a delightful truth in the midst of so heavy a forrow; for the covenant of grace has brightness enough in it to gild the most gloomy providence; and to that sweet covenant your foul is no ftranger. My own thoughts were much impreft with the tidings of your daughter's death; and though I made many a reflection on the vanity of mankind in its best estate, yet I must acknowledge that my temper leads me moft to the pleasant fcenes of heaven, and that future world of bleffedrefs. When I recollect the memory of my friends that are dead, I frequently rove into the world of fpirits, and fearch them out there: Thus I endeavoured to trace Mrs. Warner; and thefe thoughts crouding faft upon me, I fet them down for my own entertainment. The verfe breaks off abruptly, because I had no defign to write a finished elegy; and befides, when I was fallen upon the dark fide of death, I had no mind to tarry there. If the lines I have written be fo happy as to entertain you a little, and divert your grief, the time fpent in compofing them shall not be reckoned among my loft hours, and the review will be more pleafing to,

SIR,

Your affectionate humble fervant,

Decemb. 22, 1707.

I. W.

An

An Elegiac Thought on Mrs. ANNE WARNER, who died of the Small-Pox, December 18, 1707. at One of the Clock in the Morning; a few Days after the Birth and Death of her first Child.

AWAKE, my Mufe, range the wide world of fouls,

And feek Vernera fled; With upward aim

Direct thy wing; for fhe was born from heaven,
Fulfill'd her vifit, and return'd on high.

The midnight watch of angels, that patrole
The British sky, have notic'd her afcent
Near the meridian ftar; pursue the track
To the bright confines of immortal day
And paradise, her home. Say, my Urania,
(For nothing fcapes thy fearch, nor canft thou mifs
So fair a fpirit) fay, beneath what fhade
Of Amaranth, or chearful Ever-green,
She fits, recounting to her kindred-minds.
Angelic or humane, her mortal toil

And travels through this howling wilderness;
By what divine protections fhe efcap'd

Those deadly fnares when youth and Satan leagu'd
In combination to affail her virtue

(Snares fet to murder fouls); but heaven fecur'd
The favourite nymph, and taught her victory.

Or

Or does the feek, or has the found her babe
Amongst the infant-nation of the bleft,
And clafp'd it to her foul, to fatiate there
The young maternal paffion, and absolve
The unfulfill'd embrace? Thrice happy child!
That faw the light, and turn'd its eyes afide
From our dim regions to th' Eternal Sun,
And led the parent's way to glory! There
Thou art for ever hers, with powers enlarg'd
For love reciprocal and sweet converse.

Behold her ancestors (a pious race)
Rang'd in fair order, at her fight rejoice
And fing her welcome. She along their feats
Gliding falutes them all with honours due
Such as are paid in heaven: And laft fhe finds
A manfion fashion'd of distinguish'd light,
But vacant: "This" (with fure prefage fhe cries)
"Awaits my father; when will he arrive?

"How long, alas, how long!" (Then calls her mate)
"Die, thou dear partner of my mortal cares,
"Die, and partake my blifs; we are for ever One.”

Ah me! where roves my fancy! What kind dreams Croud with fweet violence on my waking mind! Perhaps illufions all! Inform me, Muse, Chufes fhe rather to retire apart

To recollect her diffipated powers,

And call her thoughts her own: fo lately freed
From earth's vain fcenes, gay visits, gratulations,

From

From Hymen's hurrying and tumultuous joys,

And fears and pangs, fierce pangs that wrought her death.
Tell me on what fublimer theme the dwells
In contemplation, with unerring clue
Infinite truth purfuing. (When, my foul,

O when fhall thy release from cumberous flesh
Pafs the great feal of heaven? What happy hour
Shall give thy thoughts a loofe to foar and trace
The intellectual world? Divine delight!
Vernera's lov'd employ !) Perhaps the fings
To fome new golden harp th' Almighty deeds,
The names, the honours of her Saviour-God,
His crofs, his grave, his victory, and his crown:
Oh could I imitate th' exalted notes,

And mortal ears could bear them!

Or lies the now before th' eternal throne
Proftrate in humble form, with deep devotion
O'erwhelm'd, and felf-abafement at the fight
Of the uncover'd Godhead face to face?
Seraphic crowns pay homage at his feet,
And Hers amongst them, not of dimmer ore,
Nor fet with meaner gems: But vain ambition,
And emulation vain, and fond conceit,
And pride for ever banish'd flies the place,
Curft pride, the drefs of hell. Tell me, Urania,
How her joys heighten, and her golden hours
Circle in love. O ftamp upon my foul
Some blissful image of the fair deceas'd
To call my paffions and my eyes afde

From the dear breathless clay, diftreffing fight!
I look and mourn and gaze with greedy view
Of melancholy fondness: Tears bedewing
That form fo late defir'd, fo late belov'd,
Now loathfome and unlovely. Base disease,
That leagu'd with nature's fharpeft pains, and spoil'd
So fweet a ftructure! The impoisoning taint
O'erfpreads the building wrought with skill divine,
And ruins the rich temple to the dust!

Was this the countenance, where the world admir'd Features of wit and virtue? This the face

Where love triumph'd? and beauty on these cheeks,
As on a throne, beneath her radiant eyes
Was feated to advantage; mild, ferene,
Reflecting rofy light? So fits the fun

(Fair eye of heaven!) upon a crimson cloud
Near the horizon, and with gentle ray
Smiles lovely round the fky, till rifing fogs,
Portending night, with foul and heavy wing
Involve the golden ftar, and fink him down
Oppreft with darkness.-

On the Death of an Aged and Honoured Relative, Mrs. M. W. July 13, 1693.

Know the kindred-mind. 'Tis the, 'tis the ;
Among the heavenly forms I fee

The kindred-mind from fleshly bondage free;

O how