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THE
YOUNG CLUB.
A
Congratulatory POEM,
To His Excellency JOHN Lord Bishop of Bristol, Lord
Privy-Seal, upon the Peace Signed at his Lordship's
House April 11, 1713. Humbly presented by G.
Hastings, S. Brewster and T. Dibben, His Lordship's
Pages.
O! mihi tam longae maneat pars ultima vitae
Spiritus & quantum sat erit tua dicere facta.
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AMidst the Crowds, that join in Verse and Prose
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To bless thy Labours and the World's Repose,
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The Muses hear, that try their Infant Wing,
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And first, in Concert, Bristol's Praises sing.
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We Pages have a Privilege to be heard,
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Our Trifles oft have pleas'd our thoughtful Lord;
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Have smooth'd his Brow, when Care sate deep imprest,
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And Europe's Fate yet struggled in His Breast.
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These busie Times, we too have born our Share,
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Our sep'rate Counsels held of Peace and War:
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Deep in the Secret, warm in the Debate,
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Who visits who, cou'd learnedly repeat,
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And tell how long they staid, as well as the Gazette:
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And oh! if Heav'n, propitious to our Prayer,
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(For Life is now a Blessing worth our Care)
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Grants us but length of Days, the usual date
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Our Youth and Vigour has to hope from Fate,
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These lasting Triumphs we shall longest know,
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And latest tell the Hand from whence they flow.
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Some sixty Winters hence, methinks I see
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(The pleasing Image dances in my Eye)
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The little Fam'ly, round the chearful Board,
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Asking the Wonders of their Father's Lord;
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How look'd? how spake the Prelate? what his Arts
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To charm the angry World, and join contending Hearts?
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Again
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Again I mark the Day, describe this Place:
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"Hence, Children, date the Good We now possess.
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Kneller drawn, high on the Sacred Wall,
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("Pilgrims in Shoals still haunt the solemn Hall)
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Anna was seen: You'd think the Canvass spoke,
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"And Majesty and Peace had form'd Her Look.
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"At distance rang'd, the Chiefs of Nations wait,
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"And seem from Her t' attend their Country's Fate.
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"Beneath Her Feet, I see him as He stood,
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"My chearful Lord------Your Father bore his Robe:
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("Oh! Children, I am rais'd, my Blood runs warm,
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"As first when Youth and Pleasure knew to charm;
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"Still in my Soul engrav'd his Virtues live;
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"Yours be they now; best Portion I've to give.)
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Close by his Side, in decent Honours drest,
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Strafford came Graceful; on the Patriot's Breast
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"Bright shone the Star, confess'd the Share of Fame,
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Ensign, no Stranger to the Wentworth's Name.
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"Nor undistinguish'd there the second St. John staid;
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the first glorious Step his Fortune made,
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"Then young; I mark'd the sprightly, gracious Look;
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"And Thou, I said, shalt rise a Bolingbroke.
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"They sate: I saw th' Important Paper brought:
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"They Sign'd; and Kingdoms follow'd as they wrote.
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"The Scene removes, shews Albion's crowded Shore;
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"Her Subject Seas their precious Trust-restore:
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"The Church her favour'd Prelate leaves to mourn:
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"And fifty Temples rise at his Return.
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"His Gracious Queen------
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"Ten thousand op'ning Scenes their Joys unfold
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"And Life shall pass, ere all the Tale be told.
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