| |
| WHEN, by a generous Public’s kind acclaim, | |
| That dearest meed is granted—honest fame; | |
| Waen here your favour is the actor’s lot, | |
| Nor even the man in private life forgot; | |
| What breast so dead to heavenly Virtue’s glow, | 5 |
| But heaves impassion’d with the grateful throe? | |
| |
| Poor is the task to please a barb’rous throng, | |
| It needs no Siddons’ powers in Southern’s song; | |
| But here an ancient nation, fam’d afar, | |
| For genius, learning high, as great in war. | 10 |
| Hail, CALEDONIA, name for ever dear! | |
| Before whose sons I’m honour’d to appear? | |
| Where every science, every nobler art, | |
| That can inform the mind or mend the heart, | |
| Is known; as grateful nations oft have found, | 15 |
| Far as the rude barbarian marks the bound. | |
| Philosophy, no idle pedant dream, | |
| Here holds her search by heaven-taught Reason’s beam; | |
| Here History paints with elegance and force | |
| The tide of Empire’s fluctuating course; | 20 |
| Here Douglas forms wild Shakespeare into plan, | |
| And Harley rouses all the God in man. | |
| When well-form’d taste and sparkling wit unite | |
| With manly lore, or female beauty bright, | |
| (Beauty, where faultless symmetry and grace | 25 |
| Can only charm us in the second place), | |
| Witness my heart, how oft with panting fear, | |
| As on this night, I’ve met these judges here! | |
| But still the hope Experience taught to live, | |
| Equal to judge—you’re candid to forgive. | 30 |
| No hundred-headed riot here we meet, | |
| With decency and law beneath his feet; | |
| Nor Insolence assumes fair Freedom’s name: | |
| Like CALEDONIANS, you applaud or blame. | |
| |
| O Thou, dread Power! whose empire-giving hand | 35 |
| Has oft been stretch’d to shield the honour’d land! | |
| Strong may she glow with all her ancient fire; | |
| May every son be worthy of his sire; | |
| Firm may she rise, with generous disdain | |
| At Tyranny’s, or direr Pleasure’s chain; | 40 |
| Still Self-dependent in her native shore, | |
| Bold may she brave grim Danger’s loudest roar, | |
| Till Fate the curtain drop on worlds to be no more. | |
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