40 A HISTORY OF 



Thus Quinctius, with three victories yet warm. 

 Retreats in Triumph to his humble Farm. 

 And thus stern Cato, on his spade reclined, 

 Conversed with Nature, and improved his mind. 

 For, in that age of uncorrupted Hearts, 

 The rural shades were Nurseries of Arts, 

 And bred, though now it scarce will gain Belief, 

 The Senator, the Patriot, and the Chief. 

 The Praise to these sublime Examples due, 

 Descends, at last, Hibernians sons t to You, 

 Who, in an age of sickening Virtue, strive 

 The antient Arts and Spirit to revive ; 

 Those Arts by Nature'' s God inspired, in aid 

 Ev'n of the wond'rous Works Himself had made, 

 With impious Arms while other Nations claim 

 Empires not theirs, and purchase unjust Fame. 



Or else compeWd by Force, with force oppose 

 The fell Invader, and the Hosts of Foes ; 

 Or anxious watch those fluctuating Things, 

 The Views and Passions of ambitious Kings. 

 And, as contending Powers by Turns prevail, 

 Adjust the Balance, or incline the Scale ; 

 Be thine, Hibernia, thine the happier Toil, 

 To turn the Glebe, enrich the laboured soil ; 

 To rouse with Art the vegetable Powers, 

 And catch the virtues of the vernal Showers ; 

 With skilful Hands to help our Parent Earth 

 To give her comely offspring, Plenty, Birth, 

 And to the neighbouring Realms make thine become 

 What once was Egypt to imperial Rome. 



Happy the Patriots, who with generous Zeal 



Devote their Labours to the Public Weal. 



To them th* industrious Hand shall yearly raise 



Successive Harvests of immortal Praise. 



Avaunt Ambition ! Let thy sons no more 



Boast their vain Triumphs stamped on shining Ore. 



Know thou, and all the World's great Troublers know, 



That 'tis but Earth's vile dross subsides below. 



