EPITAPHS.

ON

SIR THOMAS HANMER, BART',

THOU who survey'st these walls with curious
eye,
Pause at this tomb where Hanmer's ashes lie;
His various worth through varied life attend,
And learn his virtues while thou mourn'st his end.
His force of genius burn'd in early youth
With thirst of knowledge and with love of truth;
His learning, join'd with each endearing art,
Charm'd every ear, and gain'd on every heart.
Thus early wise, the' endanger'd realm to aid,
His country call'd him from the studious shade;
In life's first bloom his public toils began,
At once commenced the senator and man.

In business dexterous, weighty in debate,
Thrice ten long years he labour'd for the state;
In every speech persuasive wisdom flow'd,
In every act refulgent virtue glow'd;
Suspended faction ceased from rage and strife,
To hear his eloquence, and praise his life.

Resistless merit fix'd the senate's choice, Who hail'd him Speaker with united voice.

1 Paraphrased from a Latin inscription, attributed to Dr. Freind.

Illustrious age! how bright thy glories shone, When Hanmer fill'd the chair-and Anne the

throne!

[bate, Then when dark arts obscured each fierce deWhen mutual frauds perplex'd the maze of state, The Moderator firmly mild appear'dBeheld with love-with veneration heard.

This task perform'd-he sought no gainful post, Nor wish'd to glitter at his country's cost; Strict on the right he fix'd his steadfast eye, With temperate zeal and wise anxiety; Nor e'er from Virtue's paths was lured aside, To pluck the flowers of pleasure or of pride. Her gifts despised, Corruption blush'd and fled, And Fame pursued him where Conviction led.

Age call'd, at length, his active mind to rest, With honour sated, and with cares oppress'd; To letter'd ease retired and honest mirth, To rural grandeur and domestic worth: Delighted still to please mankind, or mend, The patriot's fire yet sparkled in the friend.

Calm Conscience then his former life survey'd, And recollected toils endear'd the shade, Till Nature call'd him to the general doom, And Virtue's sorrow dignified his tomb.

ON CLAUDE PHILLIPS,

AN ITINERANT MUSICIAN1.

PHILLIPS! whose touch harmonious could remove
The pangs of guilty power and hapless love,
Rest here, distress'd by poverty no more,
Find here that calm thou gavest so oft before;
Sleep undisturb'd within this peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.

FOR HOGARTH.

THE hand of him here torpid lies

That drew the' essential form of grace; Here closed in death the' attentive eyes That saw the manners in the face.

Phillips was a traveling fiddler up and down Wales, and greatly celebrated for his performance.

POEMATA.

[JAN. 20, 21, 1773.]

VITE qui varias vices

Rerum perpetuus temperat Arbiter,
Læto cedere lumini

Noctis tristitiam qui gelidæ jubet,
Acri sanguine turgidos,

Obductosque oculos nubibus humidis
Sanari voluit meos.

Et me, cuncta beans cui nocuit dies,

Luci reddidit et mihi,

Qua te laude, Deus qua prece prosequar? Sacri discipulus libri

Te semper studiis utilibus colam:

Grates, summe Pater, tuis

Recte qui fruitur muneribus, dedit.

[DEC. 25, 1779.]

NUNC dies Christo memoranda nato
Fulsit, in pectus mihi fonte purum
Gaudium sacro fluat, et benigni

Gratia Cœli!

Christe, da tutam trepido quietam,
Christe, spem præsta stabilem timenti;
Da fidem certam, precibusque fidis

Annue, Christe.

[IN LECTO, DIE PASSIONIS. APR. 13, 1781.] SUMME Deus, qui semper amas quodcunque creâsti;

Judice quo, scelerum est pænituisse salus:
Da veteres noxas animo sic flere novato,
Per Christum ut veniam sit reperire mihi.

[IN LECTO. DEC. 25, 1782.]

SPE non inani confugis,

Peccator, ad latus meum;

Quod poscis haud unquam tibi

Negabitur solatium.

[NOCTE, INTER 16 ET 17 JUNII, 17831.] SUMME Pater, quodcunque tuum2 de corpore Numen 3

6

Hoc statuat, precibus Christus adesse velit: Ingenio parcas, nec sit mihi culpa rogâsse, Qua solum potero parte, placere tibi.

'The night above referred to by Johnson was that in which a paralytic stroke had deprived him of his voice; and, in the anxiety he felt lest it should likewise have impaired his understanding, he composed the above lines, and said concerning them, that he knew at the time that they were not good, but then he deemed his discerning this to be sufficient for the quieting the anxiety before mentioned, as it showed him that his power of judging was not diminished.

2 Al. tuæ. 5 Al. votis.

3 Al. leges.
6 Al. precari.

4 Al. statuant.

7 Al. litare.