he frowns of a capricious jilt you mourn, Thy faith in Providence, thy funds in Heav'n. "A farther weakness in thy heart I read; Yet here the mind of Socrates could soar; To all men open, and to all men near: fame, And the chaste pride of a once spotless name: "Eschew the lust of pow'r, and pride of How rarely life; One jarring mass of counter-working strife! Disarms the tyrant, and looks down on kings: The goddess now, with mild and sober grace "Thy exile next sits heavy on thy mind; 29 Intelligo multiformes illius prodigii fucos. 30 Largis cum potius muneribus fluens Sitis ardescit habendi. L. 11, Metr. 2. 31 L. II, Pros. 1. Lib. II, Pros. 3. Boet. L. I. "Boast not, nor grieve at good or evil fame: "And what's the applause of learning or of Critics unwrite whate'er the author writ: 3 L. I, Pros. 5, Boetius. Antisthenis Dictum. To a new fate this second life must yield, way. "To serve the great, and aggrandise our pride, We barter honour, and our faith beside : Mindless of future bliss, and heav'nly fame, We strip and sell the Christian to the name. Ambition, like the sea by tempests tost, Still makes new conquests for oid conquests lost : Court-favours lie above the common road By modesty and humble virtue trod; Like trees on precipices, they display Fair fruit, which none can reach but birds of prey. "All men from want, as from contagion, fly; They weary Earth, and importune the sky; Gain riches, and yet 'scape not poverty: The once mean soul preserves its earthly part, The beggar's flatt'ry, and the beggar's heart. "In spite of titles, glory, kindred, pelf, Lov'st thou an object better than thyself? You answer, No.-If that, my son, be true, Then give to God the thanks to God are due. No man is crown'd the fav'rite of the skies, Till Heav'n his faith by sharp affliction tries: Nor chains, disgrace, nor tyrants can control Th' ability to save th' immortal soul. How oft did Seneca deplore his fate, Debarr'd that recollection which you hate! Thy life's last hour (nor is it far from thee} Here let my just resentments cease to flow, Rusticiana, fairest of the fair, My present object, and my future care; Weep not my fate: is man to be deplor'd, Farewell, and may Heav'n's bounty heap on thee, (As more deserving) what it takes from me! That peace, which made thy social virtues shine, The peace of conscience, and the peace divine, Be ever, O thou best of women, thine! Forgive, Almighty Pow'r, this worldly part; These last convulsions of an husband's heart: Give us thy self; and teach our minds to see The Saviour and the Paraclete in thee! RELIGIOUS MELANCHOLY, AN EMBLEMATICAL ELEGY. T' implore like your's, a pausing time for Shall not every one mourn that dwelleth therein? death ? Amos, ch. viii, v. 8. I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes failed with looking upwards. Isaiah, ch. xxxviii, v. 14. Fear not thou, my servant, saith the Lord; for I am with thee. I will not make a full end of thee; but correct thee in measure. Jer. ch. xlvi, v. ult. ADVERTISEMENT. Iris to be hoped the reader will pardon me, if I take the liberty of prefixing to this elegy a light advertisement, instead of inserting what might seem too long for a note in the body of the poem. particular places, where I discover neither boldness nor invention.-I owe also to Fenton the participle meandered; and to Sir W. D'Avenant the latinism of funeral ilicet. As to compound epithets, those ambitiosa ornamenta 3 of modern poetry, Dryden has devised a few of them, with equal diffidence and caution; but those few are exquisitely beautiMr. Pope seized on them as family diamonds, and added thereto an equal number, dug from his own mines, and heightened by his own polishing. Having ventured (and I am sure it is licentia sumpta pudenter 1,) to introduce three or four new expressions in a volume of near five thou-ful. sand lines, and one, namely, dew-tinged ray, in the present elegy, I thought myself obliged to make some apology on that subject; since all innovations in poets like me, (who can only pretend to a certain degree of mediocrity) are more or less of an affected cast, and rarely to be excused; inasmuch as we have the vanity to teach others what we do not thoroughly understand ourselves. And here permit me to call that language of ours classical English, which is to be found in a few chosen writers inclusively from the times of Spencer till the death of Mr. Pope; for false refinements, after a language has arisen to a certain degree of perfection, give reasons to suspect that a language is upon the decline. The same circumstances have happened formerly, and the event has been almost invariably the same. Compare Statius and Claudian with Virgil and Horace: and yet the former was, if one may so speak, immediate heir at law to the latter. I have known some of my cotemporary poets (and those not very voluminous writers) who have coined their one or two hundred words a man; whereas Dryden and Pope devised only about threescore words between them; many of which were compound epithets: but most of the words which they introduced into our language proved in the event to be vigorous and perennial plants, being chosen and raised from excellent offsets 2. -Indeed the former author revived also a great number of ancient words and expressions; and this he did (beginning at Chaucer) with so much delicacy of choice, and in a manner so comprehensive, that he left the latter author (who was in that point equally judicious and sagacious) very little to do, or next to nothing. - Some few of Dryden's revived words I have presumed to continue; of which take the following instances; as gridéline, filmont, and carmine, (with reference to colours, and mixtures of colours ;) cymar, eygre, trine, EYPHKA, paraclete, panoply, rood, dorp, eglantine, orisons, aspirations, &c. I mention this, lest any one should be angry with me, or pleased with me in I Horat. 2 I must here make one exception. Dryden showed some weakness, in anglicising common French words, and those not over elegant, when at the same time we had synonymous words of our own growth. Thus, for example, he introduced leveé, coucheé, boutefeu, simagres, fracheur, fougue, &c. Nor was he more lucky in the Italian falsarè: his shield Was falsify'd, and round with javʼlins fill'd. Dryden's Virg. Compound epithets first came into their great vogue about the year 1598. Shakespeare and Ben Jonson both ridiculed the ostentatious and immoderate use of them, in their prologues to Troilus and Cressida and to Every Man in his Humour. By the above-named prologues it also appears, that bombast grew fashionable about the same era. Now in both instances an affected taste is the same as a false taste. The author of Hiero❤ nimo (who as I may venture to assure the reader, was one John Smith) first led up the dance. Then came the bold and self-sufficient translator of Du Bartas 5, who broke down all the flood-gates of the true stream of eloquence (which formerly preserved the river clear, within due bounds, and full to its banks) and, like the rat in the LowCountry dikes, mischievously or wantonly deluged the whole land. Of innovated phrases and words; of words revived; of compound epithets, &c. I may one day or other say more, in a distinct criticism on Dryden's poetry. It shall therefore only suffice to observe here, that our two great poetical masters never thought that the interposition of an hyphen, without just grounds and reasons, made a compound epithet. On the contrary, it was their opinion, (and to this opinion their practice was conformable) that such union should only be made between two nouns, as patriot-king, ideotlaugh, &c.—or between an adjective and noun, or noun and adjective, vice versa, or an adjective and participle; as laughter-loving, cloudcompelling, rosy-fingered, &c.-As also by an adverb used as part of an adjective, as you may see in the words well-concocted, well-digested, &c.-But never by a full real adverb and adjective, as inly-pining, sadly-musing, and, to make free with myself, (though I only did it by way of irony) my expression of simply-marry'd epithets, of which sort of novelties modern poetry chiefly consists. Nor should such compound epithets be looked upon as the poet's making; for they owe their existence to the compositor of the press, and the intervention of an hyphen. Much of the same analogy by which Dryden and Pope guided themselves in the present case, may be seen in the purer Greek and Roman languages: but all the hyphens in the world, (supposing hyphens had been then known) would not have truly joined together the dulce ridentem, or dulce loquentem, of Horace. In a word, some few precautions of the pre 3 Horat. 4 John Smith writ also the Hector of Germany. • Joshua Sylvester. Lord, has thy hand no mercy, and our woes No more the Sun delights, nor lawns, nor trees; Books have no wit, the liveliest wits have none; And Mazzaroth made up the mournful trine 7: 1 The hint of this emblem is taken from our venerable and religious poet F. Quarles, L. III, Embl. 4. Mr. Dryden used to say, that Quarles exceeded him in the facility of rhyming. Orion added noise to dumb despair, Oft have we sought (and fruitless oft) to gain worst: Who weep unpity'd, groan without relief; "There is no end nor measure of their grief!" The happy have waste twelve-months to bestow ; But those can spare all time, who live in woe! Whose liveliest hours are misery and thrall; Whose food is wormwood, and whose drink is gall ". Banish their grief, or ease their irksome load; Ephraim, at length, was favour'd by his God 12. Ah, what is man, that demi-god on Earth? Proud of his knowledge, glorying in his birth; Profane corrector of th' Almighty's laws, Full of th' effect, forgetful of the cause! Why boast of reason, and yet reason ill? Why talk of choice, yet follow erring will? Why vaunt our liberty, and prove the slave Of all ambition wants, or follies crave? This is the lot of him, surnam❜d the wise, Who lives mistaken, and mistaken dies! The sick less happy, and yet happier live; For pains and maladies are God's reprieve: This respite, 'twixt the grave and cradle giv'n, Is th' interpos'd parenthesis of Heav'n! Scripture-astronomy these three were all watery signs, and emblematical of grief. The fourth constellation, named Orion, threatened mankind with hurricanes and tempests. Sandys understood the passage in the same manner as I do. See his excellent Paraphrase on Job, folio, page 49, London 1637. Mention is again made of the Seven Stars, (Pleiades) and of Orion, Amos, ch. v, v. 8-and Job, ch. ix, v. 9. The star of bitterness, called Wormwood, Rev. ch. viii, v. 10. 9 Job, ch. xxxvii, v. 12. Luke, ch. I, v. 78. 'Avaroan is. This poetical word, dayspring, expressing the dawn of morning, has been never adopted by our poets, as far as we can recollect. 10 Deut. ch. xxviii, v. 66, 67. "And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and Quarles's book, and the emblematical prints therein contained, are chiefly taken from the Pia Desideria of Hugo Hermannus. The engravings were originally designed by that cele-shalt have no assurance of thy life. In the brated artist C. Van Sichem. 2 Dan. ch. iv, v. 34. 31 Sam. ch. xvi, v. 25. morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! For the fear of thine heart wherewith 4 Agreeably to this, is a lovely piece of ima- thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes gery in the holy Scriptures. The Earth mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon is ashamed, and hewn down; Sharon is like a wilderness; Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits." Isaiah, ch. xxxiii, v. 9. 5 Isaiah, ch. lix, v. 5. • South'd, a received term in astrology, wherewith thou shalt sce." See also Job, ch. iii. v. 8. 11 Jerem. ch. xxiii, v. 15. 12 lbid. ch. xxxi, v. 20. "Ephraim is my dear son;-for, since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will surely have ? Job, ch. xxxviii v. 31, 32. According to mercy upon him, saith the Lord." J Too often we complain-but flesh is weak; Silence would waste us, and the heart would break. Behold yon' rose, the poor despondent cries, oar, "Obtains the sabbath of a welcome shore:" His captive stripes are heal'd; his native soil Sweetens the memory of foreign toil. Alas, my sorrows are not half so blest ;" My labours know no end, my pains no rest! Tell me, vain-glorious Newtons, if you can, What heterogeneous mixtures form the man? Pleasure and anguish, ignorance and skill; Nature and spirit, slav'ry and free will; Weakness and strength; old age and youthful Errour and truth; eternity and time!-[prime; What contradictions have for ever ran Betwixt the nether brute and upper man15 ? Ah! what are men, who God's creation scorn? The worm their brother 16;-brother elder born! Plants live like them, in fairer robes array'd, Alike they flourish, and alike they fade. The lab'ring steer sleeps less disturb'd at night, And eats and drinks with keener appetite,Restrain'd by nature just t' enjoy his fill ; Useful, and yet incapable of ill. Say, man, what vain pre-eminence is thine ? Else, boasted knowledge, hapless is thy curse, To minds afflicted ever has been giv'n 13 Matth. ch. vi, v. 28. 14 Concerning the sleep of plants, see an ingenious Latin treatise lately published in Sweden. 15 Poetical definition of a centaur. 16 Job, ch. xvii, v 14.-There is a remarkable passage in the Psalms upon this occasion, where the worm takes place of the monarch: "O praise the Lord, ye mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; worms and feathered fowls; kings of the Earth and all people; princes and judges of the world." Th' Almighty lent an ear to Hannah's pray 'r20, But most th' unhappy wretch, aggriev'd in Rais'd pity in the Saviour of mankind. [mind, He ask'd for peace; Heav'n gave him its own Demons were dumb, and Legion dispossest. [rest, Wither'd with palsy'd blasts, the limbs resume, Thy strength, O manhood; and, O youth, thy Syro-Phenicia's maiden re-enjoy'd [bloom 23! That equal mind, which Satan once destroy'd 24. And, when the heav'nly Ephphatha 25 was spoke, The deaf-born heard, the dumb-born silence broke. Th' ethereal fluid mov'd, the speech return'd; No spasms were dreaded, no despondence mourn'd. Then rouse, my soul, and bid the world adieu, Its maxims, wisdom, joys and glory too; The mighty EYPHKA26 appears in view. Just so, the gen'rous falcon, long immur'd In doleful cell, by osier-bars secur'd, Laments her fate; till, flitting swiftly by, Th' aerial prize attracts her eager eye : Instant she summons all her strength and fire; Her aspect kindles fierce with keen desire; She prunes her tatter'd plumes in conscious [side: And bounds from perch to perch, and side to Impatient of her jail, and long detain'd, She breaks the bounds her liberty restrain'd: Then, having gain'd the point by Heav'n de pride, sign'd, Soars 'midst the clouds, and proves her highhorn kind. When Adam did his Paradise forego, He earn'd his hard-bought bread with sweating brow. Give us the labour, but suppress the woe All chastisement, before we reach the grave, 26 See Dryden's Relig. Laici; and Prior's Ode sus-entitled, What is Man? ETPHKA signifies finding out the great point desired. Psalm cxlviii, v. 10, Septuagint Version. 17" If we pamper the flesh too much, we nourish an enemy; if we defraud it of lawful tenance, we destroy a good citizen." St. Gregor. Homil. 18 Acts, ch. iv, v. 6, 18. 19 Gen. ch. iii, v. 15. VOL. XVI. 27 The hint of this similie is taken from Quarles. 28There is sometimes a certain pleasure in D d |