The Works of Mr. Robert Gould In Two Volumes. Consisting of those Poems [and] Satyrs Which were formerly Printed, and Corrected since by the Author; As also of the many more which He Design'd for the Press. Publish'd from his Own Original Copies [by Robert Gould] |
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To the Memory of that Worthy Gentleman Colonel Edward Cooke.
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 | The Works of Mr. Robert Gould |  |
To the Memory of that Worthy Gentleman Colonel Edward Cooke.
'Tis
Vertue only that supports the whole,
For without that, the World's without a Soul:
But daily now it grows more faint and weak,
And when it fails th'Eternal Chain must break:
When great Cooke fell, the jarring Links did twang,
And Nature sigh'd as if she felt the Pang:
Nor is it strange; he had no other Guide,
And ne'er before so much in one Professor dy'd.
For without that, the World's without a Soul:
But daily now it grows more faint and weak,
And when it fails th'Eternal Chain must break:
When great Cooke fell, the jarring Links did twang,
And Nature sigh'd as if she felt the Pang:
233
And ne'er before so much in one Professor dy'd.
Nurs'd up in War, yet Truth his sole delight;
Courted in Peace, and as much shunn'd in Fight:
Death he had seen in various Shapes, but none
Cou'd move him to be fearful of his own:
Nor did old Age abate the Martial Flame,
In num'rous Conflicts try'd, and still the same.
Courted in Peace, and as much shunn'd in Fight:
Death he had seen in various Shapes, but none
Cou'd move him to be fearful of his own:
Nor did old Age abate the Martial Flame,
In num'rous Conflicts try'd, and still the same.
But tho' in War and Martial Toil he liv'd,
None more than He the sad Occasion griev'd.
Our civil Wounds he with Distraction view'd,
And Peace amid'st the Din of Arms pursu'd;
Three times repell'd, he thrice th'Effort renew'd;
In vain—the wrathful Vial by Command,
(Who can arrest the high Avenger's Hand?)
Was empty'd all upon the impious Land:
The very bitter Dreggs were on us pour'd,
And what that spar'd both Plague and Fire devour'd.
None more than He the sad Occasion griev'd.
Our civil Wounds he with Distraction view'd,
And Peace amid'st the Din of Arms pursu'd;
Three times repell'd, he thrice th'Effort renew'd;
In vain—the wrathful Vial by Command,
(Who can arrest the high Avenger's Hand?)
Was empty'd all upon the impious Land:
The very bitter Dreggs were on us pour'd,
And what that spar'd both Plague and Fire devour'd.
At last bright Truth her smiling Beams display'd,
And once more brought to Albion Peace and Trade.
But long together England ne'er was blest
(O Island! more by Fiends than Men possest!)
Like Vipers, we our Mother's Bowels tear,
Restless alike in Plenty, Peace, or War.
Thro' all Extremes imperiously we range,
The Vanes of Notion, and the Slaves of Change.
The Church and King shall be to Day ador'd,
To morrow this betray'd, and that abhor'd.
Reason, Religion (which yet ne'er was less)
Law, Policy, and all that they profess,
Chop, wind and vary oftner than their Dress.
In such a Climate Peace can make no stay,
Just shews the Olive Branch, and flies away.
Plots, Factions, Strifes and Murders next succeed,
And Law perverted makes the Nation bleed:
Give, cry the Brave, restore the former War—
Sav'd in the Field to Perish at the Bar!
In vain their Mars is to their aid implor'd;
The Perjur'd Tongue's more fatal than the Sword.
And once more brought to Albion Peace and Trade.
But long together England ne'er was blest
(O Island! more by Fiends than Men possest!)
Like Vipers, we our Mother's Bowels tear,
Restless alike in Plenty, Peace, or War.
Thro' all Extremes imperiously we range,
The Vanes of Notion, and the Slaves of Change.
The Church and King shall be to Day ador'd,
To morrow this betray'd, and that abhor'd.
Reason, Religion (which yet ne'er was less)
Law, Policy, and all that they profess,
Chop, wind and vary oftner than their Dress.
In such a Climate Peace can make no stay,
Just shews the Olive Branch, and flies away.
234
And Law perverted makes the Nation bleed:
Give, cry the Brave, restore the former War—
Sav'd in the Field to Perish at the Bar!
In vain their Mars is to their aid implor'd;
The Perjur'd Tongue's more fatal than the Sword.
Here was a Scene that better shew'd the Man,
Than all the Dangers he before had ran:
He that in Fields the last Extremes cou'd dare,
His Voice, his Look, Demeanour, all severe,
As Mars himself were giving Orders there;
His former Heat and Name in War reprov'd,
And now cou'd bear ev'n Wrong it self unmov'd.
Envy, he knew, his Courage must avow;
He was to prove himself a Christian now.
'Tis not to be a Conque'rour half so great
Our Foes, as when our Passions we defeat:
At Peace within; tho' Fortune frown or smile,
We know no Doubt, Anxiety, or Guile.
Let Towns be Storm'd, or else by Treach'ry bought,
By fighting Heroes be new Empires sought,
This better Fortitude our SAVIOUR taught,
That Injuries with Patience be receiv'd;
O happy Life! the Life a God has liv'd!
The Life that thither too where he is gone
Will lead us up, and make his Joy our own.
How will th'Oppressor look when sinking down
To Hell, he sees our Suffe'rings on a Throne?
Than all the Dangers he before had ran:
He that in Fields the last Extremes cou'd dare,
His Voice, his Look, Demeanour, all severe,
As Mars himself were giving Orders there;
His former Heat and Name in War reprov'd,
And now cou'd bear ev'n Wrong it self unmov'd.
Envy, he knew, his Courage must avow;
He was to prove himself a Christian now.
'Tis not to be a Conque'rour half so great
Our Foes, as when our Passions we defeat:
At Peace within; tho' Fortune frown or smile,
We know no Doubt, Anxiety, or Guile.
Let Towns be Storm'd, or else by Treach'ry bought,
By fighting Heroes be new Empires sought,
This better Fortitude our SAVIOUR taught,
That Injuries with Patience be receiv'd;
O happy Life! the Life a God has liv'd!
The Life that thither too where he is gone
Will lead us up, and make his Joy our own.
How will th'Oppressor look when sinking down
To Hell, he sees our Suffe'rings on a Throne?
Thus as to Execute he'd bravely do,
So wou'd he, wrong'd, as bravely Suffer too.
When he did Good (and who his Life surveys,
Will find he did delight in't all his Days)
'Twas for the sake of Vertue, not for Praise.
Never was One, that cou'd so far excel,
So little pleas'd to hear of doing well.
Restless Ambition ne'er employ'd his Thought;
But Peace and Truth he thro' all Hazards sought,
Nor did he stop, tho' much he underwent,
Till he arriv'd at what he aim'd—Content.
Reward he gave where e'er he Worth cou'd find;
He look't not on the Linage, but the Mind.
His Judgment was impartial, clear and strong,
And to old Age his Conversation young:
His Mirth was all his Life from Folly free,
Nor did his Wit destroy his Piety.
Struck with his Presence, Flatt'ry lost it's Guile,
Envy wou'd cease to grin, and Rage to boil:
The most Flagitious with his Worth were aw'd;
Nor durst the Atheist then deny his GOD.
So when the Tiger roams the Woods for Prey,
If he but meet a Lion in his Way,
He straight forgets his Rage, and learns t'obey;
The Lordly Beast does unmolested pass,
And when he roars stills all the Savage Race.
So wou'd he, wrong'd, as bravely Suffer too.
When he did Good (and who his Life surveys,
Will find he did delight in't all his Days)
'Twas for the sake of Vertue, not for Praise.
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So little pleas'd to hear of doing well.
Restless Ambition ne'er employ'd his Thought;
But Peace and Truth he thro' all Hazards sought,
Nor did he stop, tho' much he underwent,
Till he arriv'd at what he aim'd—Content.
Reward he gave where e'er he Worth cou'd find;
He look't not on the Linage, but the Mind.
His Judgment was impartial, clear and strong,
And to old Age his Conversation young:
His Mirth was all his Life from Folly free,
Nor did his Wit destroy his Piety.
Struck with his Presence, Flatt'ry lost it's Guile,
Envy wou'd cease to grin, and Rage to boil:
The most Flagitious with his Worth were aw'd;
Nor durst the Atheist then deny his GOD.
So when the Tiger roams the Woods for Prey,
If he but meet a Lion in his Way,
He straight forgets his Rage, and learns t'obey;
The Lordly Beast does unmolested pass,
And when he roars stills all the Savage Race.
Such was his Life;—and now his Death we'll shew,
His Death, the greater wonder of the two!
Th'acutest Pangs without a Groan he bore;
Not in his Health his unconcern was more:
While with a Mind above the Sense of Pain,
He talk't of Truths Divine beyond a mortal Strain!
Then when the fatal Hour was drawing on,
And the last Sands were eager to be gone;
When all his Friends lay raving with their Grief,
Wishing, alas! but hopeless of Relief;
Ev'n he alone his Change undaunted bore,
Like all the Changes of his Life before:
No Sigh he gave, or labouring Breath he drew,
But smiling went, as Heav'n were full in view.
O Strength of Faith! in vain by Doubt withstood;
O truly Great! and yet more truly Good!
All of a Piece!—as 'twere his latest Strife,
To make his Death instructive as his Life.
His Death, the greater wonder of the two!
Th'acutest Pangs without a Groan he bore;
Not in his Health his unconcern was more:
While with a Mind above the Sense of Pain,
He talk't of Truths Divine beyond a mortal Strain!
Then when the fatal Hour was drawing on,
And the last Sands were eager to be gone;
When all his Friends lay raving with their Grief,
Wishing, alas! but hopeless of Relief;
Ev'n he alone his Change undaunted bore,
Like all the Changes of his Life before:
No Sigh he gave, or labouring Breath he drew,
But smiling went, as Heav'n were full in view.
236
O truly Great! and yet more truly Good!
All of a Piece!—as 'twere his latest Strife,
To make his Death instructive as his Life.
| The Works of Mr. Robert Gould | |