To Mrs. Mary Barber, under the Name of Sapphira: Occasion'd by the Encouragement She met with in England, to publish her Poems by Subscription. Constantia Grierson (née Crawley) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T42622 519 p. 45 Barber, Mary, ca. 1690-1757. Poems on Several Occasions [poems only]. London Printed for C. Rivington, at the Bible and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1734 pp. xlv-xlviii. xlviii,283,[7]p.; 8⁰.

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To Mrs. Mary Barber , under the Name of Sapphira : Occasion'd by the Encouragement She met with in England , to publish her Poems by Subscription . Long has the Warrior's , and the Lover's Fire , Employ'd the Poet , and ingross'd the Lyre ; And justly too the World might long approve The Praise of Heroes and of virtuous Love ; Had Tyrants not usurp'd the Hero's Name , Nor low Desires debas'd the Lover's Flame ; If on those Themes , all Triflers had not writ , Guiltless of Sense , or Elegance , or Wit . Far different Themes We in thy Verses view ; Themes , in themselves , alike sublime , and new : Thy tuneful Labours all conspire to show The highest Bliss the Mind can taste below ; To ease those Wants , with which the Wretched pine ; And imitate Beneficence divine : A Theme , alas ! forgot by Bards too long ; And , but for Thee , almost unknown to Song . Such wise Reflections in thy Lays are shown , As Flaccus' Muse , in all her Pride , might own : So Elegant , and so Refin'd , thy Praise , As grearest Minds , at once , might mend and please : No florid Toys , in pompous Numbers drest ; But justest Thoughts , in purest Stile , exprest : Whene'er thy Muse designs the Heart to move , The melting Reader must , with Tears , approve ; Or when , more gay , her spritely Satire bites , 'Tis not to wound , but to instruct , She writes . Cou'd — , or — from the Tomb , Which shades their Ashes till the final Doom , The dire Effects of vicious Writings view , How wou'd they mourn to think what might ensue ! Blush at their Works , for no one End design'd , But to embellish Vice , and taint the Mind ! No more their dear-bought Fame wou'd raise their Pride ; But Terrors wait on Talents misapply'd . Not so Sapphira : her unsully'd Strain Shall never give her Soul one conscious Pain ; To latest Times shall melt the harden'd Breast , And raise her Joys , by making others blest . These Works , which Modesty conceal'd in Night , Your Candor , gen'rous Britons , brings to Light ; Born , by your Arms , for Liberty's Defence ; Born , by your Taste , the Arbiters of Sense : Long may your Taste , and long your Empire stand , To Honour , Wit , and Worth , from every Land . Oh ! cou'd my conscious Muse but fully trace The silent Virtues which Sapphira grace ; How much her Heart , from low Desires refin'd ; How much her Works , the Transcript of her Mind ; Her tender Care , and Grief for the Distrest ; Her Joy unfeign'd , to see true Merit blest ; Her Soul so form'd for every social Care ; A Friend so gen'rous , ardent , and sincere ; How wou'd you triumph in yourselves to find Your Favours shewn to so complete a Mind ; To find her Breast with every Grace inspir'd , Whom first You only for her Lays admir'd . Thus the great Father of the Hebrew State , Who watch'd for weary'd Strangers at his Gate ; The Good He thought conferr'd on Men unknown , He found to more exalted Beings shown . Dublin , Jan. 5. 1732. Constantia Grierson .