An Encomium to AQUILA ROSE, on his Art in Praising

Receive th' Addresses of a thankful Muse, Who, as oblig'd, her Tribute still renews, Pays what she can, her Mite she freely gives, Not half what Rose deserves, or she receives; With tardy Pinions I attempt his Praise, And at his Feet lay down my abject Lays: And much I fear his speculative Eyes, Which like Apollo's wander thro' the Skies, In distant Scenes may be employ'd, nor know The humble Off'ring that I make below, So trample under Foot the groveling Wit of —.

Teach me to rise in Accents like to thine, And in such Cadence smoothly to decline; (So with strong Wings the tow'ring Bird of Jove Resistless gains his ample Range Above; With level Quills he circles down again, And lighting, skims with Pleasure on the Plain.) Then, as in such Poetic Wealth I grow, More rich Applauses shall my Muse bestow.

When thou thy Hero's Character wouldst paint, Or bring to Light the Vertues of a Saint, An awful Homage ev'ry Line attends, And ev'ry Reader to the Picture bends: Nor can they see what they so much adore Without extolling too the Painter's Pow'r: But when to foreign Climes thy Verse shall spread, And H—ll's aggrandiz'd Honour shall be read, Each doubting Ear attentive to the Song, Arraigns the Story, and will have it wrong; Examines if a Mortal e'er was known Cou'd all those Graces, and those Blessings own. Again, thy well digested Words they scan, Grow credulous, and laud the godlike Man. (What thy prevailing Numbers do declare We're apt to grant, tho' Flatt'ry may be there,) And wish to view that Worthy's rev'rend Face Who in Fame's Temple merits such a Place.

How does thy nervous Genius proudly bound, Fearless of Rivals, on our vulgar Ground, In right of A—n's arbitrating Sense, His graceful Mein, and pow'rful Eloquence; Such tuneful Language from his Lips proceeds, And such bright Reason blazons from his Deeds, That Orators may learn of him to gain Their Cause from all, and Malice to restrain.

Go on, and find more Candidates for Praise, Our infant Country's Reputation raise; Doubt not but Strangers far remote will come For what they are so much in Want at Home, And visit us as ancient Greece or Rome.

Angels (permit me) too may deign to see Those Characters sublimely drawn by thee; For not being present when a Soul imbib'd Such vast Endowments as thou hast describ'd, Would know from what caelestial Fount they sprung, And why they're absent, and so long unsung.

Perhaps the World, in Ages not arriv'd, Will say thy Works were near alike contriv'd To that great Macedonian's, first in Fame, Who to preserve and magnify his Name Caus'd Armour of prodigious Size and Weight To be embowel'd deep in Earth, 'till late, By Delvers found, they might by Signals know He did some Race of Giants overthrow. But ah! too fond of Fame, 'twas meanly done, When he'd enough already bravely won.

Superlatively high thou aimst to soar; Wouldst thou thy gallant Feathers stoop to low'r, In easy Panegyrick's Truth display, And spread thy Labours to the Face of Day, Where Fact, as well as Patterns, might appear, Thou needst not Satyrs from the Criticks fear; Spur not thy willing Muse, but regularly steer.