Rever❜d by men, and dear to Jove. To triumph over vanquish'd night, 460 AN ODE. INSCRIBED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HONOURABLE COLONEL GEORGE VILLIERS,* DROWNED IN THE RIVER PIAVA, IN THE COUNTRY OF FRIULI, MDCCIII. IN IMITATION OF HORACE, ODE 28, LIB. I. Te maris et terræ numeroque carentis arenæ AY, dearest Villiers, poor departed friend, (Since fleeting life thus suddenly must end) Say, what did all thy busy hopes avail, That anxious thou from pole to pole didst sail; Ere on thy chin the springing beard began 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. 10 To spread a doubtful down, and promise man? Alike must every state, and every age For neither William's power, nor Mary's charms, Young Churchill* fell, as life began to bloom: 20 30 * 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 in King's College chapel, Cambridge. He died 19th Sep Francis Newport, Earl of Bradford. tember, 1708. Mæcenas, Sackville, Socrates, and Hyde: And in their various turns the sons must tread 40 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: 50 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 Commons 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 60 On curst Piava's banks the goddess stood, Show'd her dire warrant to the rising flood; When what I long must love, and long must mourn, With fatal speed was urging his return; In his dear country to disperse his care, And arm himself by rest for future war; To chide his anxious friends' officious fears, And promise to their joys his elder years. Oh! destin'd head; and oh! severe decree; Nor native country thou, nor friend shalt see: Nor war hast thou to wage, nor year to come: ΤΟ Impending death is thine, and instant doom. Hark! the imperious goddess is obey'd: Winds murmur; snows descend; and waters spread: 80 Lay the dead hero graceful in a grave; 90 PROLOGUE, SPOKEN AT COURT BEFORE THE QUEEN, ON HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY, MDCCIV. HINE forth, ye planets, with distinguish'd light, As when ye hallow'd first this happy Again transmit your friendly beams to earth: Thy radiant voyages for ever run, Yielding to none but Cynthia, and the Sun : |