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 1
 
 DEATH: 
 
 POETICAL ESSAY. 
 
 By BEILBY PORTEUS, M.A. 
 
 Fellow of ChriJTs College. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE, 
 
 JPrintcd by J. Bentham Printer to the University, for T. A: J. Merrill, 
 Bookftllcrs at Cambridge-, Sold by Benj. Dod, J.Whiston & B. White, 
 and J. DoDSLEY in London; J. PoTE at Eton; J. FLETCHER, & D. PRINCE 
 in Oxl'yrdi and S. Stabler at York. 
 
 MDCCLIX.
 
 A Claufc of Mr. SEATON's Will, P/^ 
 Dated OS?. 8. 1738. 
 
 /" Ghe my Kijlingbury EJiate to the Univerfity of Catnbridge 
 for ever : the Rents of which pall be difpofcd of yearly by the 
 Vice-Cha7icellor for the time being-, as he the Vice-Chancellor^ the 
 Mafler of Clare Hall^ and the Greek Profejfor for the time bei?igj 
 or any two of them fljall agree. IFhich three perfons aforefaid fhall 
 give out a SubjeBj which SubjeB fljall for the firfl Tear be one or 
 other of the PerfeEtions or Attributes of the Suprefne Beings and fa 
 the fucceeding Tears., till the SubjeB is exhaujled; and afterwards 
 the SubjeSl fjall be either Death., yudgfnent, Heaven, Hdll, Purity 
 of heart, ^c. or whatever elfe may be judged by the Vice-Chancellor^ 
 Mafler of Clare Hall, a?td Greek Profejjor to be mofl conducive to 
 the ho?iour of the Supreme Being and rccom?nendation of Virtue. 
 And they fljall yearly difpofe of the Rent of the above Eflate to that 
 Mafler of Arts, whofe Poem on the SubjeB given fljall be befl ap- 
 proved by them. IVhich Poem I ordain to be always in Engliflj, and 
 to be printed ; the expence of which fjall be dcduSied out of thg 
 produEi of the Eflate, and the reftdue given as a reward for the 
 :Compofcr of the Poem., or Ode, or Copy of Verfes. 
 
 WE the underwritten, do afllgn Mr. SEATONTs Reward 
 to Mr. PORTE US, M.A.' for his Poem on DEATH, 
 and direct the laid Poem to be printed, according to the tenor 
 ■of the Will. 
 
 Od.8. 1759. 
 
 L. Caryl \'icc- Chancellor. 
 JJVilcox iMaftcr of Clare Hall. 
 M.Lort Greek ProfeObr. 
 
 V 
 
 8701 liG
 
 DEATH: 
 
 POETICAL ESSAY. 
 
 ITRIEND to the wretch, whom every friend forfakes, 
 
 I woo thee, Death ! In Fancy's fairy paths 
 Let the gay Songfter rove, and gently trill 
 The ftrain of empty joy. — Life and its joys 
 I leave to thofe that prize them. — At this hour. 
 This folemn hour, when Silence rules the world. 
 And wearied Nature makes a gen'ral paufe. 
 Wrapt in Night's fable robe, through cloyfters drear 
 And charnels pale, tenanted by a throng 
 Of meagre phantoms ihooting crofs my path 
 With filent glance, I feck the fhadowy \al<: 
 Of Death. — - Deep in a murky cave's rcccfs 
 
 Lav\f
 
 6 DEATH: 
 
 Lav'd by Oblivion's liftlefs ftream, and fenc'd 
 
 By fhelving rocks and intermingled horrors 
 
 Of yew' and cyprefs' Ihade from all intrufion 
 
 Of bufy noontide-beam, the Monarch fits 
 
 In unfubftantial Majefty enthron'd. 
 
 At his right hand, neareft himfelf in place 
 
 And frightfulnefs of form, his Parent SiN 
 
 With fatal induftry and cruel care 
 
 Bulies herfelf in pointing all his ftings. 
 
 And tipping every ihaft with venom drawn 
 
 From her infernal ftore : around him rang'd 
 
 In terrible array and ftrange diverfity 
 
 Of uncouth ihapes, ftand his dread Minifters: 
 
 Foremoft Old Age, his natural ally 
 
 And firmeft friend : next him difeafes thick, 
 
 A motley train ; Fever with cheek of fire ^ 
 
 Confumption wan ; Palfy, half warm with life. 
 
 And half a clay-cold lump j joint-tort'ring Gout, 
 
 And ever-gnawing Rheum j Convulfion wild ^ 
 
 Swol'n Dropfy ; panting Afthma 5 Apoplex 
 
 Full-gorg'd. — There too the Peftilence that walks 
 
 In darknefs, and the Sicknefs that deftroys 
 
 At
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. -y 
 
 At broad noon-day. — Thefc and a thoufand more, 
 
 Horrid to tell, attentive wait, and, when 
 
 By Heaven's command Death waves his ebon wand. 
 
 Sudden rufh forth to execute his purpofc 
 
 And fcatter defolation o'er the Earth. 
 
 Ill-fated Man, for whom fuch various forms 
 Of Mis'ry wait, and mark their future prey ! 
 Ah! why. All-righteous Father, didft thou make 
 This Creature Man ? why wake th' unconfcious dufl: 
 To life and wretchednefs .^ O better far 
 Still had he flept in uncreated night. 
 If this the Lot of Being! — Was it for this 
 Thy Breath divine kindled within his breafh 
 The vital flame .^ For this was thy fair image 
 Stampt on his foul in godlike lineaments .^ 
 For this dominion giv'n him abfolute 
 O'er all thy creatures, only that he might reign 
 Supreme in woe ? — From the blcft fource of Good 
 Could Pain and Death proceed ? Could fuch foul Ills 
 Fall from fair Mercy's hands? — Far be the thought^ 
 The impious thought ! God never made a Creature 
 
 But what was good. — He made a living Man 
 
 The
 
 8 DEATH: 
 
 The Man of Death was made by Man himfelf. 
 
 Forth from his Maker's hands he fprung to life, 
 
 Frefli with immortal bloom ; No pain he knew, 
 
 No fear of Death, no check to his defires 
 
 Save one command. — That one command (which flood 
 
 'Twixt him and ruin, the teft of his obedience,) 
 
 Urg'd on by wanton curiolity 
 
 He broke. — There in one moment was undone 
 
 The faireft of God's works. — The fame rafli hand 
 
 That pluck'd in evil hour the fatal fruit 
 
 Unbarr'd the orates of Hell, and let loofe Sin 
 
 And Death and all the family of Pain 
 
 To prey upon Mankind. — Young Nature faw 
 
 The monftrous crew, and lliook thro' all her frame. 
 
 Then fled her new-born luftre, then began 
 
 Heaven's chearful face to low'r, then vapours choak'd 
 
 The troubled air, and form'd a veil of clouds 
 
 To hide the willing: Sun. — The Earth convuls'd 
 
 With painful throes threw forth a briftly crop 
 
 Of thorns and briars 5 and InfecSl, Bird, and Beaft, 
 
 That wont before with admiration fond 
 
 To gaze at Man, and fcarlefs croud around him. 
 
 Now
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. 9 
 
 Now fled before his face, Ihunnlng in hafte 
 Th' infection of his mifery. — He alone, 
 W^ho juftly might, th' offended Lord of Man, 
 Turn'd not away his face, he full of pity 
 Forfook not in this uttermofh diftrefs 
 His beft-lov'd work. — That comfort ftill remain'd, 
 (That beft that greateft comfort in afHi(Slion) 
 The countenance of God, and thro' the glocm 
 Shot forth fome kindly gleams, to chear and warm 
 Th' offender's finking foul. — Hope fent from Heav'n 
 Uprais'd his drooping head, and fhew'd afar 
 A happier fccne of things- the promis'd Seed 
 Trampling upon the Serpent's humbled creft. 
 Death of his ftins: diflirm'd, and the dank grra\e 
 Made pervious to the realms of endlefs day. 
 No more the limit but the grate of life. 
 
 Chear'd with the view, JVIan went to till the ground 
 From \\ hence he rofe ; fentenc'd indeed to toil 
 As to a punifhment, yet (ev'n in wrath 
 So merciful is Heav'n) this toil became 
 The folace of his \\'oes, the fweet employ 
 Of many a hve-long hour, and furefl guard 
 
 B Acrainft
 
 lo DEATH: 
 
 Aaainft difeafe and Death. — Death tho' dcnounc^'d 
 
 Was yet a diftant 111, by feeble arm 
 
 Of Age, his fole fupport, led flowly on. 
 
 Not then, as fince, the ihort-liv'd fons of men 
 
 Flock'd to his realms in countlefs multitudes j 
 
 Scarce in the courfe of twice five hundred years 
 
 One folitary ghofh went fhiv'ring down 
 
 To his unpeopled fhore; — In fober ftate, 
 
 Through the fequefter'd vale of rural life. 
 
 The venerable Patriarch guilelefs held 
 
 The tenor of his way ; Labour prepar'd 
 
 His fimple fare, and Temp'rance rul'd his board* 
 
 Tir'd with his daily toil, at early eve 
 
 He funk to fudden reft j gentle and pure 
 
 As breath of evening Zephyr and as fweet 
 
 Were all his (lumbers , with the Sun he rofe. 
 
 Alert and vigorous as He, to run 
 
 His deftin'd courfe. — Thus nerv'd with Giant Strength 
 
 He ftem'd the tide of time, and ftood the (hock 
 
 Of ages roUino; harmlefs o'er his head. 
 
 At life's meridian point arriv'd, he ftood. 
 
 And looking round faw all the vallies fiU'd 
 
 With
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. it 
 
 With nations from his loins j full-well content 
 To leave his race thus fcatter'd o'er the Earth 
 Along the gentle (lope of life's decline 
 He bent his gradual way, till full of years 
 He dropt like mellow fruit into his grave. 
 
 Such in the infancy of Time was Man, 
 So calm was life, fo impotent was Death. 
 O had he but preferv'd thefe few remains 
 Thefe fhatter'd fragments of loft happinefs 
 Snatch'd by the hand of heav'n from the fad wreck 
 Of innocence primaeval , ftill had he liv'd 
 Great ev'n in ruin, tho' fall'n, yet not forlorn, 
 Though mortal, yet not every where befet 
 With Death in every (hape ! But He, impatient 
 To be compleatly wretched, haftcs to fill up 
 The meafure of his woes. — 'Twas Man himfclf 
 Brought Death into the world. And Man himfelf 
 Gave keennefs to his darts, quicken'd his pace, 
 And multiplied deftru6lion on mankind. 
 
 Firft Envy, Eldeft-Born of Hell embru'd 
 Her hands in blood, and taught the Sons of Men 
 To make a Death which Nature never made, 
 
 B 2 And
 
 12 DEATH: 
 
 And God abhorr'd, with violence rude to break 
 
 The thread of life ere half its length was run. 
 
 And rob a wretched brother of his being. 
 
 With joy Ambition faw, and foon improv'd 
 
 The execrable deed. — 'Twas not enough 
 
 By fubtle fraud to fnatch a fingle life. 
 
 Puny impiety ! whole kingdoms fell 
 
 To fate the luft of power j more horrid ftill. 
 
 The fouleft ftain and fcandal of our nature 
 
 Became its boaft. — One Murder made a Villain, 
 
 Millions a Hero. — Princes were privileg'd 
 
 To kill, and numbers fan6lified the crime. 
 
 Ah ! why will Kings forget that they are Men .^ 
 
 And Men that they are brethren } Why delight 
 
 In human facrifice } Why burft the ties 
 
 Of Nature, that fhould knit their fouls together 
 
 In one foft bond of amity and love } 
 
 Yet ftill they breathe deftru61:ion, ftill go on 
 
 Inhumanly ingenious to find out 
 
 New pains for life, new terrors for the grave. 
 
 Artificers of Death ! Still Monarchs dream 
 
 Of univerfal Empire growing up 
 
 From
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. 13 
 
 From univerfal ruin. — Bkifl: the dc(io;ii 
 
 Great God of Hosts, nor let thy creatures fall 
 
 Unpitied vldllms at Ambition's (hrine ! 
 
 Yet fay, fhould Tyrants learn at lafl: to feel, 
 
 And the loud din of battle ceafe to bray ; 
 
 Should dovc-ey'd Peace o'er all the earth extend 
 
 Her olive branch, and gi\'e the world repofe, 
 
 Would Death be foil'd ? Would health, and ftrength, 
 and youth 
 
 Defy his power? Has he no arts in ftorc. 
 
 No other Ihafts fave thofe of war? — Alas ! 
 
 Ev'n in the fmile of Peace, that fmile w^hich Iheds 
 
 A heav'nly funfhine o'er the foul, there bafks 
 
 That ferpent Luxury : War its thoufands flays. 
 
 Peace its ten thoufands : In th' embattled plain 
 
 Tho' Death exults, and claps his raven wings, 
 
 Yet reigns he not ev'n there fo abfolute, 
 
 So mercilefs, as in yon frantic fcenes 
 
 Of midnight revel and tumultuous mirth. 
 
 Where, in th' intoxicatinor draught conccal'd. 
 
 Or couch'd beneath the glance of lawlcfs Lo\c, 
 
 He fnares the fimple youth, who nought fufpccling 
 
 Means to be blcll — But finds himfelf undone. 
 
 Down
 
 14 DEATH: 
 
 Down the fmooth ftream of life the Stripling darts 
 Gay as the morn ; bright glows the vernal (ky, 
 Hope fwells his fails, and pafTion fteers his courfe ; 
 Safe glides his little bark along the Ihore 
 Where virtue takes her ftand, but if too far 
 He launches forth beyond difcretion's mark, 
 Sudden the tempeft (cowls, the furges roar. 
 Blot his fair day, and plunge him in the deep. 
 O fad but fure mifchance ! O happier far 
 To lie like gallant Howe midft Indian wilds 
 A breathlefs corfe, cut off by favage hands 
 In earliefl prime, a generous facrifice 
 To freedom's holy caufe 5 than fo to fall 
 Torn immature from life's meridian joys, 
 A prey to Vice, Intemperance, and Difeafe. 
 Yet die ev'n thus, thus rather perifh ftill, 
 Ye Sons of Pleafure, by th' Almighty (trick 'n. 
 Than ever dare (though oft, alas ! ye dare) 
 To lift againfl: yourfelves the murd'rous fteel 
 To wreft from God's own hand the fword of Juftice 
 And be your own avengers. — Hold rafh Man, 
 Though with anticipating (peed thou'ft rang'd 
 
 Through
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. 15 
 
 Through every region of delight, nor left 
 One joy to gild the evening of thy days, 
 Though life feem one uncomfortable void, 
 Guilt at thy heels, before thy face defpair. 
 Yet gay this fcene, and light this load of woe 
 Compar'd with thy hereafter. —Think, O think. 
 And e'er thou plunge into the vaft abyfs, 
 Paufe on the verge awhile, look down and fee 
 Thy future manfion. — Why that ftart of horror ? 
 From thy flack hand why drops th' uplifted fteel? 
 Didft thou not think fuch vengeance mud await 
 The wretch, that with his crimes all frelh about him 
 Rufhes irreverent, unprepar'd, uncall'd. 
 Into his Maker's prefence, throwing back 
 With infolent difdain his choiceft crift ? 
 
 Live then, while Heav n in pity lends thee life. 
 And think it all too fliort to wafli away 
 By penitential tears and deep contrition 
 The fcarlet of thy crimes. — So Ihalt thou find 
 Reft to thy foul, fo unappalPd Ihalt meet 
 Death when he comes, not wantonly in\ ite 
 His line'riner ftrokc. — Be it thv folc concern 
 
 With
 
 i6 DEATH: 
 
 With innocence to live, with patience wait 
 
 Th' appointed hour , too foon that hour will come 
 
 Tho' Nature run her courfe j But Nature's God, 
 
 If need require, by thoufand various ways, 
 
 Without thy aid, can Ihorten that fhort fpan. 
 
 And quench the lamp of life. — O when he comes 
 
 Rous'd by the cry of wickednefs extreme 
 
 To Heav'n afcending from fome guilty land 
 
 Now ripe for vengeance ; when he comes array'd 
 
 In all the terrors of Almighty wrath ; 
 
 Forth from his bofom plucks his ling'ring Arm, 
 
 And on the mifcreants pours deftru6tion down ! 
 
 Who can abide his coming ? Who can bear 
 
 His whole difpleafure ? In no common form 
 
 Death then appears, but ftarting into Size 
 
 Enormous, meafures with gigantic ftride 
 
 Th' aftonilh'd Earth, and from his looks throws round 
 
 Unutterable horror and difmay. 
 
 All Nature lends her aid. — Each Element 
 
 Arms in his caufe. — Ope fly the doors of Heav'n, 
 
 The fountains of the deep their barriers break, 
 
 Above, below, the rival torrents pour, 
 
 And
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. 17 
 
 And drown Creation, — or in floods of fire 
 
 Defccnds a livid cataract and con fumes 
 
 An impious race. — Sometimes when all feems peace, 
 
 Wakes the grim whirlwind, and with rude embrace 
 
 Sweeps nations to their grave, or in the deep 
 
 Whelms the proud wooden world j full many a youth 
 
 Floats on his wat'ry bier, or lies unwept 
 
 On fome fad defert fhore ! — At dead of ni^ht 
 
 In fullen filence ftalks forth Pestilence : 
 
 Contagion clofe behind taints all her fleps 
 
 With poys'nous dew ; no fmiting Hand is feen. 
 
 No found is heard • but foon her fecret path 
 
 Is mark'd with defolation ; heaps on heaps 
 
 Promifcuous drop : — No friend, no refuge near ; 
 
 All, all, is falfe and treacherous around. 
 
 All that they touch, or tafte, or breathe, is Death. 
 
 But ah! what means that ruinous roar? why fail 
 Thefe tott'rins feet ? — Earth to its centre feels 
 The Godhead's power, and trembling at his touch 
 Through all its pillars, and in ev'ry pore. 
 Hurls to the eround with one con^ ulfi\"e hea\c 
 Precipitating domes, and towns, and tow'rs, 
 
 C The
 
 l8 DEATH: 
 
 The work of ages. — Crufli'd beneath the weight 
 
 Of gen'ral devaftation, millions find 
 
 One common grave , not ev'n a v/Idow left 
 
 To wail her fons : the houfe, that (hould protefl:, 
 
 Entombs its mafter, and the faithlefs plain, 
 
 If there he flies for help, with fudden yawn 
 
 Starts from beneath him. — Shield me, gracious Heav'n, 
 
 O fnatch me from deftrudlion ! If this Globe, 
 
 This folid Globe, which thine own hand hath made 
 
 So firm and fure, if this my fteps betray ; 
 
 If my own mother Earth from whence I fprung 
 
 Rife up with rage unnatural to devour 
 
 Her wretched offspring, whither fhall I fly ? 
 
 Where look for fuccour } Where, but up to thee 
 
 Almighty Father ? Save, O fave thy fuppliant 
 
 From Horrors fuch as thefe! — At thy good time 
 
 Let Death approach j I reck not — let him but come 
 
 In genuine form, not with thy vengeance arm'd, 
 
 Too much for Man to bear. — O rather lend 
 
 Thy kindly aid to mitigate his ftroke. 
 
 And at that hour when all aghaft I ftand, 
 
 (A trembling Candidate for thy compafliion,) 
 
 On
 
 A POETICAL ESSAY. 19 
 
 On this World's brink, and look into the next ; 
 When my Soul darting from the dark unknown 
 Cafts back a wifhful look, and fondly clings 
 To her frail prop, unv\ illing to be vvrench'd 
 From this fair fcene, from all her cuftom'd joys, 
 And all the lovely relatives of life, 
 Then fhed thy comforts o'er me 3 then put on 
 The gentleft of thy looks. — Let no dark Crimes 
 In all their hideous forms then ftarting up 
 Plant themfehes round my couch in grim array, 
 And ftab my bleedincr heart with two-edo['d torture, 
 Senfe of pad guilt, and dread of future woe. 
 Far be the ghaftly crew ! And in their ftead. 
 Let chearful Memory from her pureft cells 
 Lead forth a goodly train of Virtues fair 
 Cherilh'd in earlieft youth, now paying back 
 With tenfold ufury the pious care, 
 And pouring o'er my wounds the heav'nly balm 
 Of confcious innocence. — But chiefly, Thou, 
 Whom foft-ey'd Pity once led down from Heav'n 
 To bleed for Man, to teach him how to li\c. 
 And, oh ! ftill harder Leilbn ! how to die, 
 
 Dif-
 
 20 DEATH, &c. 
 
 Difdaln not Thou to fmooth the reftlefs bed 
 
 Of Sicknefs and of Pain Forgive the tear 
 
 That feeble Nature drops, calm all her fears^ 
 Wake all her hopes, and animate her faith. 
 Till my rapt Soul anticipating Heav'n 
 Burfts from the thraldom of incumbring clay, 
 And on the wing of Extafy upborn 
 Springs into Liberty, and Light, and Life. 
 
 THE END.
 
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