Hæres patruelis Antiquo gentis fuæ et titulo, et patrimonio fucceffit Alteram Ifabellam, honore à patre derivato de Deindè celciffimi principis ducis de Grafton viduam dotariam Alteram Elizabetham Thomæ Folks de Barton in Com. Suff. armigeri. Filiam et hæredem Inter humanitates ftudia felicitèr enutritus Omnes liberalium artium difciplinas avidè arripuit, Quas morum fuavitate haud leviter ornavit. Poftquam exceffit et ephebis Continuo inter populares fuos fama eminens Et comitatus fui legatus ad Parliamentum miffus Ad ardua regni negotia per annos prope triginta Si accinxit Cumq; apud illos ampliffimorm virorum ordines Non minus integritatis quam eloquentiæ laude Equè omnium utcunq; inter fe alioqui diffidentium Annoque demum M.DCC.XIII. regnante Annâ Communi fenatûs univerfi voce defignatus eft: Cum nullo tempore non difficile Tum illo certè negotiis Et Et varus et lubricis et implicatis difficillimum Cum dignitate fuftinuit. Honores alios, et omnia, quæ fibi in lucrum cederent, munera Sedulò detrectavit Ut rei totus inferviret publicæ, Et fide in patriam incorrupta notus. Ubi omnibus, quæ virum civimque bonum decent officiis fatis feciffet, Paulatim fe à publicis confiliis in otium recipiens Inter literarum amoenitates, Inter ante-actæ vitæ haud infuaves recordationes, Et bonis omnibus, quibus chariffimus vixit, PARAPHRASE of the above EPITAPH. By Dr. JOHNSON*. e; THOU who furvey'ft these walls with curious eye, Paufe at his tomb where HANMER'S afhes lie His various worth through varied life attend, And learn his virtues while thou mourn'ft his end. His force of genius burn'd in early youth, With thirst of knowledge, and with love of truth; * This Paraphrafe is inferted in Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies. The Latin is there faid to be written by Dr. Freind. Of the person whofe memory it celebrates, a copious account may be feen in the Appendix to the Supplement to the Biographia Britannica. His learning, join'd with each endearing art, Thus early wife, th' endanger'd realm to aid, In business dext'rous, weighty in debate, Then when dark arts obfcur'd each fierce debate, When mutual frauds perplex'd the maze of state, The moderator firmly mild appear'd Beheld with love-with veneration heard. This task perform'd-he fought no gainful poft, Nor wifh'd to glitter at his country's coft; Strict on the right he fix'd his steadfast eye, With temperate zeal and wife anxiety; Nor e'er from Virtue's paths was lur'd afide, To pluck the flow'rs of pleasure, or of pride. Her gifts defpis'd, Corruption blufh'd and fled, And Fame pursu'd him where Conviction led. Age call'd, at length, his active mind to rest, With honour fated, and with cares oppreft; To letter'd eafe retir'd and honest mirth, To rural grandeur and domeftick worth; Delighted Delighted ftill to please mankind, or mend, To Mifs HICKMAN*, playing on the Spinnet, Be Too well you know to keep the flaves you gain; When in your eyes refiftlefs lightnings play, When old Timotheus ftruck the vocal string, These lines, which have been communicated by Dr. Turton, fon to Mrs. Turton, the Lady to whom they are addreffed by her maiden name of Hickman, must have been written at leaft as early as the year 1734, as that was the year of her marriage: at how much earlier a period of Dr. Johnfon's life they may have been written, is not known. PARA PARAPHRASE of PROVERBS, Chap. VI. T II. "Go to the Ant, thou Sluggard" URN on the prudent ant thy heedful eyes, How long fhall Sloth usurp thy useless hours, Amidst the drowsy charms of dull delight, HORACE, Lib. IV. Ode VII. Tranflated. T HE fnow diffolv'd, no more is feen, The fields and woods, behold! are green; The changing year renews the plain, * In Mrs. Williams's Mifcellanies, but now printed from the original in Dr. Johnfon's own hand-writing. |