Pastorals Epistles Odes (1748)/On the Death of the Right Honourable William Earl Cowper

by Ambrose Philips

 

On the Death of the Right Honourable
William Earl Cowper.

1723

STROPHE I.
AKE the British harp again,
To a sad melodious strain;
Wake the harp, whose every string,
When Halifax resign'd his breath, 4
Accus'd inexorable death;
For I, once more, must in affliction sing,
One song of sorrow more bestow,
The burden of a heart o'ercharg'd with woe: 8
Yet, O my soul, if aught may bring relief,
Full many, grieving, shall applaud thy grief,
The pious verse, that Cowper does deplore,
Whom all the boasted powers of verse cannot restore. 12

ANTISTROPHE I.
Not to her, his fondest care,
Not to his lov'd offspring fair,
Nor his country ever dear,
From her, from them, from Britain torn: 16
With her, with them, does Britain mourn:
His name, from every eye, calls forth a tear;
And, intermingling sighs with praise,
All good men with the number of his days 20
Had been to him twice told, and twice again,
In that seal'd book, where all things which pertain
To mortal man, whatever things befall,
Are from eternity confirm'd, beyond recall: 24

EPODE I.
Where every loss, and every gain,
Where every grief, and every joy,
Every pleasure, every pain,
Each bitter and each sweet alloy, 28
To us uncertain though they flow,
Are pre-ordain'd, and fix'd, above.
Too wretched state! did man foreknow
Those ills, which man cannot remove, 32
Vain is wisdom for preventing
What the wisest live lamenting.

STROPHE II.
Hither sent, who knows the day
When he shall be call'd away?
Various is the term assign'd:
An hour, a day, some months, or years, 36
The breathing soul on earth appears:
But, through the swift succession of mankind,
Swarm after swarm! a busy race,
The strength of cities, or of courts the grace, 42
Or who in camps delight, or who abide
Diffus'd o'er lands, or float on oceans wide,
Of them, though many here long-lingring dwell,
And see their children's children, yet, how few excell! 46

ANTISTROPHE II.
Here we come, and hence we go,
Shadows passing to and fro,
Seen a-while, forgotten soon:
But thou, to fair distinction born, 50
Thou Cowper, beamy in the morn
Of life, still brightening to the pitch of noon,
Scarce verging to the steep decline,
Hence summon'd while thy vertues radiant shine, 54
Thou singled out the fosterling of fame,
Secure of praise, nor less secur'd from blame,
Shalt be remember'd with a fond applause,
So long as Britons own the same indulgent laws. 58

EPODE II.
United in one publick weal,
Rejoicing in one freedom, all,
Cowper's hand apply'd the Seal,
And level'd the partition-wall. 62
The chosen seeds of great events
Are thinly sown, and slowly rise:
And Time the harvest-scythe presents,
In season, to the good and wise: 66
Hymning to the harp my story,
Fain would I record his glory,

STROPHE III.
Pouring forth, with heavy heart,
Truth unleaven'd, pure of art, 70
Like the hallow'd Bard of yore,
Who chaunted in authentick rhymes
The worthies of the good old times,
'E're living vice in verse was varnish'd o'er, 74
And vertue dyed without a song.
Support of friendless right, to powerful wrong
A check, behold him in the judgement-seat!
Twice, there, approv'd, in righteousness compleat: 78
In just awards, how gracious! tempering law
With mercy, and reproving with a winning awe.

ANTISTROPHE III.
Hear him speaking, and you hear
Reason tuneful to the ear! 82
Lips with thymy Language sweet,
Distilling on the hearer's mind
The balm of wisdom, speech refin'd,
Celestial gifts!———Oh, when the nobles meet, 86
When next, thou sea-surrounded land,
Thy nobles meet at Brunswick's high command,
In vain they shall the charmer's voice desire!
In vain those lips of eloquence require! 90
That mild conviction, which the soul assails
By soft alarms, and with a gentle force prevails!

EPODE III.
To such persuasion, willing, yields
The liberal Mind, in freedom train'd, 94
Freedom, which, in crimson'd fields,
By hardy toil our fathers gain'd,
Inheritance of long descent!
The sacred pledge, so dearly priz'd 98
By that bless'd spirit we lament:
Grief-easing lays, by grief devis'd,
Plaintive Numbers, gently flowing,
Sooth the sorrows to him owing! 102

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 106
Gigantick phantom of the brain
Ambition, breeding monstrous hopes and fears,
Or worthier cares, to youth unknown,
Ennobling manhood, flower of life fullblown, 110
May never wear the bosom-image faint:
O, let him prove what words but weakly paint,
The living lovely semblance of his fire,
A model to his son! that ages may admire! 114

ANTISTROPHE IV.
Every vertue, every grace,
Still renewing in the race,
Once thy father's pleasing hope,
Thy widow'd mother's comfort now, 118
No fuller bliss does heaven allow,
While we behold yon wide-spread azure cope
With burning stars thick-lustred o'er,
Than to enjoy, and to deserve, a store 122
Of treasur'd fame by blameless deeds acquir'd,
By all unenvied, and by all desir'd,
Free-gift of men, the tribute of good will!
Rich in this patrimony fair, increase it still. 126

EPODE IV.
The fulness of content remains
Above the yet unfathom'd skies,
Where, triumphant, gladness reigns,
Where wishes cease, and pleasures rise 130
Beyond all wish; where bitter tears
For dying friends are never shed;
Where, sighing, none desire pass'd years
Recall'd, or wish the future fled. 134
Mournful measures, O, relieve me!
Sweet remembrance! cease to grieve me.

STROPHE V.
He the robe of justice wore
Sully'd not, as heretofore, 138
When the magistrate was sought
With yearly gifts. Of what avail
Are guilty hoards? for life is frail;
And we are judg'd where favour is not bought. 142
By him forewarn'd, thou frantick isle,
How did the thirst of gold thy sons beguile!
Beneath the specious ruin thousands groan'd,
By him, alas, forewarn'd, by him bemoan'd. 146
Where shall his like, on earth, be found? oh, when
Shall I, once more, behold the most belov'd of men!

ANTISTROPHE V.
Winning aspect! winning mind!
Soul and body aptly join'd! 150
Searching thought, engaging wit,
Enabled to instruct, or please,
Uniting dignity with ease,
By nature form'd for every purpose fit, 154
Endearing excellence!———O, why
Is such perfection born, and born to dy?
Or do such rare endowments still survive,
As plants remov'd to milder regions thrive, 158
In one eternal spring? and we bewail
The parting soul, new-born to life that cannot fail.

EPODE V.
Where sacred friendship, plighted love,
Parental joys, unmix'd with care, 162
Through perpetual time improve?
Or do the deathless blessed share
Sublimer raptures, unreveal'd,
Beyond our weak conception pure? 166
But, while those glories ly conceal'd,
The righteous count the promise sure,
Trials to the last enduring,
To the last their hope securing. 170