The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From a late London Paper:

the King of Prussia, on his Return,
To M. de Voltaire.

Translated by Dr. Franklin.

In Pluto's dark abodes, the sister three
Who weave, too fast, the threads of destiny.

Along the Styx they took their ev'ning walk,
Had often heard the wand'ring spirits talk

Of Prussia's gallant deeds the laws he made,
The wars he fought, the virtues he display'd.

As thus they trac'd the Hero from his birth.
They took him for the oldest King on earth

And as his wondrous acts they counted o'er.
Instead of forty, wrote him down fourscore.

Then Atropos, to kings a hateful name,
Dispatch'd by gloomy Dis, to Berlin came

Her fatal shears prepar'd, expecting there
To find a poor old man, with silver hair,

And wrinkled forehead ;---great was her surprize,
To see his auburn locks,and sparkling eyes;

To see him wield the sword, to hear him play
On the soft flute his jovial roundelay.

She call'd to mind how one Alcides great,
And smooth-tongued Orpheus, brav'd the pow'rs of fate:

She trembl'd when as saw in Prussia join'd,
The voice of Orpheus, with Alcides' mind,

Afrighted, threw her fatal shears aside,
And home returning, to her sister cry'd,

For Prussia weave a new and golden thread,
Like as that for god-like Lewis made.

In the same cause did both the Heroes fight ?
'Gainst the same foes, with equal zeal unite.

Both gain'd by wond'rous acts, immortal fame ?
The same their valor, and their end the same: :

And both hereafter shall---but lost ; the muse
No longer the unequal task pursues

Two living Monarchs aptly to design,
Requires an abler pen, and stronger pow'rs than mine: