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 Mason 
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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND
 
 / s / s. 
 
 A N 
 
 ELEGY. 
 
 [ Price Six-Pence. ]
 
 IS IS. 
 
 A N 
 
 ELEGY. 
 
 Written in the Year 1748, 
 
 By Mr. MASON, 
 
 Vl atcthnoc 
 
 Ti nor or ah nor 
 Er AniCTOrCAN toic baciaeioi 
 
 CIN AFOrCfN NOMOJC 
 
 KAI EN A*P0CrNH KA0EAONTEC. 
 
 Sophocles in Antig. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for R. Dodsley at TuUy's Head in Pall-Malf 
 and Sold by M. Cooper in Pater-noftcr Row, 
 
 MDCCXLIX.
 
 \ 
 
 i.
 
 
 Advertifement. 
 
 ^ I ^HE following Poem would never 
 have appeared in print, had not 
 an interpolated copy of it, publifhed 
 in a country news-paper, fcandaloufly 
 mifreprefented the principles of the 
 Author. 
 
 8S52S9
 
 (8 ) 
 
 Her urn fuftain'd her arm, that fculptur'd vafe 
 Where Fulcans art had lavifh'd all it's grace j 
 Here, full with life was heav'n-taught Science feen, 
 Known by the laurel wreath and mufing mein : 
 There cloud-crown'd Fanie^here Peace fedate and bland, 
 vSweird the loud trump, and wav'd the olive wand ; 
 While folemn domes, arch'd (hades, and vifta's green 
 At well-mark'd diftance clofe the facred fcene. 
 
 On this the Goddefs caft an anxious look. 
 Then dropt a tender tear, and thus (he fpoke ; 
 Yes, I cou'd once with pleas'd attention trace 
 llie mimic charms of this prophetic vafe ; 
 Then lift my head, and wit'h" enraptur'd eyes 
 View on yon plain the real glories rife. 
 
 • Yes,
 
 (9) 
 Yes, Ifs ! oft haft thou rejoic'd to lead 
 
 Thy licjuid treafures o'er yon fav'rite mcaJ, 
 
 Oft haft tl.ou ftopt thy pearly car to gaze, 
 
 While ev'ry Science nurs'd it's growine bays ; 
 
 While ev'ry Youth with fame's ftrong impujfe fir'd, 
 
 Preft to the goal, and at the goal untir'd, 
 
 Snatch'd each celeftial wreath to bind his brow 
 
 The Mufcs, Graces, Virtues cou'd beftow. 
 
 E'en now fond Fancy leads th' ideal train, 
 And ranks her troops on Mem'ry's ample plain ; 
 See ! the firm leaders of my patriot line. 
 See! Sidney, Raleigh, Hamden, Somers (hine. 
 See Hough fuperior to a tyrant's doom 
 Smile at the menace of the Have of Rome. 
 
 ' B Each
 
 ( 10 ) 
 
 Each foul whom truth cou'd fire, or virtue move. 
 Each breaft ftrong panting with it's country's love, 
 All that to Albion gave the heart or head. 
 That wifely councell'd, or that bravely bled, 
 All, all appear^ on me they grateful fmlle, 
 The wxli-earn'd prize of every virtuous toil 
 To me with filial reference they bring, 
 And hang frefh trophies o'er my honour'd fpring. 
 
 Ah ! I remember well yon beachen fpray, 
 There Addison firft tun'd his polifh'd lay ; 
 
 'Twas there great Gate's form firft met his eye. 
 In all the pomp of free-born majefty. 
 *' My Son, he cry'd, obferve this mein with awe, 
 *^ In folemn lines the ftrong refemblance draw ^ 
 
 " The
 
 ( " ) 
 
 *' The piercing notes (hall ftrike each BritiJJj ear, 
 
 *' Each BritifJj eye (hall drop the patriot tear j 
 
 ** And rous'd to glory by the nervous ftrain, 
 
 '^ Each Youth (hall fpurn at flav'ry's abjedl reign, 
 
 '^ Shall auard with Catoh zeal Eritannia\ laws, 
 
 *' And fpcak, and a6l, and bleed, in freedom's caufe." 
 
 The Hero fpoke, the Bard alTcnting bovv 'd. 
 The lay to liberty and Cato flow'd ; 
 While Echo, as ilie rov'd the vale alonor, 
 Join'd the ftrong cadence of his Roman fong. 
 
 But ah ! how^ Stillnefs flept upon the ground, 
 Hovy' mute Attention check'd each rifine found ; 
 
 R 2 Scarce
 
 f 12 ) 
 
 Scarce ftole a breeze to wave the leafy ipray. 
 
 Scarce triird fweet Philomel her forte ft lay, 
 
 When Locke vvalk'd mufing forth ; e'en now I view 
 
 Majeftic Wifdom thron'd upon his brow. 
 
 View Candour fmile upon his modeft cheek. 
 
 And from his eye all Judgment's radiance break. 
 
 'Twas here the fage his manly zeal expreft. 
 
 Here ftript vain Falfhood of her gaudy veft ^ 
 
 Here Truth's colle£led beams firfl: fiU'd his mind. 
 
 E'er Ions to burft in bleffings on mankind : 
 
 E'er long to fhow to reafon's purged eye, 
 
 That " Nature's first best gift was Liberty." 
 
 Proud of this wond'rous fon, fublime I ftood, 
 (While louder furges fwell'd my rapid flood) 
 
 Then
 
 ( 13 ) 
 Then vain as Niobe^ exulting cryM, 
 
 Ilifftis ! roll thy fam'd Athenian tide ; 
 
 Tho' Plato ^ Heps olt mark'd thy neighb'ring glade, 
 
 Tho' fair Lyceum lent it's awful fliade, 
 
 Tho' ev'ry Academic green imprell 
 
 It's image full on thy reficcling breail. 
 
 Yet my pure ftream lliall boaft as proud a name. 
 
 And Britain^ Jfn flow with Attic fame. 
 
 Alas ! how chano'd ! where now that Attic boaft ? 
 See ! Gothic Licence rage o'er all my coaft. 
 See ! Hydra Fa£lion fpread it's impious reign, 
 Poifon each breaft, and madden ev'ry brain. 
 Hence frontlefs crouds that not content to fright 
 The bluihing Cynthia from her throne of nighty 
 
 Blafl:
 
 ( 14) 
 
 Blaft the fair face of day ; and madly bold, 
 
 To Freedom's foes infernal orgies hold ; 
 
 To Freedom's foes, ah ! fee the goblet crown'd. 
 
 Hear plaufive (liouts to Freedom's foes refound j 
 
 The horrid notes niy refluent waters daunt, 
 
 The Echoes groan^ the Dryads quit their haunt ; 
 
 Learning that once to all diffus'd her beam, 
 
 Now (lieds by fliealth a partial private gleam. 
 
 In fome lone cloifler's melancholy ihade 
 
 Where a firm few fupport her fickly head j 
 
 Defpis'd, infulted by the barb'rous train, 
 
 Who fcour like Thracias moon-ftruck rout the plain, 
 
 Sworn foes like them to all the Mufe approves. 
 
 All Phoebus favours, or Minerva loves. 
 
 Are
 
 ('5) 
 
 Arc thcfe the Tons my foftVIng breail mufl: rear? 
 Grac'd with my name, and nurtur'd by my care, 
 Mult ihcfe go forth from my maternal hand 
 To deal their infults thro' a peaceful land, 
 And boaft while Freedom bleeds, and Virtue groans, 
 That " >//^i' taught Rebellion to her Sons ?" 
 Forbid it heav'n ! and let my riilng waves 
 Indignant fwell, and whelm the recreant flaves. 
 In Rtigland\ caufe their patriot floods employ. 
 As Xanthus delug'd in the caufe of Troy. 
 Is this deny'd ? then point fome fecret way 
 Where far far hence thcfe guiltlefs ft reams may ftray. 
 Some unknown channel lend where nature fpreads 
 Inglorious vales and unfrequented meads, 
 
 There
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 There where a Hind fcarce tunes his ruftic ftrain. 
 Where fcarce a Pilgrim treads the pathlefs plain 
 Content I'll flow j forget that e'er my tide 
 Saw yon majeftic ftru6tures crown its fide , 
 Forget that e'er my wrapt attention hung 
 Or on the Safe's or the Poet's tongue. 
 Calm and refign'd my humbler lot embrace. 
 Ana pleas'd prefer oblivion to difgrace. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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