Volume I Part 9 (1/2)
145 With gluey wax some new foundations lay Of virgin-combs, which from the roof are hung: Some arm'd, within doors upon duty stay, Or tend the sick, or educate the young.
146 So here some pick out bullets from the sides, Some drive old oak.u.m through each seam and rift: Their left hand does the calking-iron guide, The rattling mallet with the right they lift.
147 With boiling pitch another near at hand, From friendly Sweden brought, the seams instops: Which well paid o'er, the salt sea waves withstand, And shakes them from the rising beak in drops.
148 Some the gall'd ropes with dauby marline bind, Or sear-cloth masts with strong tarpaulin coats: To try new shrouds one mounts into the wind, And one below their ease or stiffness notes.
149 Our careful monarch stands in person by, His new-cast cannons' firmness to explore: The strength of big-corn'd powder loves to try, And ball and cartridge sorts for every bore.
150 Each day brings fresh supplies of arms and men, And s.h.i.+ps which all last winter were abroad; And such as fitted since the fight had been, Or, new from stocks, were fallen into the road.
151 The goodly London in her gallant trim (The Phoenix daughter of the vanish'd old).
Like a rich bride does to the ocean swim, And on her shadow rides in floating gold.
152 Her flag aloft spread ruffling to the wind, And sanguine streamers seem the flood to fire; The weaver, charm'd with what his loom design'd, Goes on to sea, and knows not to retire.
153 With roomy decks, her guns of mighty strength, Whose low-laid mouths each mounting billow laves; Deep in her draught, and warlike in her length, She seems a sea-wasp flying on the waves.
154 This martial present, piously design'd, The loyal city give their best-loved King: And with a bounty ample as the wind, Built, fitted, and maintain'd, to aid him bring.
155 By viewing Nature, Nature's handmaid, Art, Makes mighty things from small beginnings grow: Thus fishes first to s.h.i.+pping did impart, Their tail the rudder, and their head the prow.
156 Some log perhaps upon the waters swam, An useless drift, which, rudely cut within, And, hollow'd, first a floating trough became, And cross some rivulet pa.s.sage did begin.
157 In s.h.i.+pping such as this, the Irish kern, And untaught Indian, on the stream did glide: Ere sharp-keel'd boats to stem the flood did learn, Or fin-like oars did spread from either side.
158 Add but a sail, and Saturn so appear'd, When from lost empire he to exile went, And with the golden age to Tiber steer'd, Where coin and commerce first he did invent.
159 Rude as their s.h.i.+ps was navigation then; No useful compa.s.s or meridian known; Coasting, they kept the land within their ken, And knew no North but when the Pole-star shone.
160 Of all who since have used the open sea, Than the bold English none more fame have won: Beyond the year, and out of heaven's high way, They make discoveries where they see no sun.
161 But what so long in vain, and yet unknown, By poor mankind's benighted wit is sought, Shall in this age to Britain first be shown, And hence be to admiring nations taught.
162 The ebbs of tides and their mysterious flow, We, as art's elements, shall understand, And as by line upon the ocean go, Whose paths shall be familiar as the land.
163 Instructed s.h.i.+ps shall sail to quick commerce, By which remotest regions are allied; Which makes one city of the universe, Where some may gain, and all may be supplied.
164 Then we upon our globe's last verge shall go, And view the ocean leaning on the sky: From thence our rolling neighbours we shall know, And on the lunar world securely pry.
165 This I foretell from your auspicious care, Who great in search of G.o.d and nature grow; Who best your wise Creator's praise declare, Since best to praise his works is best to know.
166 O truly royal! who behold the law And rule of beings in your Maker's mind: And thence, like limbecks, rich ideas draw, To fit the levell'd use of human-kind.
197 But first the toils of war we must endure, And from the injurious Dutch redeem the seas.
War makes the valiant of his right secure, And gives up fraud to be chastised with ease.
168 Already were the Belgians on our coast, Whose fleet more mighty every day became By late success, which they did falsely boast, And now by first appearing seem'd to claim.
169 Designing, subtle, diligent, and close, They knew to manage war with wise delay: Yet all those arts their vanity did cross, And by their pride their prudence did betray.