The POETS of CREAT BRITAIN
COMPLETE FROM
CHAUCER to CHURCHILL.

AKENSIDE, VOL.I.

Indulgent Fancy from the fruitful Banks

Freth flowers & dews to fprinkle on the Turf
Where Shakefpeare lies.

Page 25.

Printed for John Bell, British Library Strand, London.Jan 251782.

MARK

OF

AKENSIDE.

JN TWO VOLUMES.

WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

Genius of ancient Greece! whofe faithful steps
Have led us to thefe awful folitudes

Of Nature and of Science; Nurfe rever'd
Of gen'rous counfels and heroick deeds!
O let fome portion of thy matchiefs praise
Dwell in my breast, and teach me to adorn
This unattempted theme!---Let me

With blameless hand from thy unenvious fields
Transplant fome living bloffoms to adorn

My native clime--while to my compatriot youth
I point the great example of thy fons,
And tune to Attick themes the British lyre.

PLEAS. OF IMAG. ENLARGED.

Come, AKENSIDE! come with thine Attick urn,
Fill'd from Iliffus by the Naiad's hand:

Thy harp was tun'd to Freedom---Strains like thine,
When Afia's lord bor'd the huge monntain's fide
And bridg'd the fea, to battle rous'd the tribes
Of ancient Greece.

ANONYM.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY R. HINDMARSH,

PRINTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALE

Anno 1793

With what enchantment Nature's goodly feene
Attracts the fenfe of mortals; how the mind
For its own eye doth objects nobler ftill
Prepare; how men by various Jeffous lea n
To judge of Beauty's praife; what raptures fiu
The breast with Fancy's native arts endow'd,
And what true culture guides it to renown,
My Verfe unfolds. Ye Gods or godlike Pow'rs !
Ye Guardians of the facred talk! attend
Propitious! hand in hand around your Bard
Move in majeftick meafares.Be great in him,
And let your favour make him wife to fpeak
Of all your wondrous empire, with a voice
So temper'd to his theme that thofe who hear
May yield perpetual homage to yourfelves.......

O! attend, whoe'er thou art whom thefe delights can touch,
Whom Nature's afpet, Nature's fimple garb,
Can thus command: 0! liften to my Song,
And I will guide thee to her blissful walks,
And teach thy folitude her voice to hear,
And point her gracious features to thy view.

PLEAS. OF IMAG. ENLARGED.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY R. HINDMARSH,

PRINTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES.

Anno 1793.