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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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176

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

To court, in May's mild month, the Muse
Along the sedgy bank I stray'd,
Where slow-pac'd Cam his course pursues
Amid the daisy-painted mead.
High o'er my head, the Solar sphere
Flung far and wide his sparkling beams;
His sparkling beams as bright appear
Reflected from the silver streams.
Below each languid Zephyr died,
Each slender reed forgot to play,
Without a rill the even tide
Slided silently away.
Yet, from its surface to its base,
So clear the chrystal fluid spread,
My gazing eye, distinct could trace
The finny inmates of its bed.
177

At length the Muse her votary join'd,
With me the busy scene she view'd,
And, fancy waking in my mind,
A flow of numbers thus ensued.
“See, how those rose-finn'd perch delight
“High as th' incumbent air to glide,
“Each leaf each straw their chase excite,
“That bouyant sail along the tide.
“On Learning's surface thus the youth
“Too oft devotes each precious hour,
“For modern whim scorns ancient truth,
“And quits the fruit, to smell the flower.
“But hark! I heard a bubbling noise,
“How quick yon trout pursu'd a fly!
“Yet see! the nimble insect plies
“His wing, and safe ascends the sky.
“Say, Muse! to what shall we compare
“The scaly fool's successless aim?
“Tis thus that all deluded are,
“Who merely act, or write for fame.
“See far below, yon eel conceal'd
“In mud its circling volume leads,
“Now thro' the water half reveal'd,
“Now tangled in a grove of reeds;
178

“So fares the man, who, gravely vain,
“Thro' each profound of Learning wanders,
“Scruples and doubts perplex his brain
“In long and intricate meanders.
“There too a half-gorg'd pike appears,
“Whose maw or frogs or gudgeons sate,
“After a labouring length of years,
“Such is the musty pedant's fate.
“But see, its height and depth between,
“Yon scaly tribe or pause or play,
“Now hanging in the fluid scene,
“Now straying as its currents stray;
“Their course no straws divert above,
“No mud, or reeds obstruct below,
“Freely their oary fins they move,
“As nature dictates, swift or slow.
“So, through life's current let me glide,
“Nor sink too low, nor rise too high,
“Safe if Content my progress guide,
“And golden Mediocrity.”
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