The Poems of Jonathan Swift, D.D Volume I Part 2

V

Let not old Rome boast Fabius' fate; He sav'd his country by delays, But you by peace.[1]

You bought it at a cheaper rate; Nor has it left the usual b.l.o.o.d.y scar, To show it cost its price in war; War, that mad game the world so loves to play, And for it does so dearly pay; For, though with loss, or victory, a while Fortune the gamesters does beguile, Yet at the last the box sweeps all away.

VI

Only the laurel got by peace No thunder e'er can blast: Th'artillery of the skies Shoots to the earth and dies: And ever green and flouris.h.i.+ng 'twill last, Nor dipt in blood, nor widows' tears, nor orphans' cries.

About the head crown'd with these bays, Like lambent fire, the lightning plays; Nor, its triumphal cavalcade to grace, Makes up its solemn train with death; It melts the sword of war, yet keeps it in the sheath.

VII

The wily shafts of state, those jugglers' tricks, Which we call deep designs and politics, (As in a theatre the ignorant fry, Because the cords escape their eye, Wonder to see the motions fly,) Methinks, when you expose the scene, Down the ill-organ'd engines fall; Off fly the vizards, and discover all: How plain I see through the deceit!

How shallow, and how gross, the cheat!

Look where the pulley's tied above!

Great G.o.d! (said I) what have I seen!

On what poor engines move The thoughts of monarchs and designs of states!

What petty motives rule their fates!

How the mouse makes the mighty mountains shake!

The mighty mountain labours with its birth, Away the frighten'd peasants fly, Scared at the unheard-of prodigy, Expect some great gigantic son of earth; Lo! it appears!

See how they tremble! how they quake!

Out starts the little beast, and mocks their idle fears.

VIII

Then tell, dear favourite Muse!

What serpent's that which still resorts, Still lurks in palaces and courts?

Take thy unwonted flight, And on the terrace light.

See where she lies!

See how she rears her head, And rolls about her dreadful eyes, To drive all virtue out, or look it dead!

'Twas sure this basilisk sent Temple thence, And though as some ('tis said) for their defence Have worn a cas.e.m.e.nt o'er their skin, So wore he his within, Made up of virtue and transparent innocence; And though he oft renew'd the fight, And almost got priority of sight, He ne'er could overcome her quite, In pieces cut, the viper still did reunite; Till, at last, tired with loss of time and ease, Resolved to give himself, as well as country, peace.

IX

Sing, beloved Muse! the pleasures of retreat, And in some untouch'd virgin strain, Show the delights thy sister Nature yields; Sing of thy vales, sing of thy woods, sing of thy fields; Go, publish o'er the plain How mighty a proselyte you gain!

How n.o.ble a reprisal on the great!

How is the Muse luxuriant grown!

Whene'er she takes this flight, She soars clear out of sight.

These are the paradises of her own: Thy Pegasus, like an unruly horse, Though ne'er so gently led, To the loved pastures where he used to feed, Runs violent o'er his usual course.

Wake from thy wanton dreams, Come from thy dear-loved streams, The crooked paths of wandering Thames.

Fain the fair nymph would stay, Oft she looks back in vain, Oft 'gainst her fountain does complain, And softly steals in many windings down, As loth to see the hated court and town; And murmurs as she glides away.

X

In this new happy scene Are n.o.bler subjects for your learned pen; Here we expect from you More than your predecessor Adam knew; Whatever moves our wonder, or our sport, Whatever serves for innocent emblems of the court; How that which we a kernel see, (Whose well-compacted forms escape the light, Unpierced by the blunt rays of sight,) Shall ere long grow into a tree; Whence takes it its increase, and whence its birth, Or from the sun, or from the air, or from the earth, Where all the fruitful atoms lie; How some go downward to the root, Some more ambitious upwards fly, And form the leaves, the branches, and the fruit.

You strove to cultivate a barren court in vain, Your garden's better worth your n.o.bler pain, Here mankind fell, and hence must rise again.

XI

Shall I believe a spirit so divine Was cast in the same mould with mine?

Why then does Nature so unjustly share Among her elder sons the whole estate, And all her jewels and her plate?

Poor we! cadets of Heaven, not worth her care, Take up at best with lumber and the leavings of a fare: Some she binds 'prentice to the spade, Some to the drudgery of a trade: Some she does to Egyptian bondage draw, Bids us make bricks, yet sends us to look out for straw: Some she condemns for life to try To dig the leaden mines of deep philosophy: Me she has to the Muse's galleys tied: In vain I strive to cross the s.p.a.cious main, In vain I tug and pull the oar; And when I almost reach the sh.o.r.e, Straight the Muse turns the helm, and I launch out again: And yet, to feed my pride, Whene'er I mourn, stops my complaining breath, With promise of a mad reversion after death.

XII

Then, Sir, accept this worthless verse, The tribute of an humble Muse, 'Tis all the portion of my n.i.g.g.ard stars; Nature the hidden spark did at my birth infuse, And kindled first with indolence and ease; And since too oft debauch'd by praise, 'Tis now grown an incurable disease: In vain to quench this foolish fire I try In wisdom and philosophy: In vain all wholesome herbs I sow, Where nought but weeds will grow Whate'er I plant (like corn on barren earth) By an equivocal birth, Seeds, and runs up to poetry.

[Footnote 1: Sir William Temple was amba.s.sador to the States of Holland, and had a princ.i.p.al share in the negotiations which preceded the treaty of Nimeguen, 1679.]

ODE TO KING WILLIAM

ON HIS SUCCESSES IN IRELAND

To purchase kingdoms and to buy renown, Are arts peculiar to dissembling France; You, mighty monarch, n.o.bler actions crown, And solid virtue does your name advance.

Your matchless courage with your prudence joins, The glorious structure of your fame to raise; With its own light your dazzling glory s.h.i.+nes, And into adoration turns our praise.

Had you by dull succession gain'd your crown, (Cowards are monarchs by that t.i.tle made,) Part of your merit Chance would call her own, And half your virtues had been lost in shade.

But now your worth its just reward shall have: What trophies and what triumphs are your due!

Who could so well a dying nation save, At once deserve a crown, and gain it too.

You saw how near we were to ruin brought, You saw th'impetuous torrent rolling on; And timely on the coming danger thought, Which we could neither obviate nor shun.

Britannia stripp'd of her sole guard, the laws, Ready to fall Rome's b.l.o.o.d.y sacrifice; You straight stepp'd in, and from the monster's jaws Did bravely s.n.a.t.c.h the lovely, helpless prize.

Nor this is all; as glorious is the care To preserve conquests, as at first to gain: In this your virtue claims a double share, Which, what it bravely won, does well maintain.

Your arm has now your rightful t.i.tle show'd, An arm on which all Europe's hopes depend, To which they look as to some guardian G.o.d, That must their doubtful liberty defend.

Amazed, thy action at the Boyne we see!

When Schomberg started at the vast design: The boundless glory all redounds to thee, The impulse, the fight, th'event, were wholly thine.

The brave attempt does all our foes disarm; You need but now give orders and command, Your name shall the remaining work perform, And spare the labour of your conquering hand.

France does in vain her feeble arts apply, To interrupt the fortune of your course: Your influence does the vain attacks defy Of secret malice, or of open force.

Boldly we hence the brave commencement date Of glorious deeds, that must all tongues employ; William's the pledge and earnest given by fate, Of England's glory, and her lasting joy.