[ Verses to the memory of Garrick : Spoken as a monody , at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane ] IF dying EXCELLENCE deserves a Tear , If fond Remembrance still is cherished here , Can we persist to bid your Sorrows flow . For fabled Suffe'rers , and delusive Woe ? Or with quaint Smiles dismiss the plaintive Strain , Point the quick Jest — indulge the Comic Vein — Ere yet to buried ROSCIUS we assign — One kind Regret — one tributary Line ! His Fame requires we act a tenderer Part : — His MEMORY claims the Tear you gave his ART ! The general Voice , the Meed of mournful Verse , The splendid Sorrows that adorned his Hearse , The Throng that mourn'd as their dead Favourite pass'd , The grac'd Respect that claim'd him to the last , While SHAKESPEAR'S Image from its hallow'd Base , Seem'd to prescribe the Grave , and point the Place , — Nor these , — nor all the sad Regrets that flow From fond Fidelity's domestic Woe , — So much are GARRICK'S Praise — so much his DUE — As on this Spot — One Tear bestow'd by YOU . Amid the Arts which seek ingenuous Fame , OUR toil attempts the most precarious Claim ! To HIM , whose mimic Pencil wins the Prize , Obedient Fame immortal Wreaths supplies : Whate'er of Wonder REYNOLDS now may raise , RAPHAEL still boasts cotemporary Praise : Each dazling Light , and gaudier Bloom subdu'd , With undiminish'd Awe HIS Works are view'd : E'en Beauty's Portrait wears a softer Prime , Touch'd by the tender Hand of mellowing Time . The patient SCULPTOR owns an humbler Part , A ruder Toil , and more mechanic Art ; Content with slow and timorous Stroke to trace The lingering Line , and mould the tardy Grace : But once atchieved — tho' barbarous Wreck o'erthrow The sacred Fane , and lay its Glories low , Yet shall the sculptur'd Ruin rise to Day , Grac'd by Defect , and worship'd in Decay ; The' enduring Record bears the Artist's Name , Demands his Honors , and asserts his Fame . Superior Hopes the POET'S Bosom fire , — O proud Distinction of the sacred Lyre ! — Wide as the' inspiring PHOEBUS darts his Ray , Diffusive Splendor gilds his VOTARY'S Lay . Whether the Song Heroic Woes rehearse , With Epic Grandeur , and the Pomp of Verse ; Or , fondly gay , with unambitious Guile Attempt no Prize but favouring Beauty's Smile ; Or bear dejected to the lonely Grove The soft Despair of unprevailing Love , — Whate'er the Theme — thro' every Age and Clime Congenial Passions meet the' according Rhyme ; The Pride of Glory — Pity's Sigh sincere — Youth's earliest Blush — and Beauty's Virgin Tear . Such is THEIR Meed — THEIR Honors thus secure , Whose Arts yield Objects , and whose Works endure . The ACTOR only , shrinks from Times Award ; Feeble Tradition is HIS Memory's Guard ; By whose faint Breath his Merits must abide , Unvouch'd by Proof — to Substance unallied ! Ev'n matchless GARRICK'S Art to Heav'n resign'd , No fix'd Effect , no Model leaves behind ! The GRACE of ACTION — the adapted MIEN Faithful as Nature to the varied Scene ; Th' EXPRESSIVE GLANCE — whose subtle Comment draws Entranc'd Attention , and a mute Applause ; GESTURE that marks , with Force and Feeling fraught , A Sense in Silence , and a Will in Thought ; HARMONIOUS SPEECH , whose pure and liquid Tone Gives Verse a Music , scarce confess'd its own ; As Light from Gems , assumes a brighter Ray And cloathed with Orient Hues , transcends the Day ! — PASSION'S wild Break — and FROWN that awes the Sense , And every CHARM of gentler ELOQUENCE — All perishable ! — like the' Electric Fire But strike the Frame — and as they strike expire ; Incense too pure a bodied Flame to bear , It's Fragrance charms the Sense , and blends with Air . WHERE then — while sunk in cold Decay he lies , And pale Eclipse for ever veils those Eyes ! — WHERE is the blest Memorial that ensures Our GARRICK'S Fame ? — whose is the Trust ? — 'tis YOURS . And O ! by every Charm his Art essay'd To sooth your Cares ! — by every Grief allay'd ! By the hush'd Wonder which his Accents drew ! By his last parting Tear , repaid by you ! By all those Thoughts , which many a distant Night , Shall mark his Memory with a sad Delight ! — Still in your Heart's dear Record bear his Name ; Cherish the keen Regret that lifts his Fame ; To YOU it is bequeath'd , assert the Trust , And to his WORTH — 'tis all you can — be JUST . What more is due from sanctifying Time , To chearful WIT , and many a favour'd RHYME , O'er his grac'd Urn shall bloom , a deathless Wreath , Whose blossom'd Sweets shall deck the Mask beneath . For these , — when SCULPTURE'S votive Toil shall rear The due Memorial of a Loss so dear ! — O lovliest Mourner , Gentle MUSE ! be thine The pleasing Woe to guard the laurell'd Shrine . As FANCY , oft by Superstition led To roam the Mansions of the sainted Dead , Has view'd , by shadowy Eve's unfaithful Gloom , A weeping Cherub on a Martyr's Tomb — So thou , sweet MUSE , hang o'er HIS sculptur'd Bier , With patient Woe , that loves the lingering Tear ; With Thoughts that mourn — nor yet desire Relief , With meek Regret , and fond enduring Grief ; With Looks that speak — He never shall return ! — Chilling thy tender Bosom clasp his Urn ; And with soft Sighs disperse the' irreverend Dust , Which TIME may strew upon his sacred Bust .