3318
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 THE 
 
 GRAVE, 
 
 POEM. 
 
 By ROBERT BLAIR. 
 
 ?be Houfe appointed for all Living. JOB. 
 The EIGHTH EDITION. 
 
 LONDON; 
 
 Printed for G, ROBINSON, Pater-nofter R', 
 [Price Six-Penca.]
 
 THE 
 
 G 11 A V J. 
 
 A 
 
 > P O M. 
 
 VVHILST fome afFefl the fun, and fome the fhade, 
 ^Some flee the cityj fome the hermitage, 
 ^ Their arm5 as various, as the roads they take 
 
 In journeying thro* life 5 the tafk be mine, 
 v I 
 * To paint the gloomy horrors of the tomb 
 
 ? The appointed place of rendezvous, vvhere ail 
 Thefe travellers meet. Thy fuccours I implore* 
 Eternal King ! vvhofe potent arm fuftainS 
 
 i The keys of hell arid death. The Grave, dread thing! 
 
 | Men fhiver when thou'rt nam'd: Nature appall'dj 
 Shakes off her wonted firmnefs, Ah ! how dark 
 
 A 2 Th/
 
 I 4 > 
 
 Thy long extended realms* and rueful waftes ! 
 Wherenoughtbutf}lencereigris,aridn5ght,darknightj 
 Dark as was Chaos, 'ere the infant fun 
 Was roll'd together, or had try*d its beams 
 Athwart the gloom profound ! The fickly taper 
 By glimmering thro' thy low-brow'd mifty vaults, 
 (FurrM round with mouldy damps, and ropy dime,) 
 Lets fall a fupernumerary horror j 
 And only ferves to make thy night more irkfome^ 
 Well do I know thee by thy trufty yew, 
 Chearlefs, unfocial plant! that loves to dwell 
 'Midft fculls and coffins, epitaphs and worms: 
 Where light-heel'd ghofts, and vifionary mades, 
 Beneath the wan cold moon (as fame reports) 
 Embody'd thick,, perform their myftick rounds. 
 No other merriment, dull tree ! is thine. 
 
 See yonder hallow'd fane! the pious work 
 Of names once fam'd, now dubious or forgot. 
 And buried 'midft the wreck of things which were: 
 There lie interr*d the more illuftrious dead. 
 The wind is up: hark! how it howls! methinks 
 
 Till
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 Till now, I never heard a found fo dreary: 
 
 Doors creek, and windows clap, and Night's foul bird 
 
 Rook'd in the fpire fcreams loud : the gloomy aides 
 
 Black-plafter'd, and hung round with fhreds of fcutcheons 
 
 And tatter'd coats of arms, fend back the found 
 
 Laden with heavier airs, from the low vaults 
 
 The manfions of the dead. Rouz'd from their (lumbers 
 
 In grim array the grizly fpe&res rife, 
 
 Grin horrible, and obftinately fullen 
 
 Pafs and repafs, hulh'd as the foot of Night. 
 
 Again! the fcreech-owl fhrieks : ungracious found! 
 
 I'll hear no more, it makes one's blood run chill. 
 
 Quite round the pile, a row of reverend elms* 
 Coeval near with that, all ragged Ihew 4 
 Long ialh'd by the rude winds : fome rift half down 
 Their branchlefs trunks : others fo thin a top, 
 That fcarce two crows could lodge in the fame tree. 
 Strange things, the neighbours fay, have happen'd here 
 Wild fhrieks have iffued from the hollow tombs, 
 Dead men have come again* and walk'd about, 
 And the great bell has toli'd, unrung, umouch'd. 
 
 (Such
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 (Such tales their cheer, at wake or gofliping,' 
 When it draws near to witching-time of night.) 
 
 Oft in the lone church-yard at night I've feen 
 By glimpfe of moon-fhine, chequering thro* the treeSj 
 The fchool-boy with his fatchei in his hand* 
 Whittling aloud to bear his courage up, 
 And lightly tripping o'er the long flat floneS 
 (With nettles fkirted, and with mofs o'ergrown^) 
 That tell in homely phrafe who lie below ; 
 Sudden ! he (tarts, and hears^ or thinks he hears 
 The found of fomething purring at his heels: 
 Full faft he flies, and dares not look behind him, 
 Till out of breath he overtakes his fellows s 
 Who gather round and wonder at the tale 
 Of horrid apparition, tall and ghaftly, 
 That walks at dead of night, or takes his ftand 
 O'er fome new open'd Grave; and, ftrange to tell! 
 Evanifhes at crowing of the cock. 
 
 The new-made widow too, I've forhetinies fpy'd s 
 Sad fight! flow moving o'er the proftrate dead : 
 Liftlefs, fiie crawls along in doleful blackj 
 
 Whilft
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 Whilft: burfts of forrow gufh from either eye, 
 Faft-falling down her now untafted cheek. 
 Prone on the lowly grave of the dear man 
 She drops ; whilft bufy-meddling Memory, 
 Jn barbarous fucceffion, mufters up 
 The paft endearments of their fofter hours, 
 Tenacious of its theme. Still, dill (he thinks 
 She fees him, and indulging the fond thought, 
 Clings yet more clofely to the fenfelefs turf, 
 fJor heeds the pafTcnger who looks that way. 
 
 Invidious Grave ! how do'ft thou rend in funder 
 Whom love has knit, and fympathy made onej 
 A tie more ftubborn far than nature's band! 
 Friendjhip ! myfterious cement of the foul, 
 Sweetener of life, and folder of fociety, 
 I owe thee much. Thou haft deferv'd from me, 
 Far, far beyond what I can ever pay. 
 Oft have I prov'd the labours of thy love, 
 And the warm efforts of the gentle heart 
 Anxious to pleafe. Oh ! when my friend and I 
 Jn fome thick wood have wander'd heedlefs on, 
 
 Hid
 
 ( * ) 
 
 Hid from the vulgar eye ; and fat us down 
 Upon the (loping cowQip-cover'd bank, 
 "Where the pure limpid ftream has flid along 
 In grateful errors thro' the under-wood 
 Sweet murmuring : methought, the fhrill-tongu'd thruft* 
 Mended his fong of Jove ; the footy blackbird 
 Mellow'd his pipe, and foften'd ev'ry note : 
 The eglantine fmell'd fweeter, and the rofe 
 Affum'd a dye more deep; whilft ev'ry flower 
 Vy'd with its fellow-plant in luxury 
 Of drefs. Oh ! then the longed fummer's day 
 Seem*d too, too much in hafte : flill the full heart 
 Had not imparted half: 'twas happinefs 
 Too exquifite to laft. Of joys departed 
 Not to return, how painful the remembrance ! 
 
 Dull Grave: thou fpoil'ft the dance of youthful blood, 
 Strik'ft out the dimple from the cheek of mirth, 
 And ev'ry fmirking feature from the face; 
 Branding our laughter with the name of madnefs, 
 Where are the jefters now ? the men of health 
 toiiipiexionally pleafant ? where the droll 
 
 Whofc
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 Whofe ev'ry look and geflure was a joke 
 To clapping theatres and (homing crouds, 
 And made even thick-lip'd mufmg Melancholy 
 To gather up her face into a fmile 
 Before (he was aware ? Ah ! fullen now, 
 And dumb as the green turf that covers them ! 
 
 Where are the mighty thunderbolts of war ? 
 The Roman CasPars, and the Grecian chiefs, 
 The boafl of (lory ? Where the hot-brain'd youth ? 
 Who the tiara at his pleafure tore 
 From kings of all the then difcover'd globe ; 
 And cry'd forfooth, becaufe his arm was hamper'd, 
 And had not room enough to do its work ? 
 Alas ! how flim, dilhonourably dim ! 
 And cramm'd into a fpace we blufli to name. 
 Proud royalty ! how alter'd in thy looks ? 
 How blank thy features, and how wan thy hue ? 
 Son of the morning ! whither art thou gone ? 
 Where haft thou hid thy many-fpangled head, 
 And the majeftic menace of thine eyes 
 Felt from afar ? pliant and powerlefs now, 
 
 3 Like
 
 ( io ) 
 
 Like new-born infant wound up in his fwathes,' 
 Or viclim tumbled flat upon his back 
 That throbs beneath the facrificer- s knife : " 
 Mute, rnuft thou bear. the ftrife of little 
 And coward infuhs of the bafe-born crowd; 
 That grudge a privilege thou never hadft, 
 But only hop'd for in the peaceful Grave ? 
 Of being unmoleftcd and alone. 
 Arabia's gunij, s^^2fi^ crou . s drugs, 
 
 3 *"<.", Jf . * * 
 
 Andth0ni)urs by the heralds duly paid 
 ' 
 
 In ii)o'de an3 form, ev'n to a.,very fcruplej^ . 
 
 Oh cruel irony \ thcfe come too late ; 
 
 And anly mock, whom they were meant to honour,- 
 
 Surel^L "*licreVn&' ^^^^^h^ bury'4 
 
 ' ' >~ v"IHR** 11 ^ ^5 s 
 
 In the highway, flnfhrouded and uncoffin'djjf./ ,. 
 
 But lies as fofr, and fleeps as founcl.as/.he^ 
 Sorry pre-eminence, 'of high.def({^ht ' 
 Above tne vulgar^born, tofl^^i 
 
 But fee Nthe well-plumed hearfe comes nodcling or| 
 Stately and flow;- .and properly attended 
 By the whole fable tribe, that painful watcft 
 
 The
 
 ( II ) 
 
 The fick man's door, and live upon the dead, 
 
 By letting out their perfons by the hour 
 
 To mimick forrow, when the -heart's riot fad, 
 
 How rich the trappings, now they're all unfurl'd, 
 
 And glittering in the fun ! triumphant entries 
 
 Of conquerors, and coronation pomps, 
 
 In glory fcarce exceed. Great gluts of people 
 
 Retard th' unweildy mew; whilftfrom the cafements 
 
 And houfes tops, ranks behind ranks clofe wedg'd 
 
 Hang bellying o'er. But! tell us, why this wade? 
 
 Why this ado in earthing up a carcafe 
 
 That's fall'n into difgrace, and in the nofiril 
 
 Smells horrible ? Ye undertakers ! tell us, 
 
 . 
 
 'Midft all the gorgeous figures you exhibit, 
 Why is the principal concealed, for which 
 You make this mighty ftir ? 'Tis wifely done: 
 What would offend the eye-in a good picture, 
 The painter cafls difcreetly into fhades 
 
 Proud lineage ! now how lit lie thou appear'ft 
 Below the envy of the private man ! 
 Honour! that meddlefome officious ill, 
 
 B 2 Purfues
 
 Purfues thee ev'n to death ; nor there flops fliorfi 
 Strange perfecution ! when the Grave itfelf 
 Is no protection from rude fufferance. 
 
 Abfurd ! to think to over-reach the Grave, 
 And from the wreck of names to refcue ours t 
 The beft concerted fchemes men lay for fame 
 Die faft away : only themfelves die fader. 
 The far-fam'd fculptor, and the laurell'd bard,- 
 Thofe bold infurances of deathlefe fame, 
 Supply their little feeble aids in vain. 
 The tap'ring pyramid, th* Egyptian's pride, 
 And wonder of the world, whofe fpiky top 
 Has wounded the thick cloud, and long outlivM 
 The angry making of the winter's ftorm : 
 Yet fpent at laft by the injuries of heaven, 
 Shatter'd with age, and furrow'd o'er with years,- 
 The myftic cone with hieroglyphics crefted 
 Gives way. Oh lamentable fight ! at once 
 The labour of whole ages lumbers down , 
 A heideous and miftiapen length of ruins, 
 Sepulchral columns wreftle but in vain 
 
 With
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 \Vith all-fubduing Time : his cank'ring hand 
 With calm deliberate malice wafteth them : 
 Worn on the edge of days, the brafs confumes^ 
 The bufto moulders, and the deep cut marble, 
 Unfteady to the fteel, gives up its charge, 
 Ambition, half convicted of her folly, 
 Hangs down the head, and reddens at the tale. 
 
 Here all the mighty troublers of the earth, 
 Who fwarm to fov'reign rule thro' feas of blood ; 
 Th' opprcfllve, fturdy, man-deftroying villains. 
 Who ravag'd kingdoms, and laid empires wafte, 
 And in a cruel wantonnefs of power 
 Thinn'd dates of half their people, and gave up 
 To want the reft: now like a ftorm that's fpent, 
 Lie hum'd, and meanly fneak behind thy covert. 
 Vain thought ! to hide them from the general icorn, 
 That haunts and dogs them Hke an injur'd ghoft 
 Implacable. Here too the petty tyrant 
 Of fcant domains, geographer ne'er notic'd, 
 And well for neighb'ring grounds, of arm as fiiort : 
 Who fix'd his iron talons on the poor,- 
 
 And
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 And grip'd them like fome lordly beaft of preys 
 Deaf to the forceful cries of gnawing hunger. 
 And piteous plaintive voice of Mifery : 
 (As if a flave was not a flired of nature, 
 Of the fame common nature witli his lord:) 
 Now, tame and humble, like a child that's whipp'd 
 Shakes hands with duft, and calls the worm his kinfman- j 
 Nor pleads his rank and birthright. Under ground 
 Precedency's a jeft; vafial and lord 
 Grofly familiar, fide by fide confume*. 
 
 "When felf efteem, or others adulation, 
 Would cunningly perfuade us we are fomething 
 Above the common level of our kind : 
 The grave gainfays the fmooth-complexion'd flatt'ry,' 
 And with blunt truth acquaints us what we are. 
 
 Beauty ! thoii pretty play-thing, dear deceit, 
 That fteals fo foftly o'er the ftripling's heart, 
 And gives it a new pulfe, unknown before, 
 The Grave difcredits thee : Thy charms cxpung'd, 
 Thy rofes faded, and thy lillics foiPd ; 
 
 What
 
 ( '5 ) 
 
 What haft thou more to boaft of? Will thy lovers 
 flock round thee now, to gaze and do thee homage 
 Methinks, I fee thee with thy head low laid ; 
 Whilft furfeited upon thy damafk cheek, 
 The high-fed worm, in lazy volumes roll'd, 
 Riots unfcar'd, For this was all thy caution ? 
 For this, thy painful labours at thy glafs? ! 
 T'improve thofe charms, and keep them in repair, 
 For which the fpoiler thanks thee not. Foul-feeder] 
 Coarfe fare and carrion pleafe thee full as well, 
 And leave as keen a relith on the fenfe. 
 Look, how the fair one weeps ! the eonfcious tears 
 Stand thick as dew-drops on the bells of flowers : 
 Honefl effufion ! the fwoln heart in vain 
 Works hard to pu.t a glofs on its diftrefs. 
 
 Strength too! thou furly, and lefs gentle boaft 
 Of thofe that laugh loud at the village ring, 
 A fit of common ficknefs. pulls thee down 
 With greater eafe, than e'er thou didft the (tripling 
 That rafhly dar'd thee to the unequal fight. 
 "\Yhat groan was that I heard ? deep groan indeed ! 
 
 With
 
 With anguifh heavy-laden . let me trace it : 
 
 From yonder bed it comes, where the ftrong man, 
 
 By ftronger arm belabour'd, gafps for breath 
 
 Like a hard-hunted beaft, How his great heart 
 
 Beats thick ! his roomy cheft by far too fcant 
 
 To give the lungs full play ! what now avail 
 
 ,The ftrong-built fmewy limbs,and well fpread moulders? 
 
 See ! how he tugs for life, and lays about him, 
 
 Mad with his pain ! eager he catches hold 
 
 Of what comes next to hand, and grafps it hard, 
 
 Juft like a creature drowning, hideous fight! 
 
 Oh, how his eyes (land out ! and ftare full ghaflly, 
 
 Whilft the diftcmper's rank, and deadly venom 
 
 Shoots like a burning arrow crofs his bowels, 
 
 And drinks his marrow up. Hear you that groan ? 
 
 It was his laft. See how the great Goliah, 
 
 Juft like a child that brawl'd itfelf to reft, 
 
 Lies dill. What mean'ft thou then, O mighty boafter, 
 
 To vaunt of nerves of thine ? What means the bull, 
 
 Unconfcious of his ftrength, to play the coward, 
 
 And flee before a feeble thing like man j 
 
 That
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 *fhat knowing well the flacknefs of his arnlj 
 Trufts only in the well invented knife ? 
 
 With ftudy pale, and midnight vigils fpent* 
 the ftar-furveying fage, clofe to his eye 
 Applies the fight-invigorating tube; 
 And travelling through the boundlefs length of fpace, 
 Marks well the courfes of the far feen orbsj 
 That roll with regular confufion there, 
 In extafy of thought. But ah ! proud man, 
 Great heights are hazardous to the weak head ^ 
 Soon, very foon, thy firmefl footing fails-, 
 And down thou dropp'il into that darkfome place, 
 Where nor device, or knowledge ever came. 
 
 Here, the tongue-warrior lies, difabled now, 
 Difarm'd, difhonour'd like a wretch that's gagg'd, 
 And cannot tell his ail to paiTe'rs by. 
 Great man of language! whence this mighty changer 
 This dumb defpair, and drooping of the head ? 
 Tho' ftrong Perfuafion hung upon thy lip, 
 And fly Infmuation's fofter arts 
 
 C In
 
 ( is ) 
 
 In ambufti lay about thy flowing tongue; 
 
 Alas how chop-fallen now ? thick mifts and 
 
 Reft like a weary cloud, upon thy breafi: 
 
 Unceafmg. Ah ! where is the lifted arm, 
 
 The ftrength of action and the force of words, 
 
 The well-turn'd period, and the well-tun'd voice. 
 
 With all the letter ornaments of phrafe ? 
 
 Ah! fled for ever, as they ne'er had been ! 
 
 Raz'd from the book of fame : or more provoking^ 
 
 Perchance fome hackney hunger-bitten fcribler 
 
 Infults thy memory, and blots thy tomb 
 
 With long flat narrative, or duller rhimes 
 
 With heavy-halting pace that drawl along; 
 
 Enough to roufe a dead man into rage, 
 
 And warm with red refentment the wan cheek; 
 
 Here, the great matters of the healing art, 
 Thefe mighty mock-defrauders of the tomb ? 
 Spite of their juleps and catholicons 
 Refign to fate. Proud JEfculapius' fon, 
 Where are thy boafted implements of art,' 
 And all thy well-cramm'd magazines of health ? 
 
 Nc
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 Nor hill, nor vale, as far as fhip could go, 
 Nor margin of the gravcl-bottom'd brook, 
 Efcap'd thy rifling hand : from ftubborn fhrubs 
 Thou wrung'ft their fliy retiring virtues out, 
 And vex'd them in the fire; nor fly, nor infect, 
 Nor writhy fnake, efcap'd thy deep refearch. 
 But why this apparatus? why this cod ? 
 Tell us, thou doughty keeper from the grave ! 
 Where are thy recipes and cordials now, 
 With the long lift of vouchers for thy cures ? 
 Alas ! thou fpeakeft not. The bold impoftor 
 Looks not more filly, when the cheat's found out. 
 
 Here, the lank-fided mifer, word of felons ! 
 Who meanly ftole, difcreditable fhift! 
 From back and belly too, their proper cheer 5 
 Eas'd of a tax, it irk'd the wretch to pay 
 To his own carcafs, now lies cheaply lodg'd, 
 By clanVrous appetites no longer teaz'd, 
 Nor tedious bills of charges and repairs. 
 But ah ! where are his rents, his comings in? 
 Ay ! now you have made the rich man poor indeed : 
 C 2 Robb'd
 
 Robb'd of his Gods, what has he left behind ? 
 Oh, curfed luft of gold ! when for thy fake 
 The fool throws up his int'reft in both worlds,' 
 Firil flarv'd in this, than damn'd in that to come. 
 
 How fhocktng muft the fummons be, O death \ 
 To him that is at cafe in his pofieflions; 
 Who counting on long years of pleafure here^ 
 Is quite unfurnifh'd for that world to come ! 
 In that dread moment, how the frantick foul 
 Raves round the walls of her clay tenement, 
 Runs to each avenue, and fhrieks for help, 
 But (bricks in vain! how wiflifully (be looks 
 On all me's leaving, now no longer hers! 
 A little longer, yet a little longer. 
 Oil, might fhe ftay to wafh away her ftains, 
 And fit her for her pafiage ! mournful fight! 
 Her very eyes weep blood -, and every groan 
 She heaves is big with horror : but the foe, 
 Like a (lanch murth'rer fieady to his purpofe 
 Purfues her clofe through ev'ry lane of life, 
 miffc's once the track, but preffcs on i
 
 Till forc'd at laft to the tremendous verge, 
 At once (lie finks to everlafting ruin. 
 
 Sure, 'tis a ferious thing to die ! my foul! \ 
 What a ftrange moment muft it be, when near 
 Thy journey's end, thou haft the gulf in view i 
 That awful gulf, no mortal e'er repafs'd 
 To tell what's doing on the other fide! 
 Nature runs back, and mudders at the fight, 
 And every life-firing bleeds ^t thoughts of parting! 
 For part they muft : body and foul muft part; 
 Fond couple ! link'd more clofe than wedded pair. 
 This wings its way to its Almighty fource, 
 The witnefs of its actions, now its judge; 
 That drops into the dark and noifome grave, 
 Like a difabled pitcher of no ufe, 
 
 If death was nothing, and nought after death 5 
 If when men dy'd, at once they ceas'd to be, 
 Returning to the barren womb of nothing 
 Whence firft they fprung; then might the debauchee 
 Un trembling mouth the heav'ns: then might the drunkard 
 Red over his full bowl, and when 'tis drain'd, 
 
 Fill
 
 ( 22 ) 
 
 Fill up another to the brim, and laugh 
 
 At the poor bug-bear death ; then might the wretch 
 
 That's weary of the world, and tir'd of life, 
 
 At once give each inquietude the flip 
 
 By flealing out of being, when he pleas'd, 
 
 And by what way ; whether by hemp or fteel : 
 
 Death's thoufand doors Hand open. Who could force 
 
 The ill-pleas'd gueft to fit out his full time, 
 
 Or blame him if he goes? Sure he does well 
 
 That helps himfelf as timely as he can, 
 
 When able. But if there is an hereafter, 
 
 And that there is, confcience, uninfluenc'd 
 
 And fuffered to fpeak out, tells ev'ry man : 
 
 Then muft it be an awful thing to die: 
 
 More horrid yer, to die by one's own hand. 
 
 'V./-murther! name it not : our ifland's fhame : 
 
 That makes fter the reproach of neighbouring dates. 
 
 Shall nature, fwerving from her earlieft dictate 
 
 Self-prefervation, fall by her own aft ? 
 
 Forbid it heaven ! let not upon difguft 
 
 The jfh^arfyslefs hand be foully ciimfon'd o'er 
 
 With
 
 "With blood of its own lord. Dreadful attempt ! 
 
 / Juft reeking from felf-flaughter, in a rage 
 j To rufh into the prefence of our judge ! 
 As if we challehg'd him to do his worft, 
 And mattered not his wrath. Unheard of tortures 
 Muft be referv'd for fueh : thefe herd together j 
 The common damn'd ftiun their fociety, 
 And look upon themfelves as fiends lefs foul. 
 
 f Our time is fix'd, and all our days are ntimber'd; 
 How long, how more, we know not : this we knowJ 
 Duty requires we calmly wait the fammons, 
 Nor dare to flir ftill heav'n (hall give permifiion ; J 
 Like Gentries that muft keep their deftin'd ftand, 
 And wait th 5 appointed hour, till they are reliev'd, 
 Thofe only are the brave, who keep their ground, 
 And keep it to the laft. To run away 
 Is but a coward's trick : to run away 
 From this world's ills, that at the very worft 
 Will foon blow o'er, thinking to mend ourfelves 
 By boldly vent'ring on a world unknown, 
 And B&mging headlong in the dark - t 'tis mad: 
 jnzy half Co defperate as this. 
 
 Tell
 
 Tell us ye dead! will none of you in pity 
 To thofe you left behind difclofe the fecret ? 
 Oh that fome courteous ghoft would blab it out ! 
 What 'tis you are, and we muft fhortly be. 
 I've heardi that fouls departed have fometimes 
 Forewarned men of their death : 'twas kindly done 
 To knock and give th 3 alarm. But what means 
 This dinted charity ? 'tis but lame kindnefs 
 That does its work by halves. Why might you nof 
 Tell us what 'tis to die ? Do the ftricl: laws 
 Of your fociety forbid your fpeaking 
 Upon a point fo nice ? I'll afk no more : 
 Sullen, like lamps in fepulchres, your mine 
 Enlightens but yourfelves : well 'tis no matter j 
 A very little time will clear up all, 
 And make us learn'd as you are, and as clofe. 
 
 Death's fhafts fly thick. Here falls the village fwain, 
 And there his pamper'd lord. The cup goes round j 
 And who fo artful as to put it by ? 
 *Tis long fince death had the majority ; 
 Yet ftrange ! the living lay it not to heart.^f* 
 
 See
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 See yonder makfr of the dead man's bed, 
 
 Thefcxton! hoary-headed chronicle, 
 
 Of hard unmeaning face, down which neVr dole 
 
 A gentle tear; with mattock in his hand 
 
 Digs through whole rows of kindred and acquaintance^ 
 
 By far his juniors! fcarcc a (cull's caft up, 
 
 But well he kn|w its ovvner^ and can tell 
 
 Some pafiage of his life. Thus hand in hand 
 
 The fdt has walk'd with Death twice twenty years; 
 
 And yet ne'er yonker on the green laughs louder, 
 
 Or clubs a fmuttier tale : when drunkards meet, 
 
 None firigs a merrier catch, or lends a hand 
 
 More willing to his cup, Pdor wretch! he minds not* 
 
 That fpon fome trufty brother of the trade 
 
 Shall do for him what he has done for choufands. 
 
 On this fide, and on that, men fee their friends 
 Drop off, like leaves in autumn ; yet launch out 
 Into fantaftic fchernes, which the long livers 
 la the world's hale and undegen'rate day.-, 
 Could fcarce have leafure for. Fools that we are! 
 Never to think of Death and of Ourfclves 
 
 D AC
 
 ( 26 ) 
 
 At the fame time ! as if to learn to die 
 
 Were no concern of ours. Oh more than fottilh ! 
 
 For creatures of a day, in gamefome mood 
 
 To frolick on eternity's dread brink, 
 
 Unapprehenfive; when for ought we know 
 
 The very firft fwoln furge (hall fweep us in. 
 
 Think we, or think we not, time hurries on 
 
 With a refiftlefs unremitting ftream, 
 
 Yet treads more foft than e'er did midnight thief. 
 
 That flides his hand under the mifer's pillow, 
 
 And carries off his prize. What is this world ? 
 
 What ! but a fpacious burial-field unwall'd, 
 
 Strew'd with death's fpoils, the fpoils of animals 
 
 Savage and tame, and full of dead men's bones. 
 
 The very turf on which we tread, once liv'd; 
 
 And we that live muft lend our carcafes 
 
 To cover our own offspring: in their turns 
 
 They too muft cover theirs. 'Tls here all meet : 
 
 The fhiv'ring Icelander, and fun-burnt Moor; 
 
 Men of climes, that never met before; 
 
 And of all creeds, the Jew, the Turk, and Chriftiart; 
 
 Here the proud prince, and favourite yet prouder, 
 
 His
 
 c 27 ; 
 
 His fov'reign's keeper, and the people's fcourge, 
 Are huddled out of fight. Here lie abafh'd 
 The great negotiators of the earth. 
 And celebrated matters of the ballance, 
 Deep read in flratagems, and wiles of courts ; 
 Now vain their treaty-fkill, death fcorns to treat. 
 Here the o'erloaded flave flings down his burthen 
 From his gall'd moulders; and when the cruel tyrant, 
 With all his guards and tools of pow'r about him, 
 Is meditating new unheard-of harihips, 
 Mocks his fhort arm, and quick as thought cfcapes 
 Where tyrants vex nor, and the weary reft. 
 Here the warm lover, leaving the cool (hade, 
 The tell-tale echo, and the bubbling ftream, 
 (Time out of mind the fav'rite feats of love,) 
 Faft by his gentle miftrefs lays him down 
 Unblafted by foul tongue. Here friends and foes 
 Lie clofe j unmindful of their former feuds. 
 The hwn-rob'd prelate, and plain prefbyter, 
 E'er while that ftood aloof, as my to meet, 
 Familiar mingle here, like fifter-ftreams 
 That fome rude interpofing rock had fplit. 
 D 2
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 Here is the large-Hm'd peafant : here the child 
 
 Of a fpan long, that never faw the fun, 
 
 Nor prefVd the nipple, ftrangled in life's porch : 
 
 Here is the mother with her fons and daughters ; 
 
 The barren wife ; and long-demurring maid, 
 
 \Vhofe lonely unappropriated fweets 
 
 Smil'd like yon knot of cowflips on the cliff, 
 
 Not to be come at by the willing hand. 
 
 Here are the prude fevere, and gay coquent, 
 
 The fober widovy, and the young green virgin, 
 
 Gropp'd like a roiV, before 'tis fully blown, 
 
 Or half its worth difclosM. Strange medley here I 
 
 Here garrulous old age winds up his tale ; 
 
 And jovial youth of lightfome vacant heart, 
 
 Whole ev'ry day was made of melody, 
 
 Hears not the voice of mirth : the (hrill-tongu'd (brew, 
 
 Meek as the turtle dove, forgets her chiding. 
 
 Here are the wife, the generous and the brave ; 
 
 The juft, the good, the worthlefs, the prophane, 
 
 The downright clown, and perfectly well-bred ; 
 
 The fool, the churl, the fcoundrel, and the mean, 
 
 The fjppk ftatefman and the patriot Hern; 
 
 The
 
 The wrecks of nations, and the fpoils of time, 
 Will) all the lumber of fix thoufand years. 
 
 Poor man ! how happy once in thy firft ftate! 
 When yet but warm from thy great Maker's hand, 
 He ftamp'd thee with his image, and well pleafed 
 Smil'd on his laft fair work. Then all was well. 
 Sound was the body, and the foul ferene; 
 Like two fweec inftruments ne'er out of tune, 
 That play their fcveral parts. Nor head a nor heart, 
 Qffer ? d to ache : nor was there caufc they fhouldj 
 For all was pure within : no fell remorfe, 
 Nor anxious callings up of what might be, 
 Alarm'd his peaceful bofom : fummer feas 
 Shew not more fmooth, when kifs'd by foufhern winds^ 
 Juft ready to expire. Scarce importun'd, 
 The generous foil with a luxuriant hand 
 Offer'd the various produce of the year, 
 And every thing mo (I perfect in its kind. 
 Blefied ! thrice bleflcd days ! but ah, how fliort! 
 Blefs'd as the pleafing dreams of holy men ; 
 But fugitive like thofe, and quickly gone. 
 
 Oh,
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 Oh, flipp'ry ftate of things! what fudden turns? 
 What ftrange viciffitudes, in the firft leaf 
 Of man's fad hiftory ? to-day moft happy, 
 And *ere to-morrow's fun has fet, moft abjectl 
 Howfcant the fpace between thefe vaft extremes! 
 Thus far'd it >vith our Sire : Not long he enjoy'd 
 His paradife ! fcarce had the happy tenant 
 Of the fair fpot due time to prove its fweets, 
 Or fam them up; when ftrait he muft be gone 
 Ne'er to return again. And muft he go? 
 Can nought compound for the firft dire offence 
 Of erring man ? Like one that is condemn'd, 
 Fain would he trifle time with idle talk, 
 And parley with his fate. But 'tis in vain* 
 Not all the lavifh odours of the place 
 OfFer'd in incenfe can procure his pardon, 
 Or mitigate his doom. A mighty angel 
 With flaming fword forbids his longer ftay, 
 And drives the loiterer forth , nor muft he take 
 One h ft and farewell round. At once he loft 
 His g''>ry, ;i.nd his GOD. If mortal now, 
 And ibrriy mojai'd, no wonder! Man has finn'd. 
 
 Sick
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 Sick of his blifs, and bent on new adventures* 
 
 Evil he vvou'd needs try : nor try'd in vain. 
 
 (Dreadful experiment! deftructive meafure! 
 
 Where the word thing could happen, was fucoefs) 
 
 Alas! too well he fped : the good he fcorn'd 
 
 Stalk'd off reluftant, like an ill-us'd ghoft, 
 
 Not to return; or if it did, its vifits 
 
 Like thofe of angels Ihort, and far between: 
 
 Whilft the black daemon with his hell-fcap'd train, 
 
 Admitted once into its better room, 
 
 Grew loud and mutinous, nor would be gone; 
 
 Lording it o*er the man, who now too late 
 
 Saw the rafh error, which he could not mend : 
 
 An error fatal not to him alone, 
 
 Eut to his future fons, his fortune's heirs. 
 
 Inglorious bondage ! human nature groans 
 
 Beneath a vaffalage fo vile and cruel, 
 
 And its vaft body bleeds at ev'ry pore. 
 
 What havock haft thou made ? foul monger, fm] 
 Created and firft of ills! the fruitful parent 
 Of woes of all dimenfions! but for theo 
 
 Sorrpif
 
 ( 32 ) 
 
 Sorrow had never been. All noxious things, 
 Of vileft nature ! Other forts of evils 
 Are kindly circumfcrib'd, and have their Bounds. 
 The fierce volcano, from its burning entrails 
 That belches molten ftone and globes of fire, 
 Involv'd in pitchy clouds of fmoke and ftenchj 
 Marrs the adjacent fields for fome leagues round, 
 And there it flops. The big-fwoln inundation^ 
 Ofmifchief more diffufive^ raving loud, 
 Buries whole trails of country, threatening more? 
 But that too has its more it cannot pafs. 
 More dreadful far than thefe! fin has laid \vafle 
 Not here and there a country, but a world: 
 Difpatching at a wide extended blow 
 Entire mankind j and for their fakes defacing 
 A whole creation's beauty with rude hands j 
 Blafting the foodful grain, the loaded branches. 
 And marking all along its way with ruin. 
 .;fed thing! oh, where fhall fancy find 
 name to cali thee by, exprefiive 
 horrors? pregnant womb of ills" 
 .endfiuly malign,
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 That toads and ferpents of moft deadly kind 
 Compar'd to thee are harmlefs. SickrcefFes 
 of ev'ry fize and fymptom, racking pains, 
 And blueft plagues are thine i See how the fiend 
 Profuftly fcatters the contagion round ! 
 Whilft deep-mouth'd (laughter bellowing at her heels 
 Wades deep in blood new fpilt ; yet for to-morrow 
 Shapes out new work of great uncommon daring, 
 And inly pines till the dread blow is flruck. 
 
 But hold! I've gone too far j too much difcover'd 
 My father's nakednefs, and nature's fliame. 
 Here let me paufe ! and drop an honed tear, 
 One burft of filial duty, and condolance, 
 O'er all thofe ample deferts death hath fpread, 
 This chaos of mankind. O great rr.an-eater ! 
 \Vhofe ev'ry day is carnival, not fated yet ! 
 Unheard-of epicure ! without a ill'. 
 The verieft gluttons do not always crsrn ; 
 Some intervals of abftinence are fought 
 To edge the appetite : thou feekeft none. 
 Methinks the countlefs fwarms thou haft 
 E
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 And thoufands that each hour thou gobbleft up j 
 This, lefs than this, might gorge thee to the full * 
 But ah ! rapacious (till, thou gap'lt for more : 
 Like one, whole days defrauded of his meals, 
 On whom lank hunger lays his fkinny hand, 
 And whets to keeneft eagernefs his cravings, 
 ^As if difeafes, mafiacres, and poifon, 
 Famine, and war, were not thy caterers I) 
 
 But know that thou mutt render up thy dead 9 
 And with high int'reft too ! they are not thine - 3 
 But only in thy keeping for a feafon, 
 Till the great promis'd day of restitution ; 
 "When loud diffufive found from brazen trump 
 Of ftrong-.lung'd cherub {hall alarm thy captives, 
 And roufe the long, long fleepers into life, 
 
 Day-light, and liberty. 
 
 Then mufi thy gates fly open, and reveal 
 The mines, that lay long forming under ground, 
 In their dark cells immur'd : but now full ripe, 
 And pure as filver from the crucible, 
 That twice has flood the torture of the fire 
 
 And
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 And inqmfition of the forge. We know, 
 
 Th* illuftrious deliverer of mankind, 
 
 THE SON OF GOD, theefoil'd. Him in thy pow'r 
 
 Thou couldft not hold : felf-vigorous he rofe, 
 
 And fhaking off thy fetters, foon retook 
 
 Thofe fpoils his voluntary yielding lent. 
 
 (Sure pledge of our releafement from thy thrall -,) 
 
 Twice twenty days he fojourn'd here on earth, 
 
 And fhew'd himfelf alive to chofen witnefTes 
 
 By proofs fo ftrong that the mod flow afleming 
 
 Had not a fcruple left. This having done, 
 
 He mounted up to Heav'n. Methinks 1 I fee him 
 
 Climb the aerial heights, and glide along 
 
 Athwart the fevering clouds: but the faint eye' 
 
 Flung backwards in the chace, foon drops its hold 
 
 Difabled quite, and jaded with puriuing. 
 
 Heaven's portals wide expand to let him in ; 
 
 Nor are his friends (hut out : as fome great prince 
 
 Not for himfelf alone procures admifBbn, 
 
 But for his train : it was his royal will, 
 
 That where he is, there fhould his' Followers 
 
 Death only lies between ; a gloomy path'! 
 
 E 2 Made
 
 Made yet more gloomy by our coward fears! 
 But not untrod, nor tedious : the fatigue 
 Will foon go off. Befides, there's no by-road 
 To bills. Then why, like ill-condition'd children^ 
 Start we at tranfient hardfliips, in the way 
 That leads to purer air, and fofter fkies. 
 And a ne'er-fetting fun ? Fools that we are ! 
 "We with to be where fweets unwith'ring bloo.m y 
 But flraitour vvilh revoke, and will not go. 
 So have I ften upon a fummer's even, 
 Fad by the riv'lei's brink, a youngfter play : 
 Kow wilhfully he looks to ftem the tide, 
 This moment refoluce, next unrefolv'd : 
 At laft, he dips his foot ; but as he dips, 
 His fears redouble, and he runs away 
 From th' inofflnfive ftream, unmindful now 
 the fiow'rs that paint the further bank, 
 And ijmi'd fo fweet of late. Thrice welcome death \ 
 That after i^any a painful bleeding (lep 
 Conci our home, and lands us fafe 
 
 On the Iq.ng-wifh'd fur Chore. Prodigious change ! 
 Our bane turn'd to.a bkfijng! death difarnVd 
 
 Lofes
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 Lofes his fellnefs quite. All thanks to him 
 
 Who fcourg'd the venom out. Sure ! the laft end 
 
 Of the good man is peace. How calm his exit ! 
 
 Night dews fall not more gently to the ground, 
 
 Nor weary worn* out winds expire fo foft, 
 
 Behold him ! in the evening-ude of life, 
 
 A life well-fpenr, whofe early care it was 
 
 His riper years ftiould not upbraid his green : 
 
 J5y unperceiv'd degrees he wears away ; 
 
 Yet like the fun feems larger at his fetting! 
 High in his faith and hopes, look ! how he reaches 
 After the prize in view ! and like* a bird 
 That's hamper'd, flruggles hard to get away ! 
 Whilft the glad gates of fight are wide expanded 
 To let new glories in, the firft fair fruits 
 Of the faft -coming harveft. Then! oh then! 
 Each earth-born joy grows vile, or difappears, 
 Shrunk to a thing of nought. Oh! how he longs 
 To have his pafsport fign'd, and be difmifs'd ! 
 *Tis done , and now he's happy : the glad foul 
 Has not a wilh uncrown'd. Ev'n the lag fteftv 
 Refts too in hope of meeting once again 
 
 Its
 
 Its better half, never to ilinder more. 
 N)r (hall it hope in vain : the time draws on 
 When not a fingle fpot of burial-earth, 
 Whether on land, or in the fpacious fea, 
 B-K inuft give back its long committed duft 
 I.wiohte: and faithfully mall thefe 
 
 up the full account; not the lead atom 
 Embezzl'd, or miflaid, of the whole tale. 
 Each foul fhall have a body ready furnifh'd ; 
 And each mall have his own. Hence ye prophane ! 
 Afk not, how this can be ? Sure the fame pow'r 
 That rear'd the pice at firft, and took it down, 
 Can re-aflemble the loofe fcatter'd parts, 
 And put them as they were, Almighty GOD 
 Has done much more j nor is his arm impair'd 
 Thro* length of days ; and what he can, he will : 
 His faithfulnefs ftands bound to fee it done. 
 When the dread trumpet founds, the flumb'ring duft, 
 Not unattentive to the call, mail wslke : 
 And ev'ry joint poffcfs its proper place, 
 With a new elegance of form, unknown 
 To its firft ftate, Nor fliall the confdous foul 
 
 M'.ftake
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 Miftake its partner; but amidft the croud 
 
 Singling its other half, into its arms 
 
 Shall rum, with all th j impatience of a man 
 
 That's new-come home, who having long been abfcnt 
 
 WithJjafte ruas over ev'ry different room, 
 
 In pain to fee the whole. Thrice happy meeting! 
 
 Nor time, nor death, fiiall ever part them more. 
 
 s T5s but a night, a long and moonlefs night, 
 We make the grave our bed, and tfym are gone. 
 
 Thus at the fhut of ev'n, the weary bird - 
 Leaves the wide air, and in fome- lonely brake 
 Cow'rs down, and dozes till the dawn of day, 
 Then claps his well-fledg'd wings and bears away. 
 
 FINIS,
 
 Lately publijbed, a New Edition, Price 2d. or I2S. a Hundred* 
 A N 
 
 E P i s r L E 
 
 T O A 
 
 
 
 G E NTL E MAN of the TE MPL E } 
 
 OcCfifioned by Two 'frea fifes, wherein the Fall of Man 
 is differently reprefented, viz, 
 
 I. Mr. LAW'S Spirit of Prayer. 
 
 II. The Bifhop of LONDON'S 
 
 . . 
 
 it, Wording to tfe piaineft ,Senfe of SCRIPTURE, the 
 pf the Falt t is greatly miftal:en in the lau 
 
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