LONDON. This being his Majesty’s birth-day, who then entered into his 25th year, the morning was ushered in with ringing of bells; at noon the Park and Tower guns were fired. Their Majesties received the compliments of the Nobility, &c. at St. James’s, and the evening concluded with illuminations other demonstrations of joy. At noon was performed before their Majesties, and the Royal Family, the following Ode, written by William Whitehead, Esq; Poet Laureat, and set to musick by Dr. Boyce, Master of the King’s Band of Musicians: The vocal parts by Mr. Beard, the Gentlemen and Children of the Chapel Royal, &c. the Instrumental by his Majesty’s Band, assisted by other principal performers.
Strophe.
‘Go, Flora (said th’ impatient Queen
‘Who shares great Jove’s eternal reign)
‘Go, breathe on yonder thorn:
‘Wake into bloom th’ emerging rose,
‘And let the fairest flower that blows
‘The fairest month adorn!
‘Sacred to me that month shall rise,
‘Whatever * contests shake the skies
‘To give that month a name:
‘Her April buds let Venus boast,
‘Let Maia range her painted host,
‘But June is Juno’s claim.
Antistrophe.
‘And, Goddess, know, in after times
‘(I name not days, I name not climes)
‘From nature’s noblest throws
‘A human flower shall glad the earth,
‘And the same month disclose his birth
‘Which bears the blushing rose.
‘Nations shall bless his mild command,
‘And fragrance fill th’ exulting land
‘Where’er I fix his throne.’—
Britannia listen’d as she spoke,
And from her lips prophetic broke
‘That flower shall be my own!
Epode.
‘O Goddess of connubial love.
‘Thou sister, and thou wife of Jove.
‘To thee the suppliant voice we raise!
‘We name not months, we name not days,
‘For, where thy smiles propitious shine,
‘The whole prolific year is thine.’
Accordant to the trembling strings,
Hark, the general Chorus swells!
From every heart it springs,
On every tongue it dwells.
‘Goddess of connubial love,
‘Sister thou, and wife of Jove.
‘Bid the genial Powers, that glide
‘On æther’s all-prevading tide,
‘Or from the fount of lite that stream
‘Mingling with the solar beam,
‘Bid them here, at Virtue’s shrine,
‘In chastest bands of union join;
‘Till many a GEORGE, and CHARLOTTE prove
‘How much to thee we owe, Queen of connubial love!
* Alluding to the contention between the Goddesses in Ovid’s Fasti about naming the month of June.
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