AN ODE. INSCRIBED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HONOURABLE COLONEL GEORGE VILLIERS,1 DROWNED IN THE RIVER PIAVA, IN THE COUNTRY OF FRIULI, MDCCIII. IN IMITATION OF Te maris et terræ numeroque carentis arenæ SAY, dearest Villiers, poor departed friend, 1 Colonel George Villiers was in the marine service. When this accident happened to him he was accompanied by William Courtenay, Esq., son of Sir William Courtenay, a captain in his regiment, and both shared the same fate. They had been out on an excursion to see the country. That thou mightst Fortune to thy side engage; Alike must every state, and every age For neither William's power, nor Mary's charms, Young Churchill1 fell, as life began to bloom : 1 John Churchill, Marquis of Blandford, only son of John, Duke of Marlborough by Sarah his duchess. He died 10th March, 1702, aged 16, and was buried at King's College chapel, Cambridge. 2 Francis Newport, Earl of Bradford. He died 19th September, 1708. The ancient sage, who did so 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 Asgyll,1 whose capricious thought Is yet with stores of wilder notions fraught, Too soon convinc'd, shall yield that fleeting breath, Which play'd so idly with the darts of death. Some from the stranded vessel force their way; Fearful of Fate, they meet it in the sea: Some who escape the fury of the wave, Sicken on earth, and sink into a grave: In journeys or at home, in war or peace, By hardships many, many fall by ease. Each changing season does its poison bring, Rheums chill the winter, agues blast the spring: 1 John Asgyll, Esq., a lawyer of some eminence, but more remarkable for the very extraordinary publication here alluded to. He was a member of the English parliament for Bramber in Sussex. In the year 1700 he published a treatise, entitled, "An argument proving that according to the covenant of eternal life revealed in the scriptures, man may be translated hence into that eternal life without passing through death, although the human nature of Christ himself could not be thus translated till he had passed through death." Being involved in many perplexing lawsuits, and much reduced in his circumstances, the House of Conimons made this pamphlet a pretence for expelling him in September, 1707. His affairs afterwards continued to grow worse, and he passed the remainder of his life in the rules of the King's Bench, or Fleet. He died within the former on the 10th of November, 1738, when he was considerably above fourscore years of age. Wet, dry, cold, hot, at the appointed hour, For restless Proserpine for ever treads On curst Piava's banks the goddess stood, Oh! destin'd head; and oh! severe decree; Nor native country thou, nor friend shall see: Nor war hast thou to wage, nor year to come: Impending death is thine, and instant doom. Hark! the imperious goddess is obey'd: Winds murmur, snows descend, and waters spread; Oh ! kinsman, friend-Oh! vain are all the cries Of human voice; strong destiny replies: Weep you on earth: for he shall sleep below : Thence none return,; and thither all must go. Whoe'er thou art, whom choice or business leads To this sad river, or the neigbouring meads; If thou mayst happen on the dreary shores, To find the object which this verse deplores; PROLOGUE, SPOKEN AT COURT BEFORE THE QUEEN, ON HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH DAY, MDCCIV. SHINE forth, ye planets, with distinguish'd light, |