ELEGY, ON W. BECKFORD ESQ. WEEP on, ye Britons — give your gen'ral tear; But hence, ye venal — hence, each titled slave; An honest pang should wait on Beckford's bier, And patriot anguish mark the patriot's grave. When like the Roman to his field retir'd, 'Twas you, (surrounded by unnumber'd foes) Who call'd him forth, his services requir'd, And took from age the blessing of repose. With soul impell'd by virtue's sacred flame, To stem the torrent of corruption's tide, He came, heav'n fraught with liberty! He came And nobly in his coutry's service died. In the last awful, the departing hour, When life's poor lamp more faint, and fainter grew; As mem'ry feebly exercis'd her power, He only felt for liberty and you. He view'd death's arrow with a christian eye, With firmness only to a christian known; And nobly gave your miseries that sigh With which he never gratified his own. Thou, breathing sculpture, celebrate his fame, And give his laurel everlasting bloom; Receiv'd his worth while gratitude has name, And teach succeeding ages from his tomb. The sword of justice cautiously he sway'd, His hand for ever held the balance right; Each venial fault with pity he survey'd, But murder found no mercy in his sight. He knew when flatterers besiege a throne, Truth seldom reaches to a monarch's ear; Knew, if oppress'd a loyal people groan, 'Tis not the courtier's interest he should hear, Hence, honest to his prince, his manly tongue, The public wrong and loyalty convey'd, While titled tremblers, ev'ry nerve unstrung, Look'd all around, confounded and dismay'd. Look'd all around, astonish'd to behold, (Train'd up to flatt'ry from their early youth) An artless, fearless citizen, unfold To royal ears, a mortifying truth. Titles to him no pleasure could impart, No bribes his rigid virtue could controul; The star could never gain upon his heart, Nor turn the tide of honour in his soul. For this his name our hist'ry shall adorn, Shall soar on Fame's wide pinions all sublime; 'Till heaven's own bright, and never dying morn Absorbs our little particle of time.