An
ODE
.
TO
THE
People
of
GREAT
BRITAIN
.
In
Imitation
of
the
Sixth
ODE
of
the
Third
Book
of
HORACE
.
Written
in
1746.
I.
BRITON
!
the
thunder
of
the
wrath
divine
,
Due
to
thy
fathers
crimes
,
and
long
with-held
from
thine
,
Shall
burst
with
tenfold
rage
on
thy
devoted
head
;
Unless
with
conscious
terrors
aw'd
,
By
meek
,
heart-struck
repentance
led
,
Suppliant
thou
fall
before
th'
offended
God
:
If
haply
yet
thou
may'st
avert
his
ire
;
And
stay
his
arm
out-stretch'd
to
launce
the
avenging
fire
.
II
.
Did
not
high
God
of
old
ordain
,
When
to
thy
grasp
he
gave
the
scepter
of
the
main
,
That
empire
in
this
favour'd
land
,
Fix'd
on
religion's
solid
base
should
stand
?
When
from
thy
struggling
neck
he
broke
Th'
inglorious
,
galling
,
papal
yoke
,
Humbled
the
pride
of
haughty
Spain
,
And
free'd
thee
by
a
woman-hero's
hand
;
He
then
confirm'd
the
strong
degree
:
"
Briton
,
be
virtuous
and
be
free
;
"
Be
truth
,
be
sanctity
thy
guide
:
"
Be
humble
:
fear
thy
God
;
and
fear
thou
none
beside
.
"
III
.
Oft
has
th'
offended
Pow'r
his
rising
anger
shown
:
Led
on
by
his
avenging
hand
Rebellion
triumphs
in
the
land
:
Twice
have
her
barbarous
sons
our
war-train'd
hosts
o'er
thrown
.
They
fell
a
cheap
inglorious
prey
;
Th'
ambitious
victor's
boast
was
half
supprest
,
While
heav'n-bred
fear
,
and
wild
dismay
,
Unman'd
the
warrior's
heart
,
and
reign'd
in
every
breast
.
IV
.
Her
arms
to
foreign
lands
Britannia
bore
;
Her
arms
,
auspicious
now
no
more
!
With
frequent
conquests
where
the
fires
were
crown'd
;
The
sons
ill-fated
fell
,
and
bit
the
hostile
ground
:
The
tame
,
war-trading
Belgian
fled
,
While
in
his
cause
the
Briton
bled
:
The
Gaul
stood
wond'ring
at
his
own
success
;
Oft
did
his
hardiest
bands
their
wonted
fears
confess
,
Struck
with
dismay
,
and
meditating
flight
;
While
the
brave
foe
still
urg'd
th'
unequal
fight
,
While
WILLIAM
,
with
his
Father's
ardour
fir'd
,
Through
all
th'
undaunted
host
the
generous
flame
inspir'd
!
V.
But
heavier
far
the
weight
of
shame
That
sunk
Britannia's
naval
fame
:
In
vain
she
spreads
her
once-victorious
sails
;
Or
fear
,
or
rashness
;
in
her
chiefs
prevails
;
And
wildly
these
prevent
,
those
basely
shun
the
fight
;
Content
with
humble
praise
,
the
foe
Avoids
the
long
impending
blow
;
Improves
the
kind
escape
,
and
triumphs
in
his
flight
.
VI
.
The
monstrous
age
,
which
still
increasing
years
debase
,
Which
teems
with
unknown
crimes
,
and
genders
new
disgrace
,
First
,
unrestrained
by
honour
,
faith
;
or
shame
,
Confounding
every
sacred
name
,
The
hallow'd
nuptial
bed
with
lawless
lust
profan'd
:
Deriv'd
from
this
polluted
source
The
dire
corruption
held
its
course
Through
the
whole
canker'd
race
,
and
tainted
all
the
land
.
VII
.
The
rip'ning
maid
is
vers'd
in
every
dangerous
art
,
That
ill
adorns
the
form
while
it
corrupts
the
heart
:
Practis'd
to
dress
,
to
dance
,
to
play
,
In
wanton
mask
to
lead
the
way
,
To
move
the
pliant
limbs
,
to
roll
the
luring
eye
;
With
folly's
gayest
partizans
to
vye
In
empty
noise
and
vain
expence
;
To
celebrate
with
flaunting
air
The
midnight
revels
of
the
fair
;
Studious
of
ev'ry
praise
,
but
virtue
,
truth
,
and
sense
.
VIII
.
Thus
lesson'd
in
intrigue
her
early
thought
improves
,
Nor
meditates
in
vain
forbidden
loves
:
Soon
the
gay
nymph
in
Cyprus'
train
shall
rove
Free
and
at
large
amidst
th'
Idalian
grove
;
Or
haply
jealous
of
the
voice
of
fame
,
Mask'd
in
the
matron's
sober
name
,
With
many
a
well-dissembled
wile
The
kind
,
convenient
husband's
care
beguile
:
More
deeply
vers'd
in
Venus'
mystic
lore
,
Yet
for
such
meaner
arts
too
lofty
and
sublime
,
The
proud
,
high-born
,
patrician
whore
,
Bears
unabash'd
her
front
;
and
glories
in
her
crime
.
IX
.
Hither
from
city
and
from
court
The
votaries
of
love
resort
;
The
rich
,
the
great
,
the
gay
,
and
the
severe
;
The
pension'd
architect
of
laws
;
The
patriot
,
loud
in
virtue's
cause
;
Proud
of
imputed
worth
,
the
peer
:
Regardless
of
his
faith
,
his
country
,
or
his
name
,
He
pawns
his
honour
and
estate
;
Nor
reckons
at
how
dear
a
rate
He
purchases
disease
,
and
servitude
,
and
shame
.
X.
Not
from
such
dastard
sires
,
to
every
virtue
lost
,
Sprung
the
brave
youth
which
Britain
once
could
boast
:
Who
curb'd
the
Gaul's
usurping
sway
,
Who
swept
th'
unnumber'd
hosts
away
,
In
Agincourt
,
and
Cressy's
glorious
plain
;
Who
dy'd
the
seas
with
Spanish
blood
,
Their
vainly-vaunted
fleets
subdu'd
,
And
spread
the
mighty
wreck
o'er
all
the
vanquish'd
main
.
XI
.
No
;
—
'twas
a
generous
race
,
by
worth
transmissive
known
:
In
their
bold
breast
their
fathers
spirit
glow'd
:
In
their
pure
veins
their
mothers
virtue
flow'd
:
They
made
hereditary
praise
their
own
.
The
sire
his
emulous
offspring
led
The
rougher
paths
of
fame
to
tread
;
The
matron
train'd
their
spotless
youth
In
honour
,
sanctity
,
and
truth
;
Form'd
by
th'
united
parents
care
,
The
sons
,
tho'
bold
,
were
wise
;
the
daughters
chaste
,
tho'
fair
.
XII
.
How
Time
,
all-wasting
,
ev'n
the
worst
impairs
,
And
each
foul
age
to
dregs
still
fouler
runs
!
Our
sires
,
more
vicious
ev'n
than
theirs
,
Left
us
,
still
more
degenerate
heirs
,
To
spawn
a
baser
brood
of
monster-breeding
sons
.