Can gratitude outpant the silent breath? , to crown departed friends with fame! Then, dying late, shalt all thou gavest reclaim. INSCRIPTION ON A GROTTO OF SHELLS AT CRUX-EASTON, THE WORK OF NINE YOUNG LADIES. A DIALOGUE. As to be minister of state, That Craggs will be ashamed of Pope. CRAGGS. Alas! If I am such a creature, To grow the worse for growing greater; VERSES LEFT BY MR. POPE, ON HIS LYING IN THE SAME BED WHICH WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER, USED AT ATTERBURY, A SEAT OF THE DUKE OF ARGYLE'S IN OXFORDSHIRE, JULY 9, 1739. With no poetic ardour fired, the bed where Wilmot lay; That here he loved, or here expired, Begets no numbers grave or gay. But in thy roof, Argyle, are bred Such thoughts as prompt the brave to lie, Stretch'd out in Honour's nobler bed, Beneath a nobler roof—the sky. Such flames as high in patriots burn, Yet stoop to bless a child, or wife; And such as wicked kin may mourn, When freedom is more dear than life. TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF ARGYLE, UPON READING THE PREAMBLE TO THE PATENT CREATING HIM DUKE OF GREENWICH. MINDLESS of Fate, in these low vile abodes, This, Campbell, be thy pride, illustrious peer, EPIGRAM ON MRS. TOFTS, A HANDSOME WOMAN WITH A FINE VOICE, BUT VERY COVETOUS AND PROUD'. So bright is thy beauty, so charming thy song, As had drawn both the beasts and their Orpheus along; But such is thy avarice, and such is thy pride, That the beasts must have starved, and the poet have died. EPIGRAM ON ONE WHO MADE LONG EPITAPHS2. FREIND, for your Epitaphs I'm grieved, Where still so much is said ; One half will never be believed, The other never read. 1 This epigram, first printed anonymously in Steele's Collection, and copied in the Miscellanies of Swift and Pope, is ascribed to Pope by Sir John Hawkins, in his History of Music.—Mrs. Tofts, who was the daughter of a person in the family of Bishop Burnet, is celebrated as a singer little inferior, either for her voice or manner, to the best Italian women. She lived at the introduction of the opera into this kingdom, and sung in company with Nicolini; but, being ignorant of Italian, chanted her recitative in English, in answer to his Italian ; yet the charms of their voices overcame the absurdity. ? It is not generally known that the person bere meant was Dr. Freind, head master of Westminster-school. TO SIR GODFREY KNELLER, ON HIS PAINTING FOR ME THE STATUES OF APOLLO, VENUS, AND HERCULES. When Kneller painted these? 'Twas Friendship-warm as Phæbus, kind as And strong as Hercules. [Love, -k and you A FAREWELL TO LONDON. 1715. Thy foolsoo more I'll tease: Ye harlots, sleep at ease Earl Warwick, make your moan, up whores alone: Till the third watchman toll; Save three-pence and his soul. learned sot, Although he knows it not. Farewell, unhappy Tonson ! Lean Philips, and fat Johnson. Why should I stay? Both parties rage; My vixen mistress squalls ; The wits in envious feuds engage; And Homer (damn him !) calls. The love of arts lies cold and dead In Halifax's urn; And not one Muse of all he fed, Has yet the grace to mourn. My friends, by turns, my friends confound, Betray, and are betray'd: -11 is a jade. When I no favour seek? I need but once a week. Deep whimseys to contrive; The gayest valetudinaire, Most thinking rake alive. Solicitous for other ends, Though fond of dear repose; Careless or drowsy with my friends, And frolic with my foes. For sober, studious days! For salads, tarts, and pease! Whose soul, sincere and free, Loves all mankind, but flatters none, And so may starve with me. |