University of Virginia Library

Sir Edward Tracy was a valiant Man,
Who served in Flanders under Good Queen Anne;
Was wounded there, and in his pleasant seat
Found a fair Dame that made Retirement sweet.
There he enjoy'd a life of social Ease,
And died before its vital Spirits freeze.
He left a pensive, mild, domestic heir,
Pleas'd to improve his Mansion and repair;
The small Improvements in his farms to make,
And rustic bliss to foster and partake.
He was a man who never in his Life,
For Joy or Business, left his charming wife;
To all her failings, if she had them, blind,
He saw her faultless, and he felt her kind.
With undirected, unaspiring Views,
He scorn'd Oppression, but he took his Dues;
For rural Works he shew'd some trifling Skill,
And little prone to either Good or ill.
His Heart was kind, but cool; his Passions right, but still.
He, with a feeble spark of Glory warm'd,
Wish'd his sole Boy to be with Study charm'd;
Wish'd him that Honour he had fail'd to gain,
And hail'd the Labour that was not in vain.
He liv'd, the Honour of his spotless Line,
Fram'd in the Senate and the Bar to shine;
But, unambitious at an early Age,
He buried all the Patriot in the Sage;
And with his Lady, by her worth endear'd,
Read what was spoken when he, once, was heard.
She, form'd in Courts to shine, was pleas'd to shun
A thousand Lovers, to be blest with one;
And bade adieu without a single Sigh
To Passion's Language and to Flattery's Eye.
He, like his Fathers, left an only Boy,
Ere dawning Reason spurn'd the childish Toy;
Pleas'd to reflect [the] Mother's years were few,
Her Temper perfect, and her Judgment true;
That she would train him, good herself and wise,
All that was base and wicked to despise;
The Strength of Rebell Passions to defeat,
Life's Cares and Sorrows with firm Soul to meet,
And from the Flatterer's Voice indignant to retreat.

She train'd him thus, and early was he known
To seek her pleasure and disguise his own;
Yet, if her fondness could a failing spy,
His youthful Spirits were too strong and high.
She found, or fear'd, intemperate Love of Joy
And would correct what else might Time destroy.
Yet hard the Task, to Mothers doubly hard,
O'er the light Heart to keep incessant Guard;
Still shé against his buoyant Spirit strove,
Who smil'd at Duty, but bow'd down to Love.

This is our Hero, a fond Widow's Son,
Rich, of high spirits, and just twenty-one;
Yet [most] for Learning fam'd, and, tho' untried,
His native Courage not a Soul denied.
For, tho' the Tracys were so well belov'd,
Their real Courage was but seldom prov'd;
Yet never Tracy was by Honour call'd
Who fled the Summons or who look'd appall'd.
The timid parent, when the Son would cry
“To breathe is Joy, to live is Extacy;
“To feel this pleasure ever strong and new,
“And wish that every being felt it too”—
“Beware, my Tracy! let these Spirits sleep
“And for the days of certain sorrow keep!
“Kind [are] thy wishes, but are all in vain:
“There will be Griefs, Sighs, Sufferings and pain!
“Waste not the strength that [a] Kind Heaven affords
“In a vain flourish of Exulting Words;
“But train thyself for the uncertain task—
“I ask it fondly and 'tis all I ask!”—

“Friend of my Soul,” replied the youth, “suppress
“These fearful Precepts and their fond Distress!
“If Time indeed must all my Joys expell,
“Oh, let me feel them when at ease and well!
“I war with Care; it is my wish to go
“Where he resides and treat him as a foe.
“When in the Cot the ugly fiend I trace,
“I ask his business in that favour'd place;
“A Golden Shield I cast before his Eyes
“And never leave him till away he flies.
“Tho' stubborn oft, his utmost Wrath I dare
“And sing exulting, Now begone, old Care!
“This Villain Care had pinch'd a modest Cheek,
“And so opprest her that she fear'd to speak.
“Her Lover's father, of her Charms afraid,
“Forc'd [her] fond Lover from the pining Maid.
“Poor Ellen's Mother shar'd her Daughter's Pain,
“And her best offer met the Earl's disdain.
“Grief held them all, when like an Hero true
“I freed the Captives and the Giant slew;
“Held a fair Prospect in the father's Eye
“And saw resistance in an instant die.
“Oh, take my Horses, and my Hounds dismiss,
“But [give] Thy Tracy such delight as this!
“[OMITTED] War
“With grief and wish him from thy bosom far!
“I for this cause [OMITTED] strive,
“And am content to seem but half alive;
“Yet can I never from myself conceal
“That giving Pleasure is the way to feel.

“Can I be sad, when I behold her mine,
“A beauteous maiden with a Soul divine?
“Did ever beauty meet the wond'ring Eye,
“Perfect as that which shines in Emely?
“Does not her Father to our Love consent?
“Then what [can] damp our joys, or what prevent?
“And is she not belov'd, esteem'd of thee?
“Oh I am happy,—happy let me be!

“Want I a kindred mind, my Julian? Shame
“Be to the Man who gave th' Apostate's Name
“To one whose Virtues all who know must Prize,
“And who from Truth will ne'er apostatize!
“Guide of my Life, Companion of my Youth,
“Thy modest Manners and thy love of Truth
“Cheer, aid and sooth me in my earthly race;
“And Want of Joy, would [thus] be Want of Grace.”—
“All, all are thine,” the gentle Lady cried;
“Wealth, Health and Friends has bounteous Heaven supply'd;
“The happiest Spirits and the loveliest Maid
“That ever smil'd; and yet am I afraid.
“For Friends have fallen off, and Love grown cold,
“And failing Health sigh'd over useless Gold;
“While the strong Spirits, once to Error led,
“Have flam'd to Madness or in Anguish fled.
“Nay, look not thus; against myself I plead;
“Bid thee be grave, and yet would not succeed.
“No, let me think my Tracy, when away—
“For thou must go—still innocent and Gay.
“Short is the Time; yet for a Month to part
“Shakes the faint Courage of a Mother's Heart;
“But to her aid thy Emely will come
“And think thee happy while she prays thee home.
“Our distant friends this Sacrifice demand,
“E'er the lov'd Maid bestows her promis'd Hand.
“Court the good Dean! nor be with Ease denied,
“To come and bless thee with thy matchless Bride!
“Invite each friend to view thy happy Choice,
“Nor doubt the favouring Eye, th' approving Voice;
“For not an Ear will hear, and not an Eye
“Will see a Charmer like our Emely!
“But tak'st thou Julian?”

“Can I leave behind
“The only Comfort I can hope to find.
“Friends thou wilt see; yet them I may mistake,
“And I am certain of the Friend I take.”

“Yet this, my Son, and I will cease to plead:
“'Tis not in Youth the secret Soul to read;
“'Tis not in Age! for who can hope to scan
“Man's latent Thoughts, oft hidden from the Man?
“'Tis surely dangerous for the best below
“A Brother's Secrets like his own to know;
“Thy failings, follies, weakness, all to learn
“And half form'd wishes in their birth discern.
“[Loves] not thy friend—ah! let me judge him wrong—
“O'er Wine to sit—nay why that look?—too long?
“Have I not seen the bright'ning Eye, the Cheek
“With pleasure fever'd, paint the Judgment weak;
“And hast not thou, all joyful as thou art,
“Yet pour'd new spirit on the [bounding] Heart;
“And art thou, Tracy—I will add no more—
“Alone, in thought, as happy as before?
“Is all within so pure, so gay, so bright
“In thine own feelings and thy Maker's Sight,
“As I have known thee? is my Tracy sure?” [OMITTED]

As Water pour'd on Spirits pure and bright
Will a faint Heat and turbid Look excite,
But, both in Quiet suffer'd to remain,
The Heat will fly, and all be pure again:
So the cool Speech [in] Tracy's ardent Mind
Rais'd sudden Heat, with turbid thought combin'd.
But this not long the filial duty prest
On the warm Heart, and gave the Spirit rest.
Yet the good Lady in the friend beheld
A flaw she fear'd, and had the thought repell'd.
So forth they go, with Spirits light and gay,
Friends to invite and favours to convey
Against the Gladness of a nuptial day;
To see the Elders of their wealthy race,
And all the kindred Tracy to embrace; [OMITTED]
He had been [climbing] all his life, and now
Stopt to behold what Life would still allow;
But all he then could from his Height explore
Prov'd to his Heart he should have stopt before.
Long at his College he was much approv'd;
The more admir'd were not so well belov'd:
Theirs deeper learning—his the mild address;
Theirs loftier Honour—and his sure success.
While yet a Fellow, for an office high
Two, far superior, were resolv'd to try;
And the kind Vincent wish'd with all his heart
He could the office to them both impart.
Not so [his] Brethren: they had all the Zeal
That rival voters for their favourites feel.
For Dr A. his Friends in varying Style
Were pleas'd by turns to flatter and revile:
Famous for all that Newton's self had known,
All that by Signs and Symbols can be shewn;
A man whose fame to distant times would live,
And tenfold pay the little boon they give—
And what his Rival? stealing all his days
Poor Scraps of Learning from dull Grecian Plays;
Restoring Meanings where, when all is done,
One is not found or a contested one;
From elder Critics pilfering half they write,
Who from reflectors steal reflected Light
An helper's help, Assistant's Satellite.

The friends of Dr B., with Wrath inflam'd,
Aloud the Learning of their Friend proclaim'd;
Nor in their rage retorting Scorn forbore:
That Dr A. had but a useless Store;
'Twas false that he could dare with Newton's vie;
Let him not dare, 'twas foolishness to try;
And, if he reach'd not what was done before,
What was the profit? he should try no more.
Such was their war, each Combination room
Lost its old peace and its harmonious Gloom.
Whist was no more, or, if again they play'd
Their want of Skill th' ingrossing thoughts betray'd.
While this was passing, a Report was spread—
But those who rais'd were secret as the dead—
That, as the contest caus'd such dire Debate,
To no small scandall of the learned State,
Unlike to end; for losers by their heat
Would keep Resentment to console Defeat—
Then was it best to set them both aside
And choose a friend to either part allied.
Then who but Vincent had a chance remote,
For all to him would give a second Vote;
Then for their Peace they would their first resign,
And give the Station to the good Divine.
From Ear to Ear it went, from Tongue to Tongue,
These Sons of Science and of Peace among;
Both rivals cry'd aloud, they'd rather see
Such Man elected than that A. or B.
None ask'd who first the peaceful thought began
But made it theirs and chose the modest Man.

Thrice in his Life, by Merit and by ways
That please the powers who merit love to raise,
Rose the mild Doctor, and was now a Dean,
With grateful Spirit and a Conscience clean.
Some who behold him in his Weakness now,
By Pain and Time despoil'd of smile and bow,
When Observation finds his shrewd good sense
But prattling Love and tame benevolence,
Presum'd to wonder at Success so strange,
Thoughtless how Time had wrought the mighty Change. [OMITTED]
The Good Man promis'd, so would Heaven afford,
To join the favourite Pair and bless the nuptial Board.