Pastorals Epistles Odes (1748)/To Lord Carteret

by Ambrose Philips

 

TO

LORD CARTERET,
departing from Dublin.

1726.

EHOLD, Britannia, waves her flag on high,
And calls forth breezes from the western ský,
And beckons to her son, and smooths the tide,
That does Hibernia from her clifts divide. 4

 Go, Carteret, go; and, with thee, go along
The nation's blessing, and the poet's song,
Loud acclamations, with melodious lays,
The kindest wishes, and sincerest praise. 8

 Go, Carteret, go; and bear my joys away!
So speaks the muse, that fain would bid thee stay:
So spoke the virgin to the youth unkind,
Who gave his vows, and canvass, to the wind, 12
And promis'd to return; but never more
Did he return to the Threïcian shore.

 Go, Carteret, go: alas, a tedious while
Hast thou been absent from thy mother isle; 16
A slow-pac'd train of months to thee and thine,
A flight of moments to a heart like mine,
That feels perfections, and resigns with pain
Enjoyments I may never know again. 20

 O, while mine eye pursues the fading sails,
Smooth roll ye waves, and steddy breathe ye gales,
And urge with gentle speed to Albion's strand
A houshold fair amidst the fairest land, 24
In every decency of Life polite,
A freight of virtues, wafting from my sight:
And now farewel, O early in renown,
Illustrious, young, in labours for the crown, 28
Just, and benign, and vigilant, in power,
And elegant to grace the vacant hour,
Relaxing sweet! Nor are we born to wear
The brow still bent, and give up life to care: 32
And thou, mild glory beaming round his fame,
Francisca, thou, his first, his latest, flame,
Parent of bloom! In pleasing arts refin'd!
Farewel thy hand, and voice, in musick join'd, 36
Thy courtesy, as soothing as thy song,
And smiles soft-gleaming on the courtly throng:
And thou, Charissa, hastening to thy prime,
And Carolina, chiding tardy time, 40
Who every tender with of mine divide,
For whom I strung the lyre, once lay'd aside,
Receive, and bear in mind, my fond farewell,
Thrive on in life! and, thriving on, excell! 44

 Accept this token, Carteret, of good will,
The voice of nature, undebas'd by skill,
These parting numbers cadenced by my grief,
For thy lov'd sake and for my own relief, 48
If aught, alas, thy absence may relieve,
Now I am left, perhaps, through life to grieve:
Yet would I hope, yet hope, I know not why,
(But hopes and wishes in one balance ly) 52
Thou may'st revisit, with thy wonted smiles,
Iërna, island set around with isles:
May the same heart, that bids thee now adieu,
Salute thy sails, and hail thee into view. 56