A Poem upon the new marble statue of His present Majesty erected in the Royal Exchange by the Society of Merchants Adventurers of England together with a copy of the inscription upon the pedestall.

Upon the New STATUE OF HIS MAJESTY Erected in the Royal Exchange . HAIL Noble Founders of this vast Design ! Hail Thou the Artist who with Skill Divine , Couldst shapeless Rock to this Perfection bring , Worthy such gen'rous Subjects , such a King . See , brave Adventurers with Triumph view , What Miracles united Zeal can do . What wonders loyal Gratitude can raise , That thus makes lifeless Stone speak Caesar's Praise ! Where , with the The Arms of the three Kingdoms carved upon the Sides of the Pedestal . Emblems of his Pow'r , are seen , His God-like Features and majestick Meen . Nor do's this Piece that single Glory Claim , It speaks with Caesar's , Your's and Britains Fame ; That now can of a nobler Statue boast , Than The Esteem that the Ancients had for Pictures and Statues of great Masters is incredible : of which we have this famous Instance . When Demetrius had laid close Siege to a chief Town in the Isle of Rhodes ; he first prepared to set Fire to some Buildings without ●he Walls : which were slenderly defended ; whereupon the People within the Town sent to him to make an Assault upon the City with all his Force , which if he could take by Storm the Buildings without would be his own ; but if he proceeded to set Fire to them , he would destroy that famous Piece , fram'd by Protogenes , erected there . Which when it was once lost , their Town was not worth his taking . Upon this Information , in reverence to that Work , he withdrew his Forces and spared the Town . Italy preserv'd , or Greece e're Lost . Methinks I see Posterity survey ( For sure such Sacred work can ne're decay ) This Marble-Caesar , with such God-like Grace ; As both Adorns and Consecrates the Place . I hear them descant on his Awful Brow , And Features that majestick Terrour throw , Yet with such condescending Goodness join'd , Displaying all the Mercies of his Mind , That those Records they 'll hold as false and vain , That-register'd the Troubles of his Reign . There was a Day ( let Time for ever mourn In Night , ere such another Day return ) That on our Monarchs sacred Form employ'd , A Rage more dire than what his Life destroy'd : The first assay'd a Monarch's Blood to spill , The Second , Monarchy it self to kill ! But late repenting years his The Statue of His late Majesty erected ( instead of that which was demolished ) by remarkable Accident , pointing to the Centre of the Exchange , where the new Figure of present Majesty is placed . Image rais'd More for the Zeal than Workman's Labour prais'd ; Yet by divine Instinct the Piece seems fram'd , And for th' Event for ever shall be Fam'd , Directly pointing with the Scepter'd Hand , Where present Caesar do's in Triumph stand , While the transported Figure seems to say , Look Britains , our Establisht Heir survey ; See how th' Assaults of Faction are in vain ; My Race , Heavn's Choice , o'er Albion still must Reign ; If from no other Source your Love will spring , Let Int'rest reconcile you to your King . Since , in all frantick Changes you have past , Heav'n first dislik'd , and you your selves at last , From thence at least let now your Duty spring ; Know your own Int'rest and Obey your King . Once more , ye brave Adventurers all Hail ! So may th' Example you have set , prevail ; Till each Society like yours shall join ( While yet we have an Artist so Divine ) To re-install each The Statues of English Kings destroy'd in the general Conflagration . Monarch in his Shrine . While we the rising Figures shall admire , ( As from the Worlds last Flame ) more glorious for the Fire ! Till of Rome's Capitol th' Exchange has odds , Our British Kings out-shine the Roman Gods . All must confess who this warm Piece behold That Marble now more precious is than Gold ; As if the Carver , with Reported by the Poets to have fram'd a Marble Nymph with which He fell in Love , and laying it to his Breast the Statue took Life . Pigmalion's Art , Did , while he fram'd the Limbs , the Soul impart . He grew ennamour'd on his own Design , But , modest GIBBONS , all the World on Thine . This Honour with just Gratitude is paid By the first Masters of the Oceans Trade . No less the Figure with the Place agrees , Where else should stand the Monarch of the Seas ? Then let the World's united Treasure meet T' enrich Their Bank , with each returning Fleet , Who lay their Hearts and Wealth at Caesar's Feet .