"Esto perpetua!" F. P. Sarpi da Venez.
Round the starr'd Zodiack, now the golden Sun
Eventful Time a Century hath led;
Since Freedom, with her choicest wreath, begun
Smiling, to grace her long-loved Nation's head.
Welcome again, the fair auspicious Morn!
To Freedom, first and fairest of the year;
When from her ashes, like a Phœnix born,
Reviving Britain rose in Glory's sphere.
When, starting from their mournful death-like trance,
Her venerable Laws their fasces rais'd.
Her stern-eyed Champions grasp'd th' avenging lance,
And pure Religion's trembling altars blaz'd.
For then, from Belgia, through the billowy storm,
And, heaven-directed in an happy hour,
Britain's good Genius, bearing William's form,
Broke the dire Sceptre of Despotic Power.
Ev'n now, to Fancy's retrospective eyes,
Fix'd on the triumphs of his Patriot-Reign;
Majestic seems the Hero's shade to rise,
With Commerce, Wealth, and Empire, in his train.
Undimm'd his[43] Eagle-eye, serene his air,
Of Soul heroic, as in Fields of Death;
See! Britain's Weal employs his latest care,
Her Liberty and Laws his latest breath.
"Visions of Glory! crouding on his sight,"
With your still-growing lustre gild the day,
When Britons, worthy of their Sires, unite
Their Orisons at Freedom's Shrine to pay.
To eternize the delegated hand,
That seal'd their great forefathers' fields their own;
Rais'd ev'ry art that decks a smiling land,
And Laws that guard the Cottage as the Throne.
That to the free, unconquerable mind
Secur'd the sacred Rights of Conscience, given
To Man, when tender Mercy first design'd
To raise the Citizen of Earth to Heaven.