To Richard Hill, Esq

Say, Hill, what Pow'r could make a Man like thee, Brought up in Wars and Tempests on the Sea; Unknown to fear, or fly the daring Foe; At once the Brav'ry of the Sword forego? Some heav'nly Force, has, by a powerful Charm, Unstrung thy Sinews, and restrain'd thy Arm; Shewn thee what Joys from peaceful Virtues rise, That lift to Heav'n, and scale the distant Skies: When Blood, and Horror, and the Lust of Fight, Lead to the Shades of everlasting Night, Whilst thus retir'd, our Country's Friend you prove, In all th' social Arts of Peace and Love.

So Scipio, dreadful in Rome's sharpest War, Amidst all Danger stood, unus'd to Fear: Retir'd from Noise, he serv'd his Country more, In blissful Peace, than in his Wars before. Like Scipio too, in Justice Cause enroll'd, You, with as equal Hand, her Ballance hold; A Consul's Seat, with equal Grace maintain; And Scipio like, the Course of Vice restrain: Like him, your Country's Quarrels you decide, Just to a Fault, and free from selfish Pride; Severe and obstinate in sacred Laws; True in each Sentence, and in ev'ry Cause: With so divine a Hand you Justice deal, From you we scarcely dare to Heav'n appeal.

Since in each Act, a sacred Pow'r we see, And find Astraea's Impulse governs thee, Go on: And mayst thou still that Influence find, To judge aright, and luminate the Mind: Whilst we, oblig'd by thy great Merits, praise And bless the Pow'r that leads to peaceful Ways.