Imperial Waltz! imported from the Rhine (Famed for the growth of pedigrees and wine), 30 Long be thine import from all duty free, And Hock itself be less esteemed than thee; In some few qualities alike--for Hock Improves our cellar--_thou_ our living stock. The head to Hock belongs--thy subtler art Intoxicates alone the heedless heart: Through the full veins thy gentler poison swims, And wakes to Wantonness the willing limbs. Oh, Germany! how much to thee we owe, As heaven-born Pitt can testify below, 40 Ere cursed Confederation made thee France's, And only left us thy d--d debts and dances! [5] Of subsidies and Hanover bereft, We bless thee still--George the Third is left! Of kings the best--and last, not least in worth, For graciously begetting George the Fourth. To Germany, and Highnesses serene, Who owe us millions--don't we owe the Queen? To Germany, what owe we not besides? So oft bestowing Brunswickers and brides; 50 Who paid for vulgar, with her royal blood, Drawn from the stem of each Teutonic stud: Who sent us--so be pardoned all her faults-- A dozen dukes, some kings, a Queen--and Waltz. But peace to her--her Emperor and Diet, Though now transferred to Buonapartè's "fiat!" Back to my theme--O muse of Motion! say, How first to Albion found thy Waltz her way? Borne on the breath of Hyperborean gales, From Hamburg's port (while Hamburg yet had _mails_), 60 Ere yet unlucky Fame--compelled to creep To snowy Gottenburg-was chilled to sleep; Or, starting from her slumbers, deigned arise, Heligoland! to stock thy mart with lies; [iii] While unburnt Moscow [6] yet had news to send, Nor owed her fiery Exit to a friend, She came--Waltz came--and with her certain sets Of true despatches, and as true Gazettes; Then flamed of Austerlitz the blest despatch, [7] Which _Moniteur_ nor _Morning Post_ can match 70 And--almost crushed beneath the glorious news-- Ten plays, and forty tales of Kotzebue's; [8] One envoy's letters, six composer's airs, And loads from Frankfort and from Leipsic fairs: Meiners' four volumes upon Womankind, [9] Like Lapland witches to ensure a wind; Brunck's heaviest tome for ballast, [10] and, to back it, Of Heynè, [11] such as should not sink the packet. [iv]