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The Works of William Mason

... In Four Volumes
Mason, William (1725-1797)

collapse sectionI. 
VOL. I.
  
TO ROBERT EARL OF HOLDERNESSE, BARON D'ARCY, MENIL AND CONYERS, LORD WARDEN OF HIS MAJESTY'S CINQUE PORTS, AND GOVERNOR OF DOVER CASTLE.
  
MUSÆUS:
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ODES.
 I. 
ODE I. TO MEMORY.
 II. 
ODE II. TO A WATER-NYMPH.
 III. 
ODE III. ON LEAVING ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, 1746.
 IV. 
ODE IV. ON EXPECTING TO RETURN TO CAMBRIDGE, 1747.
 V. 
ODE V. FOR MUSIC.
 VI. 
ODE VI. TO INDEPENDENCY.
 VII. 
ODE VII. TO A FRIEND.
 VIII. 
ODE VIII. ON THE FATE OF TYRANNY.
 IX. 
ODE IX. TO AN ÆOLUS'S HARP
 X. 
ODE X. FOR MUSIC. IRREGULAR.
 XI. 
ODE XI.
 XII. 
ODE XII. TO THE NAVAL OFFICERS OF GREAT BRITAIN.
 XIII. 
ODE XIII.
 XIV. 
ODE XIV. TO THE HON. WILLIAM PITT.
 XV. 
ODE XV. SECULAR.
 XVI. 
ODE XVI. PALINODIA.
  
ODE ON WISDOM;
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ELEGIES.
 I. 
ELEGY I. TO A YOUNG NOBLEMAN
 II. 
ELEGY II. ADDRESSED TO MISS PELHAM ON THE DEATH OF HER FATHER.
 III. 
ELEGY III. WRITTEN IN THE GARDEN OF A FRIEND.
 IV. 
ELEGY IV. TO THE REV. MR. HURD.
 V. 
ELEGY V. ON THE DEATH OF A LADY.
 VI. 
ELEGY VI. WRITTEN IN A CHURCH-YARD IN SOUTH WALES, 1787.
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SONNETS.
 I. 
SONNET I. SENT TO A YOUNG LADY WITH DODSLEY'S MISCELLANIES.
 II. 
SONNET II. PRESENTED TO A FRIEND ON THE MORNING OF HIS MARRIAGE.
 III. 
SONNET III. AUGUST, 1773.
 IV. 
SONNET IV. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND THE BISHOP OF LICHFIELD AND COVENTRY, PREFIXED TO THE DRAMATIC POEM OF CARACTACUS, WHEN ALTERED FOR STAGE REPRESENTATION.
 V. 
SONNET V. TO A VERY YOUNG PAINTER.
 VI. 
SONNET VI. TO GEORGE BUSSY VILLIERS EARL OF JERSEY, &c. &c. AND GEORGE SIMON HARCOURT EARL HARCOURT, &c. &c.
 VII. 
SONNET VII. FEBRUARY 23, 1795. ANNIVERSARY.
 VIII. 
SONNET VIII. FEBRUARY 23, 1796. ANNIVERSARY.
 IX. 
SONNET IX. TO THE BISHOP OF WORCESTER, SENT TO HIM WITH THE PRECEDING SONNET.
 X. 
SONNET X. FEBRUARY 23, 1797. ANNIVERSARY.
 XI. 
SONNET XI. OCCASIONED BY A LATE ATTACK ON THE PRESENT TASTE OF ENGLISH GARDENS.
 XII. 
SONNET XII. TO A GRAVEL WALK, RELATIVE TO THE PRECEDING SUBJECT.
 XIII. 
SONNET XIII. OCCASIONED BY A DIDACTIC POEM ON THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SOCIETY.
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EPITAPHS AND INSCRIPTIONS.
 I. 
EPITAPH I. ON MRS. MASON,
 II. 
EPITAPH II. ON MISS DRUMMOND,
 III. 
EPITAPH III. ON JOHN DEALTRY, M. D.
 IV. 
EPITAPH IV. ON MRS. TATTON,
 V. 
EPITAPH V. ON MR. GRAY,
 VI. 
EPITAPH VI. ON THOMAS FOUNTAYNE, ESQ.
 VII. 
EPITAPH VII. ON LAUNCELOT BROWNE, ESQ.
 VIII. 
EPITAPH VIII. ON MRS. ANN E. MORRITT,
 IX. 
INSCRIPTION IX. ON A TRIPOD TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, ESQ. P. L.
 X. 
INSCRIPTION X. UNDER A PICTURE OF THE EDITOR OF SHAKSPEARE'S MANUSCRIPTS, 1796.
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MISCELLANIES.
  
THE BIRTH OF FASHION: AN EPISTOLARY TALE.
  
IL BELLICOSO.
  
IL PACIFICO.
  
AN EPISTOLARY ADDRESS TO THE AUTHOR'S FATHER, SENT FROM LONDON IN THE YEAR 1746.
  
STANZAS, WRITTEN ON THE BANKS OF THE CAM, 1746.
  
ISIS.
  
PROTOGENES AND APELLES.
  
ODE OF CASIMIR
  
SONG OF HAROLD THE VALIANT.
  
SONG.
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THE ENGLISH GARDEN:
 1. 
BOOK THE FIRST.
 II. 
BOOK THE SECOND.
 III. 
BOOK THE THIRD.
 IV. 
BOOK THE FOURTH.
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RELIGIO CLERICI.
 I. 
PART THE FIRST.
 II. 
PART THE SECOND.
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HYMNS, AND SELECT PSALMS VERSIFIED.
  
HYMN BEFORE MORNING SERVICE.
  
HYMN BEFORE EVENING SERVICE.
  
MORNING HYMN.
  
EVENING HYMN.
  
PSALM I.
  
PSALM VIII.
  
PSALM XV.
  
PART OF PSALM XVIII.
  
PSALM XLIII.
  
PSALM LXVII.
  
PSALM LXX.
  
PSALM XCIII.
  
PSALM C.
  
A COMPRESSED METRICAL VERSION OF PSALM CIX.
  
PSALM CXXI.
  
PSALM CXXVIII.
  
PSALM CXXX.
  
PSALM CXXXVII.
  
PSALM CL
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VOL. II.
  
ELFRIDA;
  
CARACTACUS:
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ARGENTILE AND CURAN:
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ACT I.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
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ACT II.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT III.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
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ACT IV.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
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ACT V.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
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SAPPHO,
  
PRELIMINARY SCENE.
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ACT I.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
 VI. 
SCENE VI.
 VII. 
SCENE VII.
 VIII. 
SCENE VIII.
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ACT II.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
 VI. 
SCENE VI.
 VII. 
SCENE VII.
 VIII. 
SCENE VIII.
 IX. 
SCENE IX.
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ACT III.
 I. 
SCENE I.
 II. 
SCENE II.
 III. 
SCENE III.
 IV. 
SCENE IV.
 V. 
SCENE V.
 VI. 
SCENE VI.
 VII. 
SCENE VII.
  
PIGMALION,
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VOL. III.
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THE ART OF PAINTING, OF CHARLES ALPHONSE DU FRESNOY;
  
EPISTLE TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.
  
THE ART OF PAINTING,

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56

ODE XI.

Majestic pile! whose ample eye
Surveys the rich variety
Of azure hill, and verdant vale;
Say, will thy echoing towers return
The sighs, that, bending o'er her urn,
A Naiad heaves in yonder dale?
The pitying Muse, who hears her moan,
Smooths into song each gurgling groan,
And pleads the Nymph's and Nature's cause;
In vain, she cries, has simple taste
The pride of formal art defaced,
Where late yon height of terras rose;
Has vainly bad the lawn decline,
And waved the pathway's easy line
Around the circuit of the grove,
To catch, through every opening glade,
That glimmering play of sun and shade,
Which peace and contemplation love.
57

Beauty in vain approved the toil,
And hail'd the sovereign of the soil,
Her own and fancy's favour'd friend;
For see, at this ill-omen'd hour,
Base art assumes his ancient power,
And bids yon distant mound ascend.
See, too, his tyrant grasp to fill,
In silence swells the pensive rill,
That caroll'd sweet the vale along;
So swells the throbbing female breast,
By wiles of faithless swain oppress'd,
When love forbids to speak her wrong.
Tell me, chaste Mistress of the Wave!
If e'er thy rills refused to lave
The plain where now entrench'd they sleep?
Would not thy stream at Fancy's call,
O'er crags she lifted, fret, and fall,
Through dells she shaded, purl, and creep?
Yes, thou wert ever fond and free,
To pour thy tinkling melody,
Sweet pratler, o'er thy pebbled floor;
Thy sisters, hid in neighb'ring caves,
Would bring their tributary waves,
If genuine taste demanded more.
58

Why then does yon clay barrier rise?
Behold, and weep, ye lowering skies!
Ah rather join in vengeful shower:
Hither your wat'ry phalanx lead,
And, deeply deluging the mead,
Burst through the bound with thunder's roar.
So shall the Nymph, still fond and free
To pour her tinkling melody,
Again her lucid charms diffuse:
No more shall mean mechanic skill
Dare to confine her liberal rill,
Foe to the Naiad and the Muse.
 

Printed for the first time 1797.

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