III.
MILLER, bard of deathless name,
MOSES, wag of merry fame;
Holy, holy, holy pair,
Harken to your vot’ry’s pray’r!
Grant, that like Solomon’s of old,
My faith be still in Proverbs told;
Like his, let my religion be
Conundrums of divinity.
And oh! to mine, let each strong charm belong,
That breathes salacious in the wise man’s song;
And thou, sweet bard, for ever dear
To each impassioned love-fraught ear,
Soft, luxuriant ROCHESTER;
Descend, and ev’ry tint bestow,
That gives to phrase its ardent glow;
From thee, thy willing Hill shall learn
Thoughts that melt, and words that burn:
Then smile, oh, gracious, smile on this petition!
So Solomon, gay Wilmot join’d with thee,
Shall shew the world that such a thing can be
As, strange to tell!—a virtuous Coalition!