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University of Virginia Library

The Works of William Mason

... In Four Volumes

Mason, William (1725-1797)

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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.

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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.

XII.

ODE XII. TO THE NAVAL OFFICERS OF GREAT BRITAIN.

XIII.

XIV.

ODE XIV. TO THE HON. WILLIAM PITT.

XV.

ODE XV. SECULAR.

XVI.

ODE XVI. PALINODIA.

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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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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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THE BIRTH OF FASHION: AN EPISTOLARY TALE.

AN EPISTOLARY ADDRESS TO THE AUTHOR'S FATHER, SENT FROM LONDON IN THE YEAR 1746.

STANZAS, WRITTEN ON THE BANKS OF THE CAM, 1746.

PROTOGENES AND APELLES.

SONG OF HAROLD THE VALIANT.

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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.

PART OF PSALM XVIII.

A COMPRESSED METRICAL VERSION OF PSALM CIX.

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II.

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ARGENTILE AND CURAN:

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I.

I.

II.

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II.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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III.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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IV.

I.

II.

III.

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V.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

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PRELIMINARY SCENE.

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I.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

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II.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

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III.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

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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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53

ODE X. FOR MUSIC. IRREGULAR.

I.

Lo! where incumbent o'er the shade
Rome's rav'ning eagle bows his beaked head;
Yet, while a moment fate affords,
While yet a moment freedom stays,
That moment, which outweighs
Eternity's unmeasured hoards,
Shall Mona's grateful bards employ
To hymn their god-like hero to the sky.

II.

Radiant Ruler of the day,
Pause upon thy orb sublime,
Bid this awful moment stay,
Bind it on the brow of time;

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While Mona's trembling echoes sigh
To strains, that thrill when heroes die.

III.

Hear our harps, in accents slow,
Breathe the dignity of woe,
Solemn notes that pant and pause,
While the last majestic close
In diapason deep is drown'd:
Notes that Mona's harps should sound.

IV.

See our tears in sober shower,
O'er this shrine of glory pour!
Holy tears by virtue shed,
That embalm the valiant dead;
In these our sacred song we steep:
Tears that Mona's bards should weep.

V.

Radiant Ruler, hear us call
Blessings on the god-like youth,
Who dared to fight, who dared to fall,
For Britain, freedom, and for truth.
His dying groan, his parting sigh
Was music for the gods on high;
'Twas Valour's hymn to Liberty.

55

VI.

Ring out, ye mortal strings!
Answer, thou heavenly harp, instinct with spirit all,
That o'er Andrastes' throne self-warbling swings.
There where ten thousand spheres, in measured chime,
Roll their majestic melodies along,
Thou guidest the thundering song,
Poised on thy jasper arch sublime.
Yet shall thy heavenly accents deign
To mingle with our mortal strain,
And heaven and earth unite in chorus high,
While freedom wafts her champion to the sky.

When the dramatic poem of Caractacus was altered for theatrical representation in 1776, this dirge was added to be sung over the body of Arviragus. Being of the lyrical cast, the author found himself inclined to preserve it in the series of his Odes, published in 1797.