians drawn,
When they invoke th' infernal spirit's aid.
Drive hence the rude and barbarous dissonance
Of savage Thracians and Croatian boors;
The loud Centaurian broils with Lapithe
Sound harsh, and grating to Lenæan god;
Chase brutal feuds of Belgian skippers hence,
(Amid their cups whose innate temper's shewn)
In clumsy fist wielding Scymmetrian knife,
Who flash each other's eyes, and blubber'd face,
Profaning Bacchanalian solemn rites :
Music's harmonious numbers better suit
His festivals, from instruments or voice,
Or Gasperini's hand the trembling string
Should touch; or from the dulcet Tuscan dames,
Or warbling Toft's far more melodious tongue,
Sweet symphonies should flow: the Delian god
For airy Bacchus is associate meet.
The stair's ascent now gain'd, our guide unbars The door of spacious room, and creaking chairs (To ear offensive) round the table sets.
We sit; when thus his florid speech begins: "Name, Sirs! the wine that most invites your taste; "Champaigne, or Burgundy, or Florence pure, "Or Hock antique, or Lisbon new or old, "Bourdeaux, or neat French white, or Alicant," For Bourdeaux we with voice unanimous Declare (such sympathy's in boon compeers.) He quits the room alert, but soon returns; One hand capacious glistering vessels bears Resplendent, th' other, with a grasp secure, A bottle (mighty charge! upstaid, full fraught 200 With goodly wine. He, with extended hand Rais'd high, pours forth the sanguine frothy juice, O'erspread with bubbles, dissipated soon:
We straight to arms repair, experienc'd chiefs: Now glasses clash with glasses (charming sound!) And glorious Anna's health, the first, the best,
Crowns the full glass;---at her inspiring name
The sprightly wine results, and seems to smile:
With hearty zeal, and wish unanimous,
Her health we drink, and in her health our own.
A pause ensues: and now with grateful chat
Wimprove the interval, and joyous mirth
Engages our rais'd souls; pat repartee,
Or witty joke, our airy senses moves
To pleasant laughter, straight the echoing room
With universal peals and shouts resounds.
The royal Dane, blest consort of the Queen,
Next crowns the ruby'd nectar, all whose bliss
In Anna's plac'd :---with sympathetic flame,
And mutual endearments, all her joys,
Like the kind turtle's pure untainted love,
Centre in him, who shares the grateful hearts
Of loyal subjects, with his sov'reign queen;
For by his prudent care united shores
Were sav'd from hos:ile fleets' invasion dire.
The hero Marlbro' next, whose vast exploits Fame's clarion sounds; fresh laurels, triumphs new We wish, like those he won at Hockstetch's field. Next Devonshire illustrious, who from race Of noblest patriots sprang, whose worthy soul 230 Is with each fair and virtuous gift adorn'd,
That shone in his most worthy ancestors;
For then distinct in separate breasts were seen
Virtues distinct, but all in him unite.
Prudent Godolphin, of the nation's weal
Frugal, but free and gen'rous of his own,
Next crowns the bowl; with faithful Sunderland,
And Halifax, the Muses' darling son,
In whom conspicuous, with full lustre, shine
The surest judgment and the brightest wit,
Himself Mecænas and a Flaccus too:---
And all the worthies of the British realm,
In order rang'd, succeed; such healths as tinge
The dulcet wine with a more charming gust.
Now each his mistress toasts, by whose bright eye
He's fir'd; Cosmelia fair, or Dulcibell',
Or Sylvia, comely black, with jetty eyes
Piercing, or airy Celia, sprightly maid !---
Insensibly thus flow unnumber'd hours;
Glass succeeds glass, till the Dircean god
Shines in our eyes, and with his fulgent rays
Enlightens our glad looks with lovely dye;
All blithe and jolly, that like Arthur's knights
Of Rotund Table, fam'd in old records,
Now most we seem❜d---Such is the power of Wine.
Thus we the wing'd hours in harmless minh
And joys unsully'd pass, till humid Night
Has half her race perform'd; now all abroad
Is hush'd and silent, nor the rumbling noise
Of coach, or cart, or smoky link-boy's call,
Is heard---but universal silence reigns;
When we in merry plight, airy and gay,
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