Mary of Modena d. 1718 {1} Dark was the shade where only cou`d be seen Disasterous Yew that ever balefull green Distructive in the field of old when strung Gloomy o`er graves of sleeping warriours hung Deep was the wild recess that not an ear Which grudged her praises might the accents hear Where sad ARDELIA {2} mourn`d URANIA`s{3} Death In sighs which seem`d her own expireing breath In moving Sylables so often broke That more then Eloquence the anguish spoke Urging the tears which cou`d not give relief But seem`d to propagate renewing grief Lamira{4} near her sat and caught the sound Too weak for ecchoing rocks which fixt the bound For Clifts that overlook`t the dangerous wave Th`unhappy Vessels or the Sailors grave The pittying Nymph whom sympathy constrain`d Ask`t why her friend thus heavily complain`d Why she retired to that ill omen`d spot By men forsaken and the World forgot Why thus from light and company she fled And living sought the mansions of the Dead Her head reclined on the obdurate stone Still uttering low but interrupted moan In which URANIA she to all prefer`d And with her seem`d unactive or interr`d As if all virtues of the polish`t mind All excellencies of the female kind All wining graces in Urania join`d As if perfection but in her was seen And Her least dignity was England`s Queen. Thou hast discrib`d her pleas`d ARDELIA cry`d As thou hadst known her awfull without pride As thou in Her Domestick train hadst stood And seen her great and found her warmly good Duely maintaining her exalted place Yet condescending with attractive grace Recall`d be days when ebon locks o`erspread My youthfull neck my cheeks a bashfull red When early joys my glowing bosom warm`d When trifles pleas`d & every pleasure charm`d Then eager from the rural seat I came Of long traced Ancestors of worthy name To seek the Court of many woes the source Compleated by this last this sad divorce From her to whom my self I had resign`d The Sovereign Mistress of my vanquish`t mind Who now survive but to attend her hearse With dutious tribute of recording verse In which may truth with energy be found And soft as her compassion be the sound Bless`t were the hours when thro` attendance due Her numerous charms were present to my view When lowly to her radiant eyes I bowed Suns to my sight but Suns without a cloud Towards me their beneficial aspect turn`d Imprest my duty and my conduct warn`d For who that saw the modest airs they cast But from that pattern must be nicely chast Peculiar Souls have their peculiar sighs And thro` the eye the inward beauty shines Then who can wonder if in hers appear`d Superior sense to be reveer`d & fear`d Endearing sweetness to her happy friends And Holy fire which towards the alter tends Bles`t my attention was when drawing near (My places claim) her crouded audience chair I heard her by admiring States addrest With embasies in different tongues exprest To all that Europe sent she gave replies In their own speech most eloquent & wise Soft was her talk and soothing to the heart By nature solid perfected by art The Roman Accent which such grace affords To Tuscan language harmonized her words All eyes all listning sense upon her hung When from her lovely mouth th`inchantment sprung What Livia was when Rome Augustus sway`de {5} And thro` a woman`s wit the world obey`d What Portia was when fortitude and love {6} Inflected wounds which did her firmness prove And forcing Brutus to applaud her worth Drew with the steel th`important secret forth Such was URANIA where they most excell`d And where they fail`d by nobler zeal upheld What Italy produc`t of glorious names Her native Country & her kindred Dames All virtues which Antiquity cou`d boast She equal`d but on Stormy Britain tost They lost their value on a northern Coast Yet who can wonder if to her we grant What Poets feign when they Diana paint {7} What Legends write when they enthrone a Saint What now ARDELIA speaks with conscious sense Of Real Worth & matchless excellence Never such lustre strove against the light Never such beauty satisfied the sight Never such Majesty on earth was found As when URANIA worthyly was crown`d As when superior airs declared her birth From Conquerors o`er the Monarchs of the Earth And large excuse did for their Maxim bring That Roman Ladies stoop`d to wed a King If Royalty had then arose from choice And merit had compell`d the publick voice All had allow`d URANIA claimed the most In view of whom all other charms were lost Her`s in Meridian strong in their decay But sweetly sinking like declining day In grief but veil`d as when a rainy cloud The glorious Sun does yet transparent Shroud And whilst it softens each resplendent beam Weeps o`er the land from whence the vapour came O`er Brittain so her Pious sorrows fell Less for her Woes then that it cou`d rebell Yet thence arose the shades her life o`ercast And worldly greatness seldom made to last Thence in a foreign clime her Consort died Whom death cou`d never from her thoughts divide Thence Sable weeds & cyprus walks she chose And from within produc`t her own repose Yet only pray`d for those she cou`d not calm As fragrant trees tho` wounded shed but balm Nor ceas`t to live till vindicated Heaven Shew`d that in vain were such examples given Who held her light to three great Kingdoms forth And gave her Sufferings to dilate her worth That Gallia too might see she cou`d support Monastick rules and Britains worst effort Now peacefull is the spirit which possest That never blemish`t that afflicted breast Closed are such eyes as paradise might boast Seen but in Eve e`er innocence she lost The solemn grave with reverence takes her down And lasting wreaths succeed th`unstable crown For rude Huzza`s in mercenary streets All Hail in her triumphant way she meets Who shall in silent Majesty repose Till every tomb shall every guest disclose Till Heaven which does all human loss repair Distinguishing the attoms of the fair Shall give URANIA`s form transcendant beauty there And from the beams Iradiating her face (Which here but wanted that suspended grace) Shall shew the Britains how they strove in vain To strip that brow which was consign`d to reign Tho` Polititians strove to guide the round Of miscall`d fortune & prescribe its bound Till the contested Earth shou`d be no longer found. Here she concludes Lamira thinks it just Such pious tears shou`d wait such Royal Dust.SourceThe script ran 0.001 seconds.
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