The Poetical Works of the Right Hon. George Granville, Lord Lansdowne/45

by George Granville

URGANDA’S PROPHESY.
Spoken by way of Epilogue at the firſt repreſentation of the Britiſh Enchanters.

Prophetic fury rolls within my breaſt,
And as at Delphos when the foaming prieſt,
Full of his god, proclaims the diſtant doom
Of kings unborn, and nations yet to come,
My lab’ring mind ſo ſtruggles to unfold5
On Britiſh ground a future Age of Gold;
But leſt incredulous you hear—behold:

Here a ſcene repreſenting the Queen, and the ſeveral triumphs of her Majeſty’s reign.

High on a throne appears the martial Queen,
With grace ſublime, and with imperial mien,
Surveying round her, with impartial eyes,10
Whom to protect, or whom ſhe ſhall chaſtiſe.
Next to her ſide victorious Marlb’ro’ ſtands
Waiting, obſervant of her dread commands:
The Queen ordains, and, like Alcides, he
Obeys, and executes her high decree.15
In ev’ry line of her auſpicious face
Soft Mercy ſmiles, adorn’d with ev’ry grace:
So angels look, and ſo, when Heav’n decrees,
They ſcourge the world to piety and peace.
Empreſs and Conqu’ror, hail! thee Fates ordain20
O’er all the willing world ſole arbitreſs to reign:
To no one people arc thy laws confin’d,
Great Britain’s Queen, but guardian of mankind;
Sure hope of all who dire oppreſſion bear,
For all th’ oppreſs’d become thy inſtant care.25
Nations of conqueſt proud thou tam’ſt to free,
Denouncing war, preſenting liberty:
The victor to the vanquiſh’d yields a prize,
For in thy triumph their redemption lies:
Freedom and peace for raviſh’d fame you give,30
Invade to bleſs, and conquer to relieve:

So the ſun ſcorches and revives by turns,
Requiting with rich metals where he burns.
Taught by this great example to be juſt,
Succeeding kings ſhall well fulfil their truſt;35
Diſcord, and war, and tyranny, ſhall ceaſe,
And jarring nations be compell’d to peace;
Princes and ſtates, like ſubjects, ſhall agree
To truſt her pow’r, ſafe in her piety.39