Born to no Pride, inheriting no, Strife,
Nor marrying Discord in a noble wife,
Stranger to civil and religious rage,
The good man walk'd innoxious thro' his age.395
No Courts he saw, no suits would ever try,
Nor dar'd an Oath, nor hazarded a Lye.
Unlearn'd, he knew no fchoolman's fubtile art,
No language, but the language of the heart.
By Nature honest, by Experience wise, 400
Healthy by temp’rance, and by exercise ;
His life, tho' long, to sickness paft unknown,
His death was instant, and without a groan.
Ogrant me, thus to live, and thus to die! 404.
Who sprungfrom Kings shall know less joy than I.

VARIATIONS.
After * 405. in the MS.
And of myself, too, something must I say?
Take then this verse, the trifle of a day.
And if it live, it lives but to commend
The man whose heart has ne'er forgot a Friend,
Or head, an Author: Critic, yet polite
And friend to Learning, yet too wise to write.

NOTES tioch, where he tells them a story out of Plutarch, concerning Cato; who, when he came near their City, found their youth under arms, and the magistrates in their robes of office. On which alighting, in an ill humour with his friends, who he imagined had informed them of his approach, the master of the ceremonies came up, and, advancing before the company, accosted him in this manner; “ Stranger, how far off is Deme

in anthem of his app before the compeme

O Friend! may each domestic blits be thine! Be no unpleasing Melancholy mine: . Me, let the tender office long engage,

To rock the cradle of reposing Age, With lenient arts extend a Mother's breath, 410 Make Languor smile, and smooth the bed of Death, Explore the thought, explain the asking eye, And keep a while one parent from the sky! On cares like these if length of days attend, May Heav'n, to bless those days, preserve my friend, Preserve him social, chearful, and serene, 416 And just as rich as when he serv'd a QUEEN. A. Whether that blessing be deny'd or giv'n, Thus far was right, the rest belongs to Heav'n.

Notes. “ trius ?” Now this Demetrius (says Julian) was one of Pompey's freedmen, and immensely rich. You will ask me what he was worth; for I know nothing so likely to excite your curiosity. Why, truly, for this, you must consult Demophilas the Bythinian, whoje anecdotes turn chiefly upon subjects of this high importance.

VER. 417. And just as rich as when he ferv’da Queen.] An honest compliment to his Friend's real and unaffected disinterestedness, when he was the favourite Physician of Queen Anne.

Ver. 418. A. Whether that billing, &c.] He makes his friend close the Dialogue with a lentiment very expressive of that religious resignation, which was the Character both of his temper, and his piety.

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