Her preparedness to dic. She died on Whitsunday night. Apostrophe to her soul. So close they follow, such wild order keep, 315 She did but dream of Heaven, and she was there. No pains she suffered, nor expired with noise; That hardly Death a consequence could draw, To make her liable to Nature's law. 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 * The word courtier in this line was changed into courier by Broughton, who has been followed by all succeeding editors. In a note in the Wartons' edition courtier is treated as necessarily a misprint. Courtier is probably right. In Dryden's Prologue to the Duke of York, he speaks of 'Heaven's Whitehall," and of the courtiers assembled there (p. 138). A courtier from Heaven is as probable as a courier from thence. + This is an obscure line. It probably refers to Elijah's ascension, on the appearance of “a chariot of fire and horses of fire," which parted him and Elisha, "and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings ii. 11). In this case the two previous descents of fire from heaven at Elijah's call to consume Ahaziah's messengers probably explain Dryden's expression, "third errand." Or else divide the grief; for such thou wert, Let this suffice: nor thou, great saint, refuse Epipho360 nema, or close of the poem. 365 370 Be what, and where thou art to wish thy place As earth thy body keeps, thy soul the sky, 375 So shall this verse preserve thy memory, For thou shalt make it live, because it sings of thee. This is an interesting reference to Dryden's own circumstances in the end of the year 1691, after he had lost his offices of Poet-Laureat and Historiographer Royal, and when there was no hope for him of regaining Court patronage. Lord Dorset's private munificence had probably compensated him for the loss of his salaries. There may have been some intention of defiance in this passage. He received a very handsome reward for this poem, and he was now certainly compelled to labour for profit. ON THE DEATH OF MR. PURCELL.* I MARK how the lark and linnet sing: With rival notes They strain their warbling throats To welcome in the spring. But in the close of night, When Philomel begins her heavenly lay, They cease their mutual spite, Drink in her music with delight, 5 And listening and silent, silent and listening, listening and silent, obey. The heavenly choir, who heard his notes from high, They handed him along, 25 And all the way he taught, and all the way they sung. Lament his lot; but at your own rejoice: Now live secure, and linger out your days; The gods are pleased alone with Purcell's lays, 30 Nor know to mend their choice. He Henry Purcell, the celebrated musician, died in 1695, at the early age of thirty-seven had set to music several of the songs of Dryden's plays. This funereal ode of Dryden was set to music by Dr. Blow. The text has here been corrected from the original publication with Dr. Blow's music. Line 9 has been restored; in all modern editions it is printed," "And listening silently obey." Line 13 has been always printed with the words "the godlike man" after "admired," the same words occurring in the next line. The words are struck out with a pen in the copy in the British Museum; and as "admired" is clearly wanted to rhyme with "retired," the addition was probably a printer's mistake. ON THE MONUMENT OF A FAIR MAIDEN LADY,* WHO DIED AT BATH AND IS THERE INTERRED. BELOW this marble monument is laid All that Heaven wants of this celestial maid. One atom could be mixed with other clay. Such were the features of her heavenly face; Her limbs were formed with such harmonious grace : As through a crystal case the figured hours are seen. 5 10 15 20 25 And read her Maker in a fairer print. So pious, that she had no time to spare Yet in such charities she passed the day, For human thoughts, but seemed confined to prayer. 'Twas wondrous how she found an hour to pray. 30 A soul so calm, it knew not ebbs or flows, Which passion could but curl, not discompose. A daughter duteous, and a sister kind; In sickness patient, and in death resigned. 35 *This lady was Mrs. (Miss) Mary Frampton, who was buried in the Abbey Church at Bath. Dryden's lines are on her monument, with the following inscription:-"Here lies the body of Mary, third daughter of Richard Frampton, of Moreton in Dorsetshire, esquire; and of Jane his wife, sole daughter of Sir Francis Cottington of Founthill in Wilts, who was born January 1, 1676, and died, after seven weeks' illness, on the 6th of September, 1698. This monument was erected by Catharine Frampton, her second sister and executrix, in testimony of her grief, affection, and gratitude.' Some errors have crept into this poem in successive editions, which are here corrected: in line 6, with had become of; in line 18, thoughts, thought; in line 28, that, as; and in line 29, seemed, was. All the errors are to be found in Scott's edition. Mr. Holt White collated Derrick's text with the inscription at Bath. The poem is printed quite correctly in the "Annual Register" for 1761. ON THE DEATH OF AMYNTAS. A PASTORAL ELEGY.* 'TWAS on a joyless and a gloomy morn, Wet was the grass, and hung with pearls the thorn, 66 Return," he cried, "return, unhappy swain, self is lost. Amyntas"-oh! he could not speak the rest, The mother's features, and the father's soul. Then thus he cried, "The morn bespoke the news, "The morning did her cheerful light diffuse, "But see how suddenly she changed her face, "And brought on clouds and rains, the day's disgrace : "What charms adorned thy youth, where nature smiled, 35 66 His infancy was ripe: a soul sublime In years so tender that prevented time; "Heaven gave him all at once; then snatched away, 66 Ere mortals all his beauties could survey, 'Just like the flower that buds and withers in a day." 40 * Nothing appears to be known of the history of this poem, to whom it refers, or when it was composed. It was published after Dryden's death in the fifth volume of "Miscellany Poems," in 1704 |