V.

Intended for Mr. ROWE,

TH

In Westminster-Abbey.

HY Reliques, Rowe, to this fair Urn
we trust,

And facred, place by DRYDEN's awful dust :
Beneath a rude and nameless stone he lies,
To which thy Tomb fhall guide inquiring eyes.

VARIATIONS.

He altered it much for the better, as it now stands on the Monument in the Abbey, erected to RowE and his Daughter.

Thy Reliques, RowE! to this fad shrine we trust,
And near thy SHAKESPEAR place thy honour'd bust.
Oh, next him, fkill'd to draw the tender tear,
For never heart felt paffion more fincere;
To nobler fentiment to fire the brave,
For never BRITON more difdain'd a flave.
Peace to thy gentle fhade, and endless reft;
Bleft in thy genius, in thy love too bleft!
And bleft, that timely from our scene remov'd,
Thy foul enjoys the liberty it lov'd.

To thefe fo mourn'd in death, fo lov'd in life!
The childless parent, and the widow'd wife,
With Tears infcribes this monumental stone,
That holds their ashes and expects her own.

NOTES.

VER. 3. Beneath a rude] The Tomb of Mr. Dryden was

Peace to thy gentle fhade, and endless rest!
Bleft in thy Genius, in thy Love too blest!
One grateful woman to thy fame fupplies

What a whole thankless land to his denies.

NOTES.

erected upon this hint by the Duke of Buckingham; to which was originally intended this Epitaph,

This SHEFFIELD rais'd. The facred Duft below
Was DRYDEN once: The reft who does not know?

which the Author fince changed into the plain infcription now upon it, being only the name of that great Poet.

J. DRYDE N.

Natus Aug. 9. 1631. Mortuus Maij 1. 1700.

JOANNES SHEFFIELD DUX BUCKINGHAMIENSIS POSUIT.

P.

Bleft with plain Reason, and with fober Sense;
No Conquefts fhe, but o'er herself, defir'd,
No Arts effay'd, but not to be admir'd.
Paffion and Pride were to her foul unknown,
Convinc'd that Virtue only is our own.
So unaffected, fo compos'd a mind;

So firm, yet soft; fo ftrong, yet so refin'd;
Heav'n, as its pureft gold, by Tortures try'd!
The Saint fuftain'd it, but the Woman dy'd.

VII.

On the Monument of the Honourable ROBERT DIGBY, and of his Sifter MARY, erected by their Father the Lord DIGBY, in the Church of Sherborne in Dorsetshire, 1727.

O! fair example of untainted youth,

Go

Of modeft wisdom, and pacific truth: Compos'd in fuff'rings, and in joy fedate, Good without noise, without pretension great. Just of thy word, in ev'ry thought fincere, Who knew no Wish but what the world might hear:

Of foftest manners, unaffected mind,

Lover of peace, and friend of human kind:
Go live! for Heav'ns Eternal year is thine,
Go, and exalt thy Moral to Divine.

And thou, bleft Maid! attendant on his doom,
Penfive haft follow'd to the filent tomb,
Steer'd the fame course to the fame quiet fhore,

Not parted long, and now to part no more!

Go then, where only endless blifs fincere is

known!

Go, where to love and to enjoy are one!

Yet take these Tears, Mortality's relief, And till we share your joys, forgive our grief: These little rites, a Stone, a Verse receive; "Tis all a Father, all a Friend can give!