A generous faith, from superstition free; A love to peace, and hate of tyranny: Such this man was; who now from earth removed, At length enjoys that liberty he loved. ON THE HON. SIMON HARCOURT, Only Son of the Lord Chancellor Harcourt, at the Church of Stanton-Harcourt, in Oxfordshire, 1720. To this sad shrine, whoe'er thou art, draw near; How vain is reason, eloquence how weak! ON JAMES CRAGGS, ESQ. In Westminster Abbey. JACOBUS CRAGGS, REGI MAGNE BRITANNIE A SECRETIS, VIXIT, TITULIS ET INVIDIA MAJOR, STATESMAN, yet friend to truth! of soul sincere, In action faithful, and in honour clear! Who broke no promise, served no private end, Praised, wept, and honour'd, by the muse he loved. INTENDED FOR MR. ROWÈ, Tuy reliques, Rowe, to this fair urn we trust, ON MRS. CORBET, Who died of a Cancer in her Breast. So firm, yet soft; so strong, yet so refined; ON THE MONUMENT OF THE AND OF HIS SISTER MARY, Erected by their Father, the Lord Digby, in the Church of Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, 1727. Go! fair example of untainted youth, Just of thy word, in every thought sincere, Who knew no wish but what the world might hear: Lover of peace, and friend of human-kind : And thou, bless'd maid! attendant on his doom, Yet, take these tears, mortality's relief, ON SIR GODFREY KNELLER, In Westminster Abbey, 1723. KNELLER, by Heaven, and not a master, taught, Whose art was nature, and whose pictures thought; Now for two ages having snatch'd from fate Whate'er was beauteous, or whate'er was great, Lies crown'd with princes' honours, poets' lays, Due to his merit, and brave thirst of praise. Living, great nature fear'd he might outvie Her works; and, dying, fears herself may die. ON GENERAL HENRY WITHERS, HERE, Withers, rest! thou bravest, gentlest mind, For thee the hardy veteran drops a tear, ON MR. ELIJAH FENTON, At Easthamstead, in Berks, 1730. THIS modest stone, what few vain marbles can, May truly say, 'Here lies an honest man:' A poet, bless'd beyond the poet's fate, Whom Heaven kept sacred from the proud and great: Foe to loud praise, and friend to learned ease, Content with science in the vale of peace, Saw nothing to regret, or there to fear; From nature's temperate feast rose satisfied, ON MR. GAY, In Westminster Abbey, 1730. Or manners gentle, of affections mild; With native humour tempering virtuous rage, ANOTHER. WELL then! poor Gay lies under ground, 'Tis ten to one he'll ne'er come back. INTENDED FOR SIR ISAAC NEWTON, ISAACUS NEWTONUS: Quem Immortalem Testantur Tempus, Natura, Cœlum : Hoc Marmor Fatetur. NATURE and nature's laws lay hid in night: ON DR. FRANCIS ATTERBURY, Who died in Exile in Paris, 1732. [His only daughter having expired in his arms, imme. diately after she arrived in France to see him.] DIALOGUE. She. YES, we have lived-one pang, and then we part; Then mix this dust with thine-O spotless ghost! O more than fortune, friends, or country lost! |