IS IS.

A N

E LE EGY.

WRITTEN BY MR. MASON, OF CAMBRIGE, 1748.

AR from her hallow'd grot, where mildly bright

FAR

The pointed crystals shot their trembling light, From dripping mofs where sparkling dew-drops fell, Where coral glow'd, where twin'd the wreathed fhell, Pale ISIS lay; a willow's lowly shade

Spread it's thin foliage o'er the penfive maid;
Clos'd was her eye, and from her heaving breast
In careless folds loose flow'd her zoneless veft;
While down her neck her vagrant treffes flow,
In all the awful negligence of woe;
Her urn fuftain'd her arm, that sculptur'd vafe
Where Vulcan's art had lavish'd all it's grace;
Here, full with life, was heav'n-taught Science feen,
Known by the laurel wreath, and musing mein:
There cloud-crown'd Fame, here Peace fedate and
bland,

Swell'd the loud trump, and wav'd the olive wand;

While folemn domes, arch'd fhades, and vistas green, At well-mark'd distance close the facred scene.

On this the Goddness cast an anxious look, Then dropt a tender tear, and thus she spoke : Yes, I could once with pleas'd attention trace The mimic charms of this prophetic vase; Then lift my head, and with enraptur'd eyes View on yon plain the real glories rise. Yes, ISIS! oft haft thou rejoic'd to lead Thy liquid treasures o'er yon fav'rite mead ; Oft haft thou ftopt thy pearly car to gaze, While ev'ry Science nurs'd it's growing bays; While ev'ry Youth with fame's strong impulfe fir'd, Preft to the goal, and at the goal untir'd, Snatch'd each celestial wreath, to bind his brow, The Muses, Graces, Virtues could bestow.

E'en now fond Fancy leads th' ideal train, And ranks her troops on Mem'ry's ample plain; See! the firm leaders of my patriot line,

See! SIDNEY, RALEIGH, HAMDEN, SOMERS, fhine.
See нOUGH fuperior to a tyrant's doom
Smile at the menace of the flave of Rome,

Each foul whom truth could fire, or virtue move,
Each breast, strong panting with it's country's love,
All that to Albion gave the heart or head,
That wifely councell'd, or that bravely bled,
All, all appear; on me they grateful smile,
The well-earn'd prize of every virtuous toil

To me with filial reverence they bring,

And hang fresh trophies o'er my honour'd spring. yon beachen spray,

Ah! I remember well

There ADDISON first tun'd his polish'd lay; 'Twas there great CATO's form first met his eye, In all the pomp of free-born majefty;

"My fon, he cry'd, obferve this mein with awe, "In folemn lines the strong resemblance draw; "The piercing notes shall strike each British ear;` "Each British eye fhall drop the patriot tear! "And rous'd to glory by the nervous strain, "Each Youth shall spurn at flav'ry's abject reign, "Shall guard with CATO's zeal Britannia's laws, "And speak, and act, and bleed, in freedom's cause." The Hero fpoke; the Bard affenting bow'd The lay to liberty and CATO flow'd ; While Echo, as she rov'd the vale along, Join'd the ftrong cadence of his Roman fong.

But ah! how Stillness slept upon the ground, How mute Attention check'd each rifing found; Scarce ftole a breeze to wave the leafy fpray, Scarce trill'd fweet Philomel her softest lay, When LOCKE walk'd mufing forth; e'en now I view Majestic Wisdom thron'd upon his brow, View Candour fmile upon his modest cheek, And from his eye all Judgment's radiance break. 'Twas here the fage his manly zeal expreft, Here ftript vain Falfhood of her gaudy vest;

Here Truth's collected beams firft fill'd his mind,
E'er long to burst in bleffings on mankind';
E'er long to fhow to reafon's purged eye,
That"NATURE'S FIRST BEST GIFT WAS LIBERTY."
Proud of this wond'rous fon, fublime I ftood,
(While louder furges fwell'd my rapid flood)
Then vain as Niobe, exulting cry'd,

Iliffus! roll thy fam'd Athenian tide

;

Tho' Plato's fteps oft mark'd thy neighb'ring glade.
Tho' fair Lycæum lent it's awful fhade,
Tho' ev'ry Academic green impreft

It's image full on thy reflecting breast,

Yet my pure ftream fhall boaft as proud a name,
And Britain's ISIS flow with Attic fame.

Alas! how chang'd! where now that Attic boast?
See! Gothic Licence rage o'er all my coaft;
See! Hydra Faction spread it's impious reign,
Poison each breast, and madden ev'ry brain :
Hence frontlefs crowds, that not content to fright
The blufhing Cynthia from her throne of night,
Blast the fair face of day; and madly bold,
To Freedom's foes infernal orgies hold;
To Freedom's foes, ah! fee the goblet crown'd,
Hear plaufive fhouts to Freedom's foes refound;
The horrid notes my refluent waters daunt,
The Echoes groan, the Dryads quit their haunt;
Learning, that once to all diffus'd her beam,
Now fheds, by ftealth, a partial private gleam,

1

In fome lone cloister's melancholy fhade,

Where a firm few support her fickly head,
Defpis'd, infulted by the barb'rous train,
Who fcour like Thracia's moon-ftruck rout the plain,
Sworn foes like them to all the Muse approves,
All Phoebus favours, or Minerva loves.

Are these the fons my foft'ring breast must rear,
Grac'd with my name, and nurtur'd by my care?
Muft these
go forth from my maternal hand
To deal their infults thro' a peaceful land,
And boaft while Freedom bleeds, and Virtue groans,
That" ISIS taught Rebellion to her Sons ?"
Forbid it heaven! and let my rifing waves
Indignant fwell, and whelm the recreant flaves!
In England's cause their patriot floods employ,
As Xanthus delug'd in the cause of Troy.
Is this deny'd? then point fome fecret way
Where far far hence thefe guiltlefs ftreams may ftray;
Some unknown channel lend, where nature spreads
Inglorious vales, and unfrequented meads,

There, where a Hind scarce tunes his ruftic strain,
Where scarce a Pilgrim treads the pathless plain,
Content I'll flow; forget that e'er my tide
Saw yon majestic structures crown it's fide ;
Forget, that e'er my rapt attention hung
Or on the Sage's or the Poet's tongue;
Calm and refign'd my humbler lot embrace,
And pleas'd, prefer oblivion to disgrace.