From `An Account of the Life of Bishop Berkeley' by Joseph Stock (published 1776).
The Muse, disgusted at an age and clime
Barren of every glorious
theme,
In distant lands now waits a better time
Producing subjects
worthy fame;
In happy climes, where from the genial sun
And virgin earth such
scenes ensue,
The force of art by nature seems outdone,
And
fancied beauties by the true:
In happy climes, the feat of innocence,
Where nature guides, and
virtue rules;
Where men shall not impose for truth and sense
The
pedantry of courts and schools.
There shall be sung another golden age,
The rise of empire and
arts,
The good and great inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and
noblest hearts.
Not such as Europe breeds in her decay;
Such as she bred when fresh
and young,
When heavenly flame did animate her clay,
By future
poets shall be sung.
Westward the course of empire takes its way:
The four first acts
already past,
A fifth shall close the drama with the day:
Time's
noblest offspring is the last.
Links:
D.R. Wilkins