An ELEGIAC VERSE, On the Death Of the Pious and Profound GRAMMARIAN and RHETORICIAN, Mr. ELIJAH CORLET, SCHOOLMASTER of CAMBRIDGE, Who Deceased Anno Aetatis 77. Feb. 24. 1687.  

On Roman Feet my stumbling Muse declines,  
To walk unto his Grave, left by her Fall  
She trespass, in accosting of his Head  
With undeserved breach. In jingling Rythme  
She thinks it not convenient to Dance  
Upon his Sacred Hearse; but mournful Steps  
If Metrically ordered, she computes  
The most becoming of this Tragic Scene.   

Can Heaven signific Ball (whose boundless Womb  
Millions of flaming Aetna's does ingulf)  
From Candle's dull and oleaginous  
Transfused Beams, a glowing Atom draw,  
Which might a superadded Lustre give  
Unto its conic Rays; then might our Verse  
Swell with impregnant hopes of bringing forth  
Some rich Disply of Corlet's Virtues rare.  
But this Herculean Labour forced we deem  
Not second to Impossibilities.  
This presses hard our timorous heart whence flows  
A Torrent of amazing Fears, whose Waves  
Bode Universal Deluge to that Verse  
That dares pretend to equalise his Fame.  
Creep then, poor Rhythms, and like a timid Hare  
Encircle his rich Vault, then gently squatt  
Upon his Grave the Centre there proclaim  
Tho' he subside, yet his abounding Worth  
Does infinitely supersede thy Lays.   

Tell to the World what Dowries Nature showered  
Into his large capacious Soul; almost  
Profuse in large Donations; yet kind Art  
Still adds unto the store, striving to reach  
Perfection's Top, during a mortal state.  
Sagacious Nature, provident that nought  
Of her dispensed bounty frustrate prove,  
Boils up this Font of Learning to an head,  
Which over-topping of its Banks she glides  
Through Nature's Conduit-pipes into the Soil  
Of tender Youth, which gaping sucks it in,  
Like thirsty Stars Bright Phebus' liquid light.  
A Master of his Trade, whose Art could square  
Pillars of rooted strength whose shoulders might.  
A Commonwealth uphold. Aholiab-like  
Divinely qualified with curious Skill  
To carve out Temple work, and  the Priest  
With sacred Robes, adapted for the Use  
Of Functions so divine.—   

Rivers of Eloquence like Nectar flowed  
From his Vast Ocean, where a Tully might  
Surfeit with draughts of Roman Eloquence.  
Immortal Oaks (whose golden mouth ne'er blew  
A blast defiled with indisposed Speech)  
Suspecting his own parts, rarely pronounced  
His Ciceronean lines, until they touched  
This Lydius Lapis CORLET: then approved  
They're Eloquence proof esteemed, and challenged  
The Roman Tribe of Orators to spend  
Their subtlety, and pierce their Eagles' Eyes  
Into their very bottom.—   

Had Grecian Dialect and Roman Tongue  
Survived this Age within their native Soil,  
Endless had been their Feud; Athens and Rome  
Had set their Tully's and Lemosthenes to sight  
With Swords brandished with shining Eloquence  
For to decide the Controverse, and prove  
To whom by right Great CORLET did pertain.  
This proving unsuccessful, nought can quench  
Their flaming zeal, save by (Colossos like)  
Erecting his large Statue, whose proud feet  
Might six their Station on the Pinnacles  
Of each of these Metropolies of Art  
Nor were his Parts exclusive of his Zeal  
In serving his rich Donor. No Serpent  
Bearing a fulgent Jewel in his Crest,  
While cursed Poison steeps his venomed heart.  
But Grace the Crown of all shone like a Sun  
Fixed in the Centre of that Microcosm.  
Blown to the full, perfumed with sacred smell,  
This flower Heaven plucked. When Natures 〈◊〉  
Too feeble grown to bear such ponderous fruit  
Elijah's Chariot born on Seraph's wings,  
Mounts with this Treasure to the port of Bliss.   
Sic moestus cecinit NEHEMIAH WALTER.