Ad speculum ornabat nitidos Euphelia crines, Subrubet illa pudore, et contrahit altera frontem, Me torquet mea mens conscia, psallo, tremo; Atque Cupidineâ dixit Dea cincta coronâ, Heu! fallendi artem quam didicere parum. VERSES TO THE MEMORY OF DR. LLOYD. SPOKEN AT THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION NEXT OUR good old friend is gone; gone to his rest, O ye of riper years, who recollect How once ye loved, and eyed him with respect, In morals blameless, as in manners meek, He knew no wish that he might blush to speak, And richer than the rich in being so, Obtain'd the hearts of all, and such a meed The brows of those, whose more exalted lot ABIIT senex. Periit senex amabilis, Senem colendum præstitit; Seu quando, viribus valentioribus Florentiori vos juventute excolens Seu quando, fractus, jamque donatus rude, Miscere gaudebat suas facetias His annuis leporibus. * He was usher and under-master of Westminster near fifty years, and retired from his occupation when he was near seventy, with a handsome pension from the king. Vixit probus, purâque simplex indole, Blandisque comis moribus, Et dives æquâ mente, charus omnibus, Unius auctus munere. Ite, tituli! Meritis beatioribus Aptate laudes debitas! Nec invidebat ille, si quibus favens Decus sit inditum, nec mortuo END OF VOL. VIII. As Cowper's Version of Homer is not included in this Edition of his Works, it seems necessary to assign the reasons which have led to the omission. Distinguished as this Version unquestionably is, beyond any preceding attempt, for its fidelity and close adherence to the Grecian Bard, as well as for other excellences which have already been specified, it has still failed in securing an adequate reception from the British public. In the Religious portion of the community it is well known that a very general sentiment of regret exists that the author of the Task, whose Muse was capable of such high moral flights, should have consumed so many years in this laborious enterprise. Under these circumstances, its re-publication here, appeared to be undesirable, especially as it would have added onethird to the cost of the present Edition, and as editions of Cowper's Homer are already before the public, and accessible to all who attach an interest to this portion of the Poet's Works. LONDON: IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY-STREET, STRAND. |