But here we dally with fate, and in this Stern Destiny mocks and controls our wish; Informing us, if fathers should remain For ever here, children were born in vain; 50 And we in vain were Christians, should we In this world dream of perpetuity. Decay is Nature's Kalendar; nor can It hurt the King to think he is a man; Nor grieve, but comfort him, to hear us say That his own children must his sceptre sway. Why slack I then to contribute a vote, Large as the kingdom's joy, free as my thought? Long live the Prince! and in that title bear The world long witness that the King is here: 60 May he grow up, till all that good he reach Which we can wish, or his Great Father teach: Let him shine long, a mark to land and main, Like that bright spark plac'd nearest to Charles' Wain, And, like him, lead succession's golden team, Which may possess the British diadem. But in the mean space, let his Royal Sire, Who warms our hopes with true Promethean fire, So long his course in time and glory run, Till he estate his virtue on his son. 70 So in his father's days this happy One Shall crowned be, yet not usurp the Throne; And Charles reign still, since thus himself will be Heir to himself, through all posterity. [_By occasion, &c._] [Line: 8 Orig. 'bon_e_-fires', as often, the spelling being accepted by recent authorities as etymological. But bones do not make good fires: 'ba_n_e-fire', the acknowledged Northern form, which has been held to support this origin, is a very likely variant of' ba_l_e-fire', and the obvious '_bon_-fire' in the holiday sense is by no means so absurd as it has been represented to be.] [Line: 10 This 'new star' occurs again and again in courtly verse throughout Charles's life and at his death, but the accounts of it are uncomfortably conflicting. Some say that Venus was visible all day long--a phenomenon of obvious application; others make it Mercury--whereto also an application, at which the person concerned would have laughed very genially, is possible. But neither is a '_new_ star'; and the miracle is perhaps more judiciously put as that of _a_ star, no matter what, shining brightly at noonday.] [Line: 22 that] _MS._ 'who'.] [Line: 27 'sadded' has some interest.] [Line: 47 'But here we with fate dally' _Malone MS. 22._] [Line: 50 were born] _MS._ 'would live'--not so well.] [Line: 57 vote] In the sense of _votum_ = 'wish'.] [Line: 60 long] _MS._ 'glad'.] [Line: 63 long] _MS._ 'forth'.] [Line: 70 _MS._ 'virtues'.] _Upon the King's happy return from Scotland._ So breaks the day, when the returning Sun Hath newly through his winter tropic run, As You (Great Sir!) in this regress come forth From the remoter climate of the North.