TO LADY FIREBRACE.*

AT BURY ASSIZES.

Ar length must Suffolk's beauties shine in vain, So long renown'd in B n's deathless strain? Thy charms at least, fair Firebrace, might inspire Some zealous bard to wake the sleeping lyre; For such thy beauteous mind and lovely face, Thou seem'st at once, bright nymph, a Muse and Grace.

TO LYCE,

AN ELDERLY LADY.

YE nymphs whom starry rays invest,
By flatt'ring poets given,
Who shine, by lavish lovers drest,
In all the pomp of Heaven;

Engross not all the beams on high,
Which gilds a lover's lays,
But, as your sister of the sky,

Let Lyce share the praise.

Her silver locks display the moon,
Her brows a cloudy show,

Strip'd rainbows round her eyes are seen,
And show'rs from either flow.

*This lady was Bridget, third daughter of Philip Bacon, Esq. of Ipswich, and relict of Philip Evers, Esq. of that town. She became the second wife of Sir Cordell Firebrace, the last Baronet of that name (to whom she brought a fortune of £25,000), July 26, 1737. Being again left a widow in 1759, she was a third time married, April 7, 1762, to William Campbell, Esq. uncle to the present Duke of Argyle, and died July 3, 1782.

Her teeth the night with darkness dyes,
She's starr'd with pimples o'er;
Her tongue like nimble lightning plies,
And can with thunder roar.

But some Zelinda, while I sing,
Denies my Lyce shines;
And all the pens of Cupid's wing
Attack my gentle lines.

Yet, spite of fair Zelinda's eye,
And all her bards express,
My Lyce makes as good a sky,
And I but flatter less.

ON THE DEATH OF

MR. ROBERT LEVET,

A PRACTISER IN PHYSIC.

CONDEMN'D to Hope's delusive mine,
As on we toil from day to day,
By sudden blasts, or slow decline,
Our social comforts drop away.

Well try'd through many a varying year,
See Levet to the grave descend,
Officious, innocent, sincere,

Of ev'ry friendless name the friend.

Yet still he fills Affection's eye,
Obscurely wise, and coarsely kind;

Nor letter'd arrogance deny

Thy praise to merit unrefin'd.

When fainting nature call'd for aid,
And hov'ring death prepar'd the blow,
His vig'rous remedy display'd

The pow'r of art without the show.

In misery's darkest cavern known,
His useful care was ever nigh,
Where hopeless anguish pour'd his groan,
And lonely want retir'd to die.

No summons mock'd by chill delay,
No petty gain disdain'd by pride,
The modest wants of ev'ry day
The toil of ev'ry day supply'd.

His virtues walk'd their narrow round,
Nor made a pause, nor left a void;
And sure th' Eternal Master found
The single talent well employ'd.

The busy day-the peaceful night,
Unfelt, uncounted, glided by ;
His frame was firm-his powers were bright,
Though now his eightieth year was nigh.

Then, with no fiery throbbing pain,
No cold gradations of decay,

Death broke at once the vital chain,
And freed his soul the nearest way.

EPITAPH ON CLAUDE PHILLIPS,

AN ITINERANT MUSICIAN.*

PHILLIPS! whose touch harmonious could re

move

The pangs of guilty pow'r, and hapless love,
Rest here, distrest by poverty no more,
Find here that calm thou gav'st so oft before;
Sleep undisturb'd within this peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.

EPITAPHIUM+

IN

THOMAM HANMER, BARONETTUM.

Honorabilis admodum THOMAS HANMER,
Baronettus,

Wilhelmi Hanmer armigeri, è Peregrinâ Henrici

North

De Mildenhall in Com. Suffolciæ Baronetti sorore

et hærede,
Filius;

Johannis Hanmer de Hanmer Baronetti
Hæres patruelis

Antiquo gentis suæ et titulo et patrimonio successit.

* These lines are among Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies: they are nevertheless recognised as Johnson's in a meme randum of his hand-writing, and were probably written at her request. Phillips was a travelling fidler up and down Wales, and was greatly celebrated for his performance.

At Hanmer church, in Flintshire.

Duas uxores sortitus est;

Alteram Isabellam, honore à patre derivato, de Arlington comitissam,

Deindè celsissimi principis ducis de Grafton viduam dotariam:

Alteram Elizabetham Thomæ Foulkes de Barton in
Com. Suff. armigeri
Filiam et hæredem.

Inter humanitates studia felicitèr enutritus, Omnes liberalium artium disciplinas avidè arripuit, Quas morum suavitate haud leviter ornavit. Postquam excessit ex ephebis,

Continuò inter populares suos famâ eminens, Et comitatûs sui legatus ad Parliamentum missus, Ad ardua regni negotia per annos prope triginta se accinxit:

Cumque apud illos amplissimorum virorum ordines
Solent nihil temerè effutire,

Sed probè perpensa disertè expromere,
Orator gravis et pressus;

Non minus integritatis quam eloquentiæ laude commendatus,

Equè omnium, utcunque inter se alioqui dissidentium,

Aures atque animos attraxit.

Annoque demum M.DCC.XIII. regnant e
Felicissimæ florentissimæque memoriæ reginâ,
Ad Prolocutoris cathedram
Communi Senatûs universi voce designatus est:
Quod munus,

Cum nullo tempore non difficile,
Tum illo certè, negotiis

Et variis et lubricis et implicatis difficillimum,
Cum dignitate sustinuit.

Honores alios, et omnia quæ sibi in lucrum cede