Infcribed to the Memory of the
Honble Col. George Villiers,
Drowned in the River Piava, in the Country of Friuli. 1703.
In Imitation of Horace, Ode 28. Lib. 1.
Te Maris & Terra numeroque carentis arena
Menforem cobibent, Archyta, &c.
AY, deareft VILLIERS, poor departed Friend
(Since fleeting Life thus fuddenly muft end) Say, what did all thy bufie Hopes avail,
That anxious Thou from Pole to Pole didft fail;
E'er on thy Chin the fpringing Beard began
To fpread a doubtful Down, and promise Man?
What profited thy Thoughts, and Toils, and Cares,
In Vigour more confirm'd, and riper Years?
To wake e'er Morning-dawn to loud Alarms,
And march 'till close of Night in heavy Arms?
To fcorn the Summer Suns and Winter Snows,
And fearch thro' ev'ry Clime thy Country's Foes?
That Thou might'ft Fortune to thy Side ingage;
That gentle Peace might quell BELLONA's Rage;
And ANNA's Bounty crown Her Soldier's hoary Age?
In vain We think that free-will'd Man has Pow'r To haften or protract th'appointed Hour.
Our Term of Life depends not on our Deed: - Before our Birth our Funeral was decreed.
Nor aw'd by Forefight, nor mif-led by Chance,
Imperious Death directs His Ebon Lance;
[Dance. Peoples great HENRY's Tombs; and leads up HOLBEN's Alike must ev'ry State, and ev'ry Age
Suftain the univerfal Tyrant's Rage:
For neither WILLIAM's Pow'r, nor MARY'S Charms
Could or repel, or pacifie his Arms:
Young CHURCHILL fell, as Life began to bloom:
And BRADFORD's trembling Age expects the Tomb.
Wisdom and Eloquence in vain would plead
One Moment's Refpite for the learned Head:
Judges of Writings and of Men have dy'd;
MECENAS, SACKVILLE, SOCRATES, and HYDE:
And in their various Turns the Sons muft tread
Thofe gloomy Journeys, which their Sires have led.
The ancient Sage, who did fo long maintain,
That Bodies die, but Souls return again,
With all the Births and Deaths He had in Store,
Went out PYTHAGORAS, and came no more.
And modern As- L, whofe capricious Thought
Is yet with Stores of wilder Nations fraught,
Too foon convinc'd, fhall yield that fleeting Breath,
Which play'd fo idly with the Darts of Death.
Some from the ftranded Veffel force their Way;
Fearful of Fate, they meet it in the Sea:
Some who escape the Fury of the Wave,
Sicken on Earth, and fink into a Grave:
In Journeys or at home, in War or Peace,
By Hardfhips Many, Many fall by Eafe.
Each changing Season does it's Poison bring;
Rheums chill the Winter, Agues blaft the Springs P
Wet, Dry, Cold, Hot, at the appointed Hour,
All act fubfervient to the Tyrant's Pow'r
And when obedient Nature knows His Will,
A Fly, a Grapeftone, or a Hair can kill.
For restless PROSERPINE for ever treads
In Paths unfeen, o'er our devoted Heads;
And on the spacious Land, and liquid Main
Spreads flow Difeafe, or darts afflictive Pain:
Variety of Deaths confirms her endless Reign.
On curft PIAVA's Banks the Goddess itcod,
Show'd her dire Warrant to the rifing Flood;
When What I long muft love, and long must mourn,
With fatal Speed was urging his Return;
In his dear Country to difperfe his Care,
And arm himfelf by Rell for future War;
To chide his anxious Friends officious Fears,
And promise to their Joys his elder Years.
Oh! deftin'd Head; and oh! fevere Decree;
Nor native Country Thou, nor Friend shalt see;
Nor War haft thou to wage, nor Year to come:
Impending Death is thire, and inftant Doom.
Hark! the imperious Goddefs is obey'd:
Winds murmur, Snows defcend; and Waters fpread:
Oh! Kinfman, Friend,
Oh vain are all the Cries
Of human Voices rong Delay replies;
Weep You on E
Thence None return;
for He fhall fleep below:
Whoe'er Thou art, whom Choice or Bufinefs leads To this fad River, or the neighb'ring Meads; If Thou may'ft happen on the dreary Shoars To find the Object which This Verfe deplores; Cleanse the pale Corps with a religious Hand From the polluting Weed and common Sand; Lay the dead Hero graceful in a Grave; (The only Honour He can now receive) And fragrant Mould upon his Body throw; And plant the Warrior Lawrel o'er his Brow: Light lye the Earth; and flourish green the Bough. So may juft Heav'n fecure thy future Life From foreign Dangers, and domestick Strife: And when th' Infernal Judges difmal Pow'r From the dark Urn fhall throw Thy deftin'd Hour; When yielding to the Sentence, breathlefs Thou And pale fhalt lye, as what Thou buriest now; May fome kind Friend the piteous Object fee, And equal Rites perform, to That which once was Thee.
PROLOGUE spoken at Court before the QUEEN, on Her Majesty's Birth Day, 1704.
HINE forth, Ye Planets, with distinguish'd Light,
As when Ye hallow'd firft this Happy Night:
Again tranfmit your Friendly Beams to Earth,
As when BRITANNIA joy'd for ANNA's Birth:
And Thou, propitious Star, whofe facred Pow'r
Prefided o'er the Monarch's Natal Hour,
Thy Radiant Voyages for ever run,
Yielding to none but CYNTHIA, and the Sun:
With Thy fair Afpect ftill illuftrate Heav'n:
Kindly preferve what Thou haft greatly giv'n:
Thy Influence for thy ANNA We implore:
Prolong One Life; and BRITAIN asks no more:
For Virtue can no ampler Power express,
Than to be Great in War, and Good in Peace:
For Thought no higher Wish of Bliss can frame,
Than to enjoy that Virtue STILL THE SAME.
Entire and fure the Monarch's Rule must prove,
Who founds Her Greatness on Her Subjects Love;
Who does our Homage for our Good require;
And Orders that which We fhould firft Defire:
Our vanquish'd Wills that pleafing Force obey:
Her Goodness takes our Liberty away:
And haughty BRITAIN yields to Arbitrary Sway.
Let the young AUSTRIAN then Her Terrors bear,
Great as He is, Her Delegate in War :
Let Him in Thunder speak to both his SPAINS,
That in these Dreadful Isles a Woman Reigns.
While the Bright Queen does on Her Subjects fhow'r
The gentle Blessings of Her fofter Pow'r;
Gives facred Morals to a vicious Age,
To Temples Zeal, and Manners to the Stage;
Bids the chafte Mufe without a Blush appear :
And Wit be that which Heav'n and She may hear.
MINERVA thus to PERSEUS lent Her Shield;
Secure of Conqueft, fent Him to the Field:
The Hero acted what the Queen ordain'd:
So was His Fame compleat, and ANDROMEDE unchain'd,
Mean time amidst Her Native Temples fate
The Goddess, ftudious of Her GRECIAN'S Fate;
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