Cease, cease, thou cruel ocean, And let my lover rest : To that within my breast ? The merchant, robb'd of pleasure, Sees tempests in despair ; To losing of my dear? Where gold and diamonds grow, You'd find a richer maiden, But none that loves you so. How can they say that nature Has nothing made in vain; Why then beneath the water Should hideous rocks remain ? No eyes the rocks discover That Jurk beneath the deep, To wreck the wandering lover, And leave the maid to weep. All melancholy lying, Thus wail'd she for her dear; Repay'd each blast with sighing, Each billow with a tear; When o'er the white wave stooping, His floating corpse she spy'd ; Then, like a lily drooping, She bow'd her head and dy'd. THE COURT OF DEATH. A FABLE. DEATH, on a solemn night of state, With hollow tone, Fever, with burning heat possest, Advanc'd, and for the wand addrest. “ I to the weekly bills appeal, Let those express my fervent zeal ; On every slight occasion near, With violence I persevere.' Next Gout appears with limping pace, A haggard spectre from the crew Stone urg'd his over-growing force; And, next, Consumption's meagre corse, With feeble voice that scarce was heard, Broke with short coughs, his suit preferr'd : “Let none object my lingering way, I gain, like Fabius, by delay; Fatigue and weaken every foe By long attack, secure, though slow.” Plague represents his rapid power, Who thinn'd a nation in an hour. All spoke their claim, and hop'd the wand. “ Merit was ever modest known. you all." BARTON BOOTH. DIED 1733. An excellent man and an eminent actor. SONG, SWEET are the charms of her I love, More fragrant than the damask rose, Soft as the down of turtle dove, Gentle as air when Zephyr blows, Refreshing as descending rains To sun-burnt climes, and thirsty plains. True as the needle to the pole, Or as the dial to the sun; Constant as gliding waters roll, Whose swelling tides obey the moon; From every other charmer free, My life and love shall follow thee. The lamb the flowery thyme devours, pursues; Sweet Philomel, in shady bowers Of verdant spring her note renews ; All follow what they most admire, As I pursue my soul's desire, Nature must change her beauteous face, And vary as the seasons rise ; Summer th' approach of autumn flies : No change on love the seasons bring, Love only knows perpetual spring. Devouring time, with stealing pace, Makes lofty oaks and cedars bow; And marble tow'rs, and gates of brass, In his rude march he levels low : But time, destroying far and wide, Love from the soul can ne'er divide. Death only, with his cruel dart, The gentle godhead can remove; And drive him from the bleeding heart To mingle with the bless'd above, Where, known to all his kindred train, He finds a lasting rest from pain. Love, and his sister fair, the soul, Twin-born, from heav'n together came: Love will the universe control, When dying seasons lose their name; Divine abodes shall own his pow'r, When time and death shall be no more. |