When fainting Nature call'd for aid, And hovering Death prepared the blow, His vigorous remedy display'd The power of art without the show. In misery's darkest cavern known, His useful care was ever nigh, Where hopeless Anguish pour'd his groan, And lonely Want retired to die. No summons mock'd by chill delay, No petty gain disdain'd by pride; The modest wants of every day The toil of every day supplied. His virtues walk'd their narrow round, The busy day, the peaceful night, His frame was firm, his powers were bright, No cold gradations of decay, ON THE DEATH OF STEPHEN GREY, F.R.S. THE ELECTRICIAN'. LONG hast thou borne the burden of the day, No more shall art thy dexterous hand require, To rouse the powers that actuate Nature's frame, Now, hoary sage, pursue thy happy flight 1 The sketch of this poem was written by Miss Williams, but Johnson wrote it all over again except two lines. PROLOGUES. TO IRENE. YE glittering train! whom lace and velvet bless, From groveling business and superfluous care, mind, If truths like these with pleasing language join; Ennobled, yet unchanged, if nature shine: If no wild draught depart from reason's rules, Nor gods his heroes, nor his lovers fools: Intriguing wits! his artless plot forgive; And spare him, beauties! though his lovers live. Be this at least his praise; be this his pride; To force applause no modern arts are tried. S Should partial cat-calls all his hopes confound, SPOKEN BY GARRICK, AT THE OPENING OF THE THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE, 1747. WHEN Learning's triumph o'er her barbarous foes Then Jonson came, instructed from the school, A mortal born, he met the general doom, The wits of Charles found easier ways to fame, Nor wish'd for Jonson's art, or Shakspeare's flame. Themselves they studied; as they felt, they writ: Intrigue was plot, obscenity was wit. Vice always found a sympathetic friend; strong; [long: Their slaves were willing, and their reign was Till Shame regain'd the post that Sense betray'd, And Virtue call'd Oblivion to her aid. Then crush'd by rules, and weaken'd as refined, For years the power of tragedy declined; From bard to bard the frigid caution crept, Till declamation roar'd whilst passion slept: Yet still did Virtue deign the stage to tread, Philosophy remain'd, though Nature fled. But forced, at length, her ancient reign to quit, She saw great Faustus lay the ghost of wit; Exulting Folly hail'd the joyous day, And pantomime and song confirm'd her sway. But who the coming changes can presage, And mark the future periods of the stage? Perhaps, if skill could distant times explore, New Behns, new Durfeys yet remain in store'; Perhaps where Lear has raved, and Hamlet died, On flying cars new sorcerers may ride; 'Mrs. Behn was a writer of loose plays and novels, &c, and Tom Durfey was a facetious low dramatist. |