On the Death of the Phoenix of the Age The Incomparable Gosford, Shipwrack'd before Calis, May 26. 1688. A Funeral Elegie [by Ninian Paterson] |
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 | On the Death of the Phoenix of the Age |  |
On the Death of the Phœnix of the Age, The Incomparable GOSFORD, Shipwrack'd before Calis, May 26, 1688.
A Funeral Elegie.
What mid-day gropper, or what muffled eye,
May not a second Chaos now espie?
When Time ly gasping, and great Titan shall
From the blind Heavens, like a dead Cinder fall.
The Signs are all fulfill'd we understand,
That show the Worlds Catastrophe's at hand,
Since Gosford's dead: who hath departed hence,
A Victim to an unknown Providence,
He singly being an Hecatomb, these times
Require no less, to expiate our Crimes.
And it's all one, if heavenly Powers agree,
By Fire or Water whether it offer'd be.
That in the ebb of Wisdom, Justice, Grace
Upon the Land, in Floods they might take place.
May not a second Chaos now espie?
When Time ly gasping, and great Titan shall
From the blind Heavens, like a dead Cinder fall.
The Signs are all fulfill'd we understand,
That show the Worlds Catastrophe's at hand,
Since Gosford's dead: who hath departed hence,
A Victim to an unknown Providence,
He singly being an Hecatomb, these times
Require no less, to expiate our Crimes.
And it's all one, if heavenly Powers agree,
By Fire or Water whether it offer'd be.
That in the ebb of Wisdom, Justice, Grace
Upon the Land, in Floods they might take place.
Great Gosford! who both did, and understood,
All that was generous, learned, virtuous, good,
Heroick, valiant, just, and temperate;
Whom none can equal, best but imitate.
The Nadir and the Zenith of a Creature,
Had reach'd the highest pitch of perfect nature,
A Cherubim incarnate! all do tell
Of him, not as a Man, but Miracle.
He was indeed a Miracle, and we
That Miracles are ceas'd may now agree.
But why this son of Peace should find a Grave,
Within the bosom of an angry Wave?
Except he were a Jewel never sent,
To be possest by one sole Element.
And since he's gone, no Paradox appears,
To drown him once more in our pensive Tears.
Nature gave him (while Child) which most, in vain,
By Art, and Industry, strive to obtain;
For he, long while before she did begin
To un-effeminate his Cheeck, or Chin,
Unto the Muses went the milky way,
When others got the Birch, he got the Bay.
Yet his precocious Vertues did presage
His early Death, who did out-run his Age.
Had he proportionally still increast,
Of both the Trees to make an equal Feast,
Of Life and Knowledge: Natures Funeral he
At the grand Sessions, might have liv'd to see.
Hence Angels courted him unto their Bours,
Fitting their Consort rather far than ours:
To Heav'n, since 'mongst our Fires he could not stay,
He in a Watry-Chariot takes his way.
All that was generous, learned, virtuous, good,
Heroick, valiant, just, and temperate;
Whom none can equal, best but imitate.
The Nadir and the Zenith of a Creature,
Had reach'd the highest pitch of perfect nature,
A Cherubim incarnate! all do tell
Of him, not as a Man, but Miracle.
He was indeed a Miracle, and we
That Miracles are ceas'd may now agree.
But why this son of Peace should find a Grave,
Within the bosom of an angry Wave?
Except he were a Jewel never sent,
To be possest by one sole Element.
And since he's gone, no Paradox appears,
To drown him once more in our pensive Tears.
Nature gave him (while Child) which most, in vain,
By Art, and Industry, strive to obtain;
For he, long while before she did begin
To un-effeminate his Cheeck, or Chin,
Unto the Muses went the milky way,
When others got the Birch, he got the Bay.
Yet his precocious Vertues did presage
His early Death, who did out-run his Age.
Had he proportionally still increast,
Of both the Trees to make an equal Feast,
Of Life and Knowledge: Natures Funeral he
At the grand Sessions, might have liv'd to see.
Hence Angels courted him unto their Bours,
Fitting their Consort rather far than ours:
To Heav'n, since 'mongst our Fires he could not stay,
He in a Watry-Chariot takes his way.
Dignum laude virum musa vetat mori.
N. PATERSON.
| On the Death of the Phoenix of the Age | |