Poems on Several Occasions (Broome)/Dedication

by William Broome

Fleuron from 'Poems on Several Occasions' by William Broome, 2nd edition published in 1739

To the Right Honourable

CHARLES

Lord Viscount

TOWNSHEND;

Late one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State,

AND

Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, &c.

My Lord,

I beg leave to publish the following Poems under your Patronage: A Present, I confess, unworthy of it, and of little value, excepting what gratitude gives it: But, I fear, it may be esteem'd a Boast rather than an Acknowledgement, or at best, an ostentatious kind of Gratitude, to tell the World that I have receiv'd the highest Obligations from the Lord Townshend: 'Tis an Honour to be regarded by a Person of so distinguish'd a Character: I am proud of it, and not being of a nature to be content with a silent Gratitude, am not deter'd from owning it, tho' it be liable to be mis-call'd Vanity.

You have, my Lord, the Happiness to enjoy what that great Statesman Walsingham, who held the same Office which you fill'd with so much Honour, frequently wish'd but never obtain'd; A Retirement from Business in the Declension of Life, to enjoy Age in Peace and Tranquillity: this last Action speaks you truly great, for that Person who by a voluntary Retreat, could industriously renounce all the Grandure of the World, must evidently have a Soul above it.

Tully in his Tusculum was never more happy, than the Lord Townshend in his Rainham,

————Where majestically plain
Pure Nature reigns, where varied Views from Views
Diffusive Prospects yield^[1]: here shagg'd with Woods,
Here rich with Harvest, and there white with Flocks,
And all the gay Horizon smiles around
Full of thy Genius! Lo! between yon Groves
The Dome with easy Grandure, like the Soul
Of its great Master, rising overlooks

The subject Regions, and commands the Charms
Of many a pleasing Landskip, to the Eye
Delightful Change! here Groves of loftiest Shade
Wave their proud Tops, and form of stateliest View
A sylvan Theater! while Nature's Hand
Pours forth profuse, o'er Hill, o'er Vale, o'er Lawn
Her choicest Blessings: See! where yonder Lake
Spreads its wide liquid Plain: now stands unmov'd
Pure as th' Expanse of Heav'n, and Heav'n reflects
From its broad-glitt'ring Mirrour; now with Waves
Curl'd gently by the Breeze, salutes the Flow'rs
That grace its Banks! in state the snowy Swans
Arch their proud Necks, and Fowls of various Plume
Innum'rous, native or exotic, cleave
The dancing Wave! While o'er th' adjoining Lawns
Obverted to the Southern Suns, the Deer
Wide-spreading graze, or starting bound away
In Crouds, then turning, silent stand, and gaze!
Such are thy Beauties, Rainham, such the Haunts
Of Angels, in primæval guiltless Days,
When Man imparadis'd convers'd with God.

This, my Lord, is but a faint Picture of the Place of your Retire, which no one ever enjoy'd more elegantly: no Part of your Life lies heavy upon you, there is no uneasy Vacancy in it; 'tis all fill'd up with Study, Exercise, or polite Amusement: here you shine in the most agreeable, tho' not most strong and dazling Light: In your public Station you commanded Admiration and Honour, in your private, you attract Love and Esteem: The nobler Parts of your Life will be the Subject of the Historian, and the Actions of the great Statesman and Patriot, will adorn many Pages of our future Annals: but the affectionate Father, the indulgent Master, the condescending and benevolent Friend, Patron, and Companion, can only be describ'd by those who have the Pleasure, and Happiness to see you act in all those Relations: I could with delight enlarge upon this amiable Part of your Character, but am sensible that no Portion of your Time is so ill spent as in Reading what I write; I will therefore only beg the Honour to subscribe myself,

 

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most oblig'd,
And most obedient Servant,

WILLIAM BROOME.

1. See Mr. Thomson's excellent Poems.