[Footnote 1:  The Duke of Marlborough died on the 16th June, 1722.—­W.  E. B.]

[Footnote 2:  See the “Fable of Midas,” ante, p. 150; and The Examiner, “Prose Works,” ix, 95.—­W.  E. B.]

POEMS CHIEFLY RELATING TO IRISH POLITICS

PARODY
ON THE SPEECH OF DR. BENJAMIN PRATT,[1]
PROVOST OF TRINITY COLLEGE TO THE PRINCE OF WALES

Illustrious prince, we’re come before ye,
Who, more than in our founders, glory
            To be by you protected;
Deign to descend and give us laws,
For we are converts to your cause,
            From this day well-affected.[2]

The noble view of your high merits
Has charm’d our thoughts and fix’d our spirits,
            With zeal so warm and hearty;
That we resolved to be devoted,
At least until we be promoted,
            By your just power and party.

Urged by a passionate desire
Of being raised a little higher,
            From lazy cloister’d life;
We cannot flatter you nor fawn,
But fain would honour’d be with lawn,
            And settled by a wife.[3]

For this we have before resorted,
Paid levees[4] punctually, and courted,
            Our charge at home long quitting,
But now we’re come just in the nick,
Upon a vacant[5] bishopric,
            This bait can’t fail of hitting.

Thus, sir, you see how much affection,
Not interest, sways in this election,
            But sense of loyal duty. 
For you surpass all princes far,
As glow-worms do exceed a star,
            In goodness, wit, and beauty.

To you our Irish Commons owe
That wisdom which their actions show,
            Their principles from ours springs,
Taught, ere the deel himself could dream on’t,
That of their illustrious house a stem on’t,
            Should rise the best of kings.

The glad presages with our eyes
Behold a king, chaste, vigilant, and wise,
           In foreign fields victorious,
Who in his youth the Turks attacks,
And [made] them still to turn their backs;
           Was ever king so glorious?

Since Ormond’s like a traitor gone,
We scorn to do what some have done,
           For learning much more famous;[6]
Fools may pursue their adverse fate,
And stick to the unfortunate;
           We laugh while they condemn us.

For, being of that gen’rous mind,
To success we are still inclined,
            And quit the suffering side,
If on our friends cross planets frown,
We join the cry, and hunt them down,
            And sail with wind and tide.

Hence ’twas this choice we long delay’d,
Till our rash foes the rebels fled,
              Whilst fortune held the scale;
But [since] they’re driven like mist before you,
Our rising sun, we now adore you,
             Because you now prevail.