On the DEATH of the RIGHT HONOURABLE

WILLIAM EARL COWPER.

STROPHE I

WAKE the British harp again,

To a fail melodious strain;

Wake the harp, whofe every ftring,
When Halifax refign'd his breath,
Accus'd inexorable death;

For 1, once more, must in affliction fing,
One fong of forrow more bestow,

1723.

The burden of a heart o'ercharg'd with woe:

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Yet, O my foul, if aught may bring relief,
Full many, grieving, fhall applaud thy grief,
The pious verfe, that Cowper does deplore,
Whom all the boasted powers of verse cannot restore,

ANTIS TROPHE I.

Not to her, his fondeft care,

Not to his lov'd offspring fair,

Nor his country ever dear,

From her, from them, from Britain torn:
With her, with them, does Britain mourn :
His name, from every eye, calls forth a tear;
And, intermingling, fighs with praise,
All good men wish the number of his days

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Had

Had been to him twice told, and twice again,

In that feal'd book, where all things which pertain To mortal man, whatever things befall,

Are from eternity confirm'd, beyond recall :

EPODE

Where every lofs, and every gain,
Where every grief, and every joy,
Every pleasure, every pain,

I.

Each bitter, and each sweet alloy,
To us uncertain though they flow,
Are pre-ordain'd, and fix'd, above.

Too wretched ftate, did man foreknow
Thofe ills, which man cannot remove!
Vain is wisdom for preventing
What the wifeft live lamenting.

STROPHE II.

Hither fent, who knows the day
When he shall be call'd away?

Various is the term affigu'd :

An hour, a day, fome months, or years,
The breathing foul on earth appears :

But, through the fwift fucceffion of mankind,
Swarm after fwarm! a bufy race,

The ftrength of cities, or of courts the grace,
Or who in camps delight, or who abide
Diffus'd o'er lands, or float on oceans wide,

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Of them, though many here long-lingering dwell, And fee their children's children, yet, how few excel! 46

ANTIS TROPHE II.

Here we come, and hence we go,

Shadows paffing to and fro,

Seen a while, forgotten foon:

But thou, to fair distinction born,

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Thou, Cowper, beamy in the morn

Of life, ftill brightening to the pitch of noon,
Scarce verging to the steep decline,

Hence fummon'd while thy virtues radiant shine,
Thou fingled out the fofterling of fame,

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Secure of praife, nor lefs fecur'd from blame,

Shalt be remember'd with a fond applause,

So long as Britons own the fame indulgent laws.

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E PODE II.

United in one public weal,

Rejoicing in one freedom, all,
Cowper's hand apply'd the feal,
And level'd the partition-wall.
The chofen feeds of great events
Are thinly fown, and flowly rise :
And Time the harveft-fcythe prefents,
In feafon, to the good and wife:
Hymning to the harp my ftory,
Fain would I record his glory.

STROPHE III.

Pouring forth, with heavy heart,
Truth unleaven'd, pure of art,

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yore

Like the hallow'd Bard of

Who chaunted in authentic rhymes

The worthies of the good old times,.

Ere living vice in verfe was varnish'd o'er,
And vitue died without a fong.

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Support of friendlefs right, to powerful wrong,
A check, behold him in the judgment-feat!
Twice, there, approvd, in righteoufefs compleat:
In juít awards, how gracious! tempering, law."
With mercy, and reproving with a winning awe.

ANTIS TROPHE III.

Hear him fpeaking, and you hear

Reafon tuneful to the ear!
Lips with thyiny language fweet,
Dialling on the hearer's mind

The balm of wisdom, fpeech refin'd,

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Celestial gifts!-Oh, when the nobles meet,,
When next, thon fea-furrounded land, ¡, i
Thy nobles meet at Brunfwick's high command,
In vain they fhall the charmer's voice defire!
In vain thofe lips of eloquence require!
That mild conviction, which the foul affails
By foft alarmis, and with a gentie force prevails 1-

E PODE III.

To fuch perfuafion, willing, yields
The liberal mind, in freedom train❜d,
Freedom, which, in crimfon'd fields,
By hardy toil our fathers gain'd,

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Inheritance of long defcent!

The facred pledge, fo dearly priz'd
By that bleis'd fpirit we lament :
Grief-eafing lays, by grief devis'd,
Plaintive numbers, gently flowing,
Sooth the forrows to him owing!

STROPHE IV.

Early on his growing heir,

Stamp what time may not impair,

As he grows, that coming years,
Or youthful pleasures, or the vain
Gigantic phantom of the brain

Ambition, breeding monftrous hopes and fears,
Or worthier cares, to youth unknown,

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Ennobling manhood, flower of life full-blown,
May never wear the bofom-in age faint :

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O, let him prove what words but weakly paint,
The lively lovely femblance of his fire,

A model to his fon! that ages may admire!

ANTIS TROPHE IV.

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While we behold yon wide-spread azure cope,

With burning ftars thick-lufter'd o'er,
Than to enjoy, and to deserve, a store

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of