The Irish Poet and the Natural World: An Anthology of Verse in English from the Tudors to the Romantics

James Ward (1691–1718–1736)

140 JAMES WARD (1691–1718–1736) James Ward was a contemporary of Swift’s friend Thomas Sheridan, both at school in Dublin and at Trinity College, from which both men graduated in 1711. Like Sheridan, Ward was ordained into the Church of Ireland and he eventually (1726) became Dean of Cloyne. As Ward makes clear, his poem on Dublin’s great public park, the Phoenix Park, was heavily influenced by two earlier topographical poems, ‘Cooper’s Hill’ by the (Dublin-born) Sir John Denham (1643) and Alexander Pope’s ‘Windsor Forest’(1713). The following extracts are intended to give an idea of the scope of this first substantial example of a topographical poem set in Ireland. from: Phoenix Park1 ... Shall Cooper’s-hill majestick rise in Rhyme Strong as its Basis, as its Brow sublime, Shall Windsor Forrest win immortal Praise, It self outlasting in its Poets Lays, And thou, O Phoenix Park! remain so long Unknown to Fame, and unadorn’d in Song? ... What Scene more lovely, and more form’d for Bliss, What more deserves the Muse’s Strain than this? Where more can boundless Nature please, and where In Shapes more various, and more sweet appear? 10 Now when the Centre of the Wood is found, With goodly Trees a spacious Circle bound, I stop my wandring—while on ev’ry Side, Glades op’ning to the Eye, the Grove divide, To distant Objects stretch my lengthen’d View, And make each pleasing Prospect charm anew. ... Deep in the Vale old Liffy rolls his Tides, Romantick Prospects crown his rev’rend Sides;2 Now thro’ wild Grotts, and pendant Woods3 he strays, And ravish’d at the Sight, his Course delays, 20 Phoenix Park, to the west of Dublin, was laid out as a public park in the reign of Charles II. 1 Phoenix Park was larger in the seventeenth century than it is today and the Liffey then 2 flowed through – rather than as it flows today, alongside – the park. i.e. through wild grottos and past low-hanging trees. 3 141 James Ward Silent and calm—now with impetuous Shock Pours his swift Torrent down the steepy Rock; The tumbling Waters thro’ airy Channels flow, And loudly roaring, smoak, and foam below. Fast by his Banks stands, high above the Plain, A Fabrick rais’d in peaceful Charles’s reign,4 Where vet’ran Bands, discharg’d from War, retire, Feeble their Limbs, extinct their martial Fire: I hear methinks, I hear the gallant Train,5 Recount the Wonders of each past Campaign: 30 Conquests, and Triumphs in my Bosom roll, And Britain’s Glory fills my wid’ning Soul: Here blest with Plenty, and maintain’d at Ease, They boast th’Adventures of their youthful Days; Repeat exhausted Dangers o’er again, And sigh to speak of faithful Comrades slain. Silent the list’ning Audience sit around, Weep at the Tale, and view the Witness Wound: What mighty Things each for his Country wrought Each tells,—and all how bravely Marlbro’ fought.6 40 There, o’er wide Plains, my lab’ring Sight extends, And fails itself e’er the long Landskape ends: Where Flocks around the rural Cottage seen, Brouze the young Buds, or graze the tufted Green; And Fields bespread with golden Crops appear, Ensuring Plenty for the following Year. ... There the broad Ocean spreads his Waves around, With anchor’d Fleets a faithful Harbour crown’d: By whose kind Aid we num’rous Blessings share, In Peace our Riches, and our Strength in War. 50 While thus retir’d, I on the City look, The Royal Hospital at Kilmainham, founded to provide a home for retired soldiers, had 4 been completed in 1674, during the reign of Charles II. group of people, in this case of old soldiers. 5 John Churchill (1650–1722), duke of Marlborough, commander of the English and Dutch 6 forces during the War of the Spanish Succession (1704–13). 142 A Groupe of Buildings in a Cloud of Smoak; (Where various Domes for various Uses made, Religion, Revels, Luxury, and Trade; All undistinguish’d in one Mass appear, And widely diff’ring are united here); I learn her Vice and Follies to despise, And love that Heav’n which in the Country lies. The Sun in his Meridian mounted high, Now warns me to the covert Bow’r to fly; 60 Where Trees officious croud...