His virtues walk'd their narrow round,

Nor made a pause, nor left a void; And sure the eternal master found

The single talent well-employ’d.
The busy day—the peaceful night,

Unfelt, uncounted, glided by;
His frame was firm-his pow’rs were bright,

Though now his eightieth year was nigh.
Then, with no fiery throbbing pain,

No cold gradations of decay,
Death broke, at once, the vital chain,

And freed his soul the nearest way.

EPITAPH ON CLAUDE PHILLIPS

AN ITINERANT MUSICIAN.

PHILLIPS! whose touch harmonious could remove
The pangs of guilty pow'r, and hapless love,
Rest here, distress'd by poverty no more,
Find here that calm thou gav'st so oft before;
Sleep, undisturb’d, within this peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee, with a note like thine.

* These lines are among Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies: they are, nevertheless, recognised as Johnson's, in a memorandum of his handwriting, and were probably written at her request. This Phillips was a fiddler, who travelled up and down Wales, and was much celebrated for his skill. The above epitaph, according to Mr. Boswell, won the applause of lord Kames, prejudiced against Johnson as he was. It was published in Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies, and was, at first, ascribed to Garrick, from its appearing with the signature G.- Garrick, however, related, that they were composed, almost impromptu, by Johnson, on hearing some lines on the subject, by Dr. Wilkes, which he disapproved. See Boswell, i. 126, where is, likewise, preserved an epigram, by Johnson, on Colley Cibber and George VOL. 6 - 17

257

Wilhelmi Hanmer armigeri, e Peregrina Henrici

North De Mildenhall, in Com. Suffolciæ, baronetti sorore

et hærede,

Filius;
Johannis Hanmer de Hanmer baronetti

Hæres patruelis
Antiquo gentis suæ et titulo et patrimonio successit.

Duas uxores sortitus est; Alteram Isabellam, honore a patre derivato, de

Arlington comitissam, Deinde celsissimi principis, ducis de Grafton, viduam

dotariam: Alteram Elizabetham, Thomæ Foulkes de Barton, Omnes liberalium artium disciplinas avide arripuit, Quas morum suavitate haud leviter ornavit.

Postquam excessit ex ephebis, Continuo inter populares suos fama eminens, Et comitatus sui legatus ad parliamentum missus, Ad ardua regni negotia, per annos prope triginta,

se accinxit: Cumque, apud illos amplissimorum virorum ordines,

Solent nihil temere effutire,
Sed probe perpensa diserte expromere,

Orator gravis et pressus,
Non minus integritatis quam eloquentiæ laude

commendatus,
Æque omnium, utcunque inter se alioqui

dissidentium,
Aures atque animos attraxit.
Annoque demum M.DCC. XIII. regnante Anna,
Felicissimæ florentissimæque memoriæ regina,

Ad prolocutoris cathedram,
Communi senatus universi voce, designatus est:

Quod munus,
Cum nullo tempore non difficile,

Tum illo certe, negotiis
Et variis, et lubricis, et implicatis, difficillimum,

Cum dignitate sustinuit.
Honores alios, et omnia quæ sibi in lucrum cederent

munera,
Sedulo detrectavit,
Ut rei totus inserviret publicæ;

Justi rectique tenax,
Et fide in patriam incorrupta notus.

Ubi omnibus, quæ virum civemque bonum decent,

officiis satisfecisset, Paulatim se a publicis consiliis in otium recipiens,

inter literarum amenitates, Inter ante-actæ vitæ haud insuaves recordationes, Inter amicorum convictus et amplexus,

Honorifice consenuit;
Et bonis omnibus, quibus charissimus vixit,

Desideratissimus obiit.
Hic, juxta cineres avi, suos condi voluit, et curavit

Gulielmus Bunbury Bitus, nepos et hæres.

PARAPHRASE OF THE ABOVE EPITAPH

BY DR. JOHNSOND.

Thou, who survey'st these walls with curious eye,
Pause at the tomb, where Hanmer's ashes lie;
His various worth, through vary'd life, attend,
And learn his virtues, while thou mourn'st his end.

His force of genius burn’d, in early youth,
With thirst of knowledge, and with love of truth;
His learning, join'd with each endearing art,
Charm’d ev'ry ear, and gain'd on ev'ry heart.

Thus early wise, th' endanger'd realm to aid, His country call’d him from the studious shade; In life's first bloom his publick toils began, At once commenc'd the senator and man.

In busʼness dext’rous, weighty in debate, Thrice ten long years he labour'd for the state;

In ev'ry speech persuasive wisdom flow'd,
In ev'ry act refulgent virtue glow’d:
Suspended faction ceas'd from rage and strife,
To hear his eloquence, and praise his life.

Resistless merit fix'd the senate's choice,
Who hail'd him speaker, with united voice.
Illustrious age! how bright thy glories shown,
When Hanmer fill'd the chair-and Anne the

throne! Then, when dark arts obscur'd each fierce debate, When mutual frauds perplex'd the maze of state, The moderator firmly mild appear'dBeheld with love with veneration heard.

This task perform’d-he sought no gainful post,
Nor wish'd to glitter, at his country's cost:
Strict on the right he fix'd his steadfast eye,
With temp’rate zeal and wise anxiety;
Nor e'er from virtue's paths was lur'd aside,
To pluck the flow'rs of pleasure, or of pride.
Her gifts despis’d, corruption blush'd, and fled,
And fame pursu'd him, where conviction led.

Age call’d, at length, his active mind to rest,
With honour sated, and with cares oppress’d;
To letter'd ease retir'd, and honest mirth,
To rural grandeur and domestick worth;
Delighted still to please mankind, or mend,
The patriot's fire yet sparkled in the friend.

Calm conscience, then, his former life survey’d,
And recollected toils endear'd the shade,
Till nature call’d him to the gen’ral doom,
And virtue's sorrow dignified his tomb.