A poem on the marriage of His serene Highness the Prince of Orange: with Ann Princess-Royal of Great Britain. By Stephen Duck. To which are added, Verses to the author, by a divine. With the author's answer.

Table of contents

- [titlepage]

- [dedication]

- ON THE MARRIAGE Of His SERENE HIGHNESS the PRINCE of ORANGE.

- VERSES to the Author, In Imitation of HORACE's ODE on PINDAR. Applyed to the Marriage of his Highness the Prince of Orange with ANN Princess Royal of Great Britain.

- The Answer.

FINIS.

A POEM On the Marriage of His SERENE HIGHNESS the PRINCE of ORANGE, WITH ANN Princess-Royal of GREAT BRITAIN.

By STEPHEN DUCK.

To which are added, VERSES to the AUTHOR, By a DIVINE. With the AUTHOR'S ANSWER.

LONDON: Printed for WEAVER BICKERTON at Lord Bacon's Head without Temple-bar, 1733-4. [Price One Shilling.]

TO His SERENE HIGHNESS the PRINCE of ORANGE,

This POEM is humbly Inscribed, by His

Most Dutiful Servant, S. DUCK.

ON THE MARRIAGE Of His SERENE HIGHNESS the PRINCE of ORANGE.

ILLustrious Prince, forgive the feeble Lay,

That now aspires to hail your Nuptial-day;

Nor 〈◊〉 a Muse, the meanest of the Nine,

Who brings her humble Off'ring to your Shrine.

And You Imperial Nymph, whose lovely Face

Invites the Hero to your chaste Embrace,

Vouchsafe a Spark of your Coelestial Fire,

Harmonious Words, and pleasing Thoughts inspire,

Soft as your Love, and tuneful as your Lyre;

So shall my Numbers charm the list'ning Ear,

And ev'n the glad NASSAU delighted hear.

NASSAU has long enrich'd the Book of Fame.

And ANNA now adorns the Noble Name.

Nations who saw the Light of ORANGE rise,

With awful Splendor, in the Belgian Skies;

Shall soon behold it with new Lustre shine,

Join'd to a glorious Star of BRUNSWICK's Line.

So where the flowing Sambre gently glides,

The Swain delights to view the beauteous Tides;

But when his more-extended Eye surveys

The shining Torrent join the spacious Maese,

Both Rivers thus, with friendly Union flow,

And to the Sight superior Beauty show.

Whene'er the Gods a noble Race intend,

They suit the Causes to their destin'd End:

Nor yoke unequal Hearts in Nuptial Love,

Jove's valiant Bird disdains the fearful Dove.

Great Minds by native Sympathy combine,

As golden Particles the closest join;

Paternal Virtues in their Bosom roll,

Ally'd in Love by Nobleness of Soul;

Hence, Thrones and Scepters shine neglected Things,

Hence Royal ANN prefers NASSAU to Kings;

While Britons with united Hearts rejoice,

And willing Senators applaud the Choice,

To see their King (to Honour ever true)

Discharge the Debt to sacred WILLIAM due.

Immortal WILLIAM! by whose prudent Cares,

We yet enjoy the Fruits of all our Wars;

Our Laws, Religion, Liberty, and Peace,

And ev'n the Blessings of the BRUNSWICK Race.

Nor Thou, Illustrious ORANGE, blush to own

Thy Honour, thus ally'd to Albion's Crown;

Blest with a Princess, in whose Form we trace

Her Fathers Majesty, and Mother's Grace:

Bright Orbs of Pow'r, that with propitious Ray,

Dispel our Clouds, and beautify our Day.

Not as the Comet, raging thro' the Air,

Infects the World with Pestilence and War:

But like the Sun, their Beams of Goodness glow,

Inspiring Life, and chearing All below.

Such are the glorious SIRE, and gracious DAME,

From whence the beauteous Bride of ORANGE came.

And shall unerring Nature change her Kind?

What Lion e'er produc'd a tim'rous Hind?

The Royal Eagles, Royal Eagles breed,

And Heroes from Heroic Sires proceed;

Rome's Founder thus, confest his Race Divine;

Thus NASSAU copies the NASSOVIAN Line;

Thus, ANNA's noble Stream of Virtue flows,

High as the Regal Spring from whence it rose.

Thrice happy Nymph, with ev'ry grace supply'd,

Thrice happy Prince, with such a heav'nly Bride;

In whom superior Sense, with Judgment joins,

Her Beauty much, but more her Merit shines.

How glorious! when such Worth adorns the Great,

We hear, we see, admire and imitate,

Virtue in Them, attracts remotest Eyes,

But in the Vulgar Soul unheeded lies.

As radiant Phoebus darts superior Light,

While smaller Planets shun the watchful Sight.

Accomplish'd thus, let her Example fire

The drooping Muse, and wake the sounding Lyre;

To aid Religion be her chiefest Care,

(Heav'n justly claims the Soul it made so fair)

To stem the Torrent of licentious Rage,

And prop the Virtues of a sinking Age;

Exalting Science to her ancient Height,

To raise declining Arts, and make the rude Polite.

While Great NASSAU, whom native Glory warms,

Whene'er his Country calls him forth to Arms,

May fire the Belgians in the Field of Mars,

Consult their Peace, or animate their Wars;

Paint his Forefathers to their wond'ring Eye,

And teach 'em how to conquer, or to die;

Like him, who bravely dar'd to break their Chain,

Tho' held by all the Force and Fraud' of Spain;

For injur'd Liberty the Sword he draws,

Resolv'd to gain, or perish in the Cause;

And having long the doubtful Combat try'd,

Like Caesar vanquish'd, and like Caesar [*] dy'd.

Tho' diff'rent far the Motives of their Mind,

That, fought to Conquer, This to Save Mankind;

Till prais'd, lamented, envied, and admir'd,

The Hero, Patriot, and the Prince expir'd.

Oh! where did then the guardian Angels hide?

Nor watch'd to turn the guilty Ball aside;

When he, whom armed Hosts cou'd not withstand,

Now falls a Victim to one Villain's hand!

But rise ye Muses, quit the pensive Lay,

Nor damp the Joys of this auspicious Day,

Since yet the glorious Name of ORANGE stands,

Since Royal ANNA seals the Nuptial-bands,

Soon may Imperial ADOLPHS rise again,

Again new FREDERICKS thunder on the Main,

Rousing the Martial Youth to War's alarms,

(If proud Ierians shine again in Arms)

To guard their Country from tyrannic Pow'r,

And be what glorious WILLIAM was before.

Nor shall the •states invading Forces fear,

'Ere pregnant Time the promis'd Heroes bear;

Nor want Allies their Freedom to defend,

Since BRUNSWICK reigns, and ALBION is their Friend.

As branching Oaks protect the rural Swain,

Secure from Summer-heat, and Winter-rain;

So shall our Monarch, with Paternal Aid,

His Regal Shelter o'er Batavia spread,

Long as the Sceptre fills his Royal Hand,

A true Palladium shall Insure the Land.

And if the praescient Muses guide my Lay,

Or, future Secrets, Phoebus can display,

The Day shall shine distinguish'd from the rest,

That ANNA dignify'd, and Hymen blest;

In which AUGUSTUS fortifies his Throne,

And plans a Scheme of Union for his Son;

Bespeaks Allies for Princes yet to come,

New Friends to Britain, and new Foes to Rome.

Proceed Great MONARCH, new Allies to gain,

And with new Nuptial-leagues our Peace maintain;

So shall thy beauteous Nymphs secure with Charms

That safety, other Kings defend with Arms;

They, Venus like, cou'd Mars himself surprize,

And awe stern Tyrants with their conqu'ring Eyes.

Notes

*
King William's Great Grandfather, the first Great Assertor of the Belgian Liberties, Assassinated at Delph.
↵

VERSES to the Author, In Imitation of HORACE's ODE on PINDAR.
Applyed to the Marriage of his Highness the Prince of Orange with ANN Princess Royal of Great Britain.

By a DIVINE.

WHO hopes to rival MILTON's Flame,

With waxen Pinions fondly flies;

His Fall will give the Sea a Name,

While he attempts to reach the Skies.

MILTON is like a Flood, whose Tide,

Swell'd with tempestous Deluge, roars,

Which from some lofty Mountain's Side

Resistless foams, and knows no Shores.

With sacred Lawrels justly crown'd,

Whether in bold unfetter'd Strains

His tow'ring Muse the common Bound,

Superior to all Rhime, disdains.

Whether the Realms of endless Day

He fill with Wars and rude Alarms,

Or set in terrible Array

Seraphic Legions clad in Arms.

Aloft with all their Forests thrown

See Hills, from their Foundations raz'd!

See Angels hurl'd with Vengeance down,

When the MESSIAH's Standard blaz'd!

Or leads he to conubial Bow'rs

The new-form'd Pair? The teeming Ground

Smiles with a Wilderness of Flow'rs

Diffusing Gales of Fragrance round.

Lo! ADAM with Majestic Mein

For Empire and Command design'd!

Consumate Beauty crowns his Queen,

With Dignity and Sweetness join'd.

While he the charming Scene displays,

Where Innocence and Pleasure reign'd,

Delighted with his sacred Lays,

We hear it lost, and feel it gain'd.

His Lays, inimitably fine,

With Extasy each Passion move,

When loud they trumpet War divine,

Or softly warble human Love.

O STEPHEN, this Britannic Swan

Surmounts the Clouds with noble Flight,

While I at distance only can

Admire him less'ning to the Sight.

As the poor Bee, with endless Toil,

To suck the Thyme and blooming Rose,

Skims over RICHMOND's fragrant Soil,

Thus I with pleasing Pain compose.

You with a happy Genius blest,

In bolder Strains shall NASSAU sing,

When ANNA by the Graces drest,

He to the Nuptial Dome shall bring.

ANNA enrich'd with various Charms

By the indulgent Care of Heav'n,

Than whom into his longing Arms

No greater Treasure can be giv'n.

Not, tho' with Riches of the East

At his Command the Ganges flow,

Tho' with full Empire he possest

Whate'er Ambition wish'd below.

Ye Nereids, with propitious Gales,

The gilded Vessel kindly aid,

Let CUPIDS fan the swelling Sails,

And waft him to the Royal Maid.

[*] When Thames, with floating Forests crown'd,

LEANDER safe arriv'd proclaims,

And of tumultuous Joy the Sound

Shall bid AUGUSTA rise in Flames.

Loud Thunder bursting from her Tow'rs,

Shall signalize the sacred Day;

And transport to the Belgic Shores,

For Blessings which they lent, convey.

Around while Hymenaeals ring,

My Voice to highest Pitch I'll raise,

Thrice happy, if I can but sing

An humble Ode to NASSAU's Praise.

You, soaring in Heroic Verse,

By native Strength of Wing upborn,

His Godlike Virtues shall rehearse,

And Beauties, which the Bride adorn.

He in your Lays shall finish'd rise,

For Council, or th' embattled Field:

Immortals the contested Prize

To her superior Charms shall yield.

Then ravish'd with prophetick Views

Succeeding Glories shall presage;

And from the Genial Bed the Muse,

Raise Princes to improve the Age:

Who, bravely prodigal of Blood,

Shall prove, that to set free Mankind,

And conquer for the Publick Good,

The Race of NASSAU was design'd.

Thus Great ALCIDES (Poets feign)

By Labours gain'd the Seats above;

Countries preserv'd, and Monsters slain,

Assert the Genuine Son of Jove.

Notes

*
This was written in October last, when the Prince was expected.
↵

The Answer.

WHEN I, in feeble Verse, essay'd

NASSAU and ANNA's Praise,

A Lyrick Muse flew o'er my Head,

And dropp'd a Branch of Bays.

I wou'd have fix'd it on my Brow,

But PHOEBUS said, forbear;

'Tis Vanity to touch the Bough,

And Sacrilege to wear.

Give it the Bard, who boldly dares

Attempt the Roman Lyre,

Who wisely checks, but not impairs

The tow'ring PINDAR's Fire.

Thus, Sir, to you, in PHOEBUS' Name,

The Lawrel Wreath I send;

And since the God denies me Fame,

Am glad it crowns my Friend.

Information about this book

Title statement

A poem on the marriage of His serene Highness the Prince of Orange: with Ann Princess-Royal of Great Britain. By Stephen Duck. To which are added, Verses to the author, by a divine. With the author's answer.

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.

Publication

Distributor

University of Oxford Text Archive
Oxford University Computing Services
13 Banbury Road
Oxford
OX2 6NN
ota@oucs.ox.ac.uk

ID [ota]

http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/3408

ID [isbn10]

1106004078

ID [isbn13]

9781106004079

ID [TCP]

K007022.000

ID [BIBNO]

CW3309783604

ID [ECLL]

0110501200

Availability

Distributed by the University of Oxford under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Source

— A poem on the marriage of His serene Highness the Prince of Orange: with Ann Princess-Royal of Great Britain. By Stephen Duck. To which are added, Verses to the author, by a divine. With the author's answer., Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.. [4],7,[1],8p. ; 2⁰. London :: printed for Weaver Bickerton,. 1733/4 [i.e. 1734]. [Includes: 'Verses to the author, in imitation of Horace's Odes on Pindar', and 'The answer', 8p. at end.] [Reproduction of original from the Harvard University Houghton Library.] [Foxon, D473] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCN11676.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2p5.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

This electronic text file was keyed from page images and partially proofread for accuracy. Character capture and encoding have been done following the guidelines of the ECCO Text Creation Partnership, which correspond roughly to the recommendations found in Level 4 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file.