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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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134

SONNET XIII. OCCASIONED BY A DIDACTIC POEM ON THE PROGRESS OF CIVIL SOCIETY.

Old as I am, I yet have powers to sneer
At him, who dares debase the gold of Gray
With his vile dross, and by such base allay,
Hope to buy off the critic's frown severe;
Him too, whose page e'erwhile had dar'd appear
With shameless front the symbols to display
Of Pagan rites obscene, and thence convey
Shame to each eye, profaneness to each ear.
Methinks, through Fancy's tube, my friend I spy
Thron'd on a cloud in yon etherial plain,
“Smiling in scorn;” methinks, I hear him cry,
“Prosaic Poetaster, cease to drain
“The filthy dregs of Epicurus' sty;
“They shall not mix with my nectareous strain!”
 

First published 1797.

What Mr. Gray thought and writ (see his Detached Thoughts, printed in his Memoirs, Vol. III. p. 113, last edition) gives complete authority to this Prosopopæia.

“The doctrine of Epicurus is ever ruinous to society. It had its rise when Greece was declining, and, perhaps, hastened its dissolution, as also that of Rome. It is now propagated in France and in England, and seems likely to produce the same effects in both.” May heaven avert, at least, the latter part of this presentiment formed above forty years ago!

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