OF virtuous Agrippina’s son,
Who on proud Rome’s imperial throne,
Succeeds Tiberius dead;
The muse with unfeign’d sorrow sings,
And all-reluctant tunes her strings,
To tell what infamy he brings
Upon his wretched head.
But lo ! to brighter scenes she turns;
With gen’rous joy her bosom burns,
While a fair British queen
(A lovely and illustrious name,
Who reign’d when Spanish Philip came
To light th’ inquisitorial flame),
In retrospect is seen.
A courtier of that sov’reign too,
The smiling muse presents to view,
As laying on the ground
His fine plush coat her foot to save,
(All costly, though in colour grave)
In future boons his mistress gave,
A recompence he found.
And now she seeks to celebrate
The youthful son of Henry Eight,
And mourns his early doom:
She tells what grace and piety,
Wisdom, and tried humility,
And tenderness of conscience, lie
Embosom’d in the tomb.
Again she strikes the sounding chord,
And tells of a proud Persian lord,
Who conquer’d Rome in arms:
Its captive king to Persia sent,
And all his honours from him rent,
Nor did the conqu’ror once relent,
Unmoved by Mercy’s charms.
This done, she ceas’d: her sister train
Invite her to resume the strain;
But, turning to the Nine,
“Let now your wishes be represt,”
She said, “I’ll lay my harp to rest;
Were I to grant your fond request,
‘Twould mar my whole design.”
“Explain my meaning if you can;
Concise and simple is the plan,
As shortly will appear.”
“I’ve guessed it,” fair Urania cries,
(Urania o’er the stars presides,)
“Clio has mounted to the skies,
She’s ventured on my sphere.”
“The various characters she’s sung,
(The initials altogether strung,)
Will bring before our sight
An orb, in liquid ether shining,
Science its station now assigning,
As with the rest its course inclining,
Around the source of light.”
(Elizabeth Hitchener)
More Poetry from Elizabeth Hitchener:
Elizabeth Hitchener Poems based on Topics: Name, Light, Sons, Fairness, Smiling, Science, Design, Cry, Wisdom & Knowledge, Conscience, Planning- Enigma XXVIII. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
- Enigma XXVI. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
- Enigma XLVIII. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
- Enigma XLVI. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
- Enigma XVIII. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
- Enigma XXII. (Elizabeth Hitchener Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Light Poems, Fairness Poems, Name Poems, Cry Poems, Smiling Poems, Sons Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge Poems, Future Poems, Humility Poems, Planning Poems, Science PoemsBased on Keywords: boons, ror, presides, clio, represt, unfeign, inclining, recompence, conqu, urania, concise