A POE M, TO THE MEMORY Of the RIGHT HONOURABLE the LORD TALBOT, Late CHANCELLOR of Great Britain. 000000000000000000000 Gg3 ΤΟ ΤΗΕ MEMORY Of the RIGHT HONOURABLE the LORD TALBOT. Addreffed to His SON. HILE, with the public, you, my Lord, lament A friend and father loft; permit the Muse, The Muse affign'd of old a double theme, To praise dead worth, and humble living pride, Whofe generous task begins where int'reft ends, Permit her on a TALBOT's tomb to lay This cordial verfe fincere, by truth-infpir'd, Which means not to bestow but borrow fame. Yes the may fing his matchlefs virtues nowUnhappy that she may. But where begin? How from the diamond single out each ray, .. Where all, tho' trembling with ten thousand hues, Effuse one dazzling undivided light? Let the low-minded of these narrow days No more prefume to deem the lofty tale 10. 15 Join'd to the virtues and the force of Rome. 20 25 30 Eternal Wisdom, that all-quick'ning fun, Whence every life, in just proportion, draws Directing light and actuating flame, Ne'er with a larger portion of its beams Awaken'd mortal clay. Hence, fteady, calm, Diffufive, deep and clear, his reafon faw, With inftantaneous view, the truth of things; Chief what to human life and human blifs Pertains, that nobleft science fit for man: And hence, refponfive to his knowledge, glow'd His ardent virtue. Ignorance and vice, In confort foul, agree; each heightening each; While virtue draws from knowledge brighter fire. What grand, what comely, or what tender fenfe, What talent, or what virtue was not bis ; -35 What that can render man or great, or good, Give useful worsh, or amiable grace? Nor could he brook in ftudious shade to ly, In foft retirement, indolently pleas'd With selfish peace. The Syren of the wife, (Who fteals th' Aonian fong, and, in the shape Of virtue, wooes them from a worthlefs world), Tho' deep he felt her charms, could never melt His ftrenuous fpirit, recollected, calm, As filent night, yet active as the day. The more the bold, the bustling, and the bad, To check their combination. Shall low views 50 The villain's paffionis, quicken more to tail, And dart a livelier vigor thro' the foul," Than thofe that, mingled with our trueft good, $55 With present honour and immortal fame, The prize of glory, the keen fweets of toil, Early, behold! he breaks benign on life. 65 0475 80 Of ever-wandering men, return'd again on ole A 85 .I Her |