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On the Death of the Honourable Mr. James Thynne, younger Son to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Weymouth.

1 FArewel, lov'd Youth! since 'twas the Will of Heaven
2 So soon to take, what had so late been giv'n;
3 And thus our Expectations to destroy,
4 Raising a Grief, where we had form'd a Joy;
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5 Who once believ'd, it was the Fates Design
6 In Him to double an Illustrious Line,
7 And in a second Channel spread that Race
8 Where ev'ry Virtue shines, with every Grace.
9 But we mistook, and 'twas not here below
10 That this engrafted Scion was to grow;
11 The Seats above requir'd him, that each Sphere
12 Might soon the Offspring of such Parents share
13 Resign him then to the supream Intent,
14 You, who but Flesh to that blest Spirit lent.
15 Again disrob'd, let him to Bliss retire,
16 And only bear from you, amidst that Choir,
17 What, Precept or Example did inspire,
18 A Title to Rewards, from that rich store
19 Of Pious Works, which you have sent before.
20 Then lay the fading Reliques, which remain,
21 In the still Vault (excluding farther Pain);
22 Where Kings and Counsellors their Progress close,
23 And his renowned Ancestors repose;
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24 Where
* Lord Keeper Coventry.
COVENTRY withdrew All but in Name,
25 Leaving the World his Benefits and Fame;
26 Where his Paternal Predecessor lies,
27 Once large of Thought, and rank'd among the Wise;
28 Whose Genius in Long-Leat we may behold
29 (A Pile, as noble as if he'd been told
30 By WEYMOUTH, it shou'd be in time possest,
31 And strove to suit the Mansion to the Guest.)
32 Nor favour'd, nor disgrac'd, there ESSEX sleeps,
33 Nor SOMERSET his Master's Sorrows weeps,
34 Who to the shelter of th' unenvy'd Grave
35 Convey'd the Monarch, whom he cou'd not save;
36 Though, Roman-like, his own less-valu'd Head
37 He proffer'd in that injur'd Martyr's stead.
38 Nor let that matchless
The Lady Packington, supposed by many to be the Author of The Whole Duty of Man.
Female 'scape my Pen,
39 Who their Whole Duty taught to weaker Men,
40 And of each Sex the Two best Gifts enjoy'd,
41 The Skill to write, the Modesty to hide;
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42 Whilst none shou'd that Performance disbelieve,
43 Who led the Life, might the Directions give.
44 With such as These, whence He deriv'd his Blood,
45 Great on Record, or eminently Good,
46 Let Him be laid, till Death's long Night shall cease,
47 And breaking Glory interrupt the Peace.
48 Mean-while, ye living Parents, ease your Grief
49 By Tears, allow'd as Nature's due Relief.
50 For when we offer to the Pow'rs above,
51 Like You, the dearest Objects of our Love;
52 When, with that patient Saint in Holy Writ,
53 We've learnt at once to Grieve, and to Submit;
54 When contrite Sighs, like hallow'd Incense, rise
55 Bearing our Anguish to th' appeased Skies;
56 Then may those Show'rs, which take from Sorrow birth,
57 And still are tending tow'rd this baleful Earth,
58 O'er all our deep and parching Cares diffuse,
59 Like Eden's Springs, or Hermon's soft'ning Dews.
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60 But lend your Succours, ye Almighty Pow'rs,
61 For as the Wound, the Balsam too is Yours.
62 In vain are Numbers, or persuasive Speech,
63 What Poets write, or what the Pastors teach,
64 Till You, who make, again repair the Breach.
65 For when to Shades of Death our Joys are fled,
66 When for a Loss, like This, our Tears are shed
67 None can revive the Heart, but who can raise the Dead.
68 But yet, my Muse, if thou hadst softer Verse
69 Than e'er bewail'd the melancholy Herse;
70 If thou hadst Pow'r to dissipate the Gloom
71 Inherent to the Solitary Tomb;
72 To rescue thence the Memory and Air
73 Of what we lately saw so Fresh, so Fair;
74 Then shou'd this Noble Youth thy Art engage
75 To shew the Beauties of his blooming Age,
76 The pleasing Light, that from his Eyes was cast,
77 Like hasty Beams, too Vigorous to last;
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78 Where the warm Soul, as one the Confines, lay
79 Ready for Flight, and for Eternal Day.
80 Gently dispos'd his Nature shou'd be shown,
81 And all the Mother's Sweetness made his Own.
82 The Father's Likeness was but faintly seen,
83 As ripen'd Fruits are figur'd by the Green.
84 Nor cou'd we hope, had he fulfill'd his Days,
85 He shou'd have reach'd WEYMOUTH's unequal'd Praise.
86 Still One distinguish'd Plant each Lineage shews,
87 And all the rest beneath it's Stature grows.
88 Of Tully's Race but He possess'd the Tongue,
89 And none like Julius from the Caesars sprung.
90 Next, in his harmless Sports he shou'd be drawn
91 Urging his Courser, o'er the flow'ry Lawn;
92 Sprightly Himself, as the enliven'd Game,
93 Bold in the Chace, and full of gen'rous Flame;
94 Yet in the Palace, Tractable and Mild,
95 Perfect in all the Duties of a Child;
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96 Which fond Reflection pleases, whilst it pains,
97 Like penetrating Notes of sad Harmonious Strains.
98 Selected Friendships timely he began,
99 And siez'd in Youth that best Delight of Man.
100 Leaving a growing Race to mourn his End,
101 Their earliest and their Ages promis'd Friend.
102 But far away alas! that Prospect moves,
103 Lost in the Clouds, like distant Hills and Groves,
104 Whilst with encreasing Steps we all pursue
105 What Time alone can bring to nearer View,
106 That Future State, which Darkness yet involves,
107 Known but by Death, which ev'ry Doubt resolves.

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Title (in Source Edition): On the Death of the Honourable Mr. James Thynne, younger Son to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Weymouth.
Themes: death
Genres: heroic couplet

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Winchilsea, Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of, 1661-1720. Miscellany poems, on several occasions: Written by the Right Honble Anne, Countess of Winchilsea. London: printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke, William Taylor, and James Round, 1713, pp. 156-162. [8],390p. ; 8⁰. (ESTC T94539; Foxon pp. 274-5; OTA K076314.000) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Buxton 100].)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Other works by Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea