TO Dr. SHERLOCK, ON HIS PRACTICAL DISCOURSE Concerning Death. Matthew Prior Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
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. T075639 Prior, Matthew, 1664-1721. Poems on Several Occasions [English poems only]. London Printed for JACOB TONSON at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, and JOHN BARBER upon Lambeth-Hill. MDCCXVIII. 1718 pp. 130-132. [42],506,[6]p.: ill.; 2°.

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TO Dr. SHERLOCK , ON HIS PRACTICAL DISCOURSE Concerning Death . Forgive the Muse , who in unhallow'd Strains The Saint one Moment from his GOD detains : For sure , whate'er You do , where-e'er You are , 'Tis all but one good Work , one constant Pray'r : Forgive Her ; and intreat That GOD , to Whom Thy favour'd Vows with kind Acceptance come , To raise her Notes to that sublime Degree , Which suits a Song of Piety and Thee . Wond'rous good Man ! whose Labours may repel The Force of Sin , may stop the Rage of Hell : Thou , like the Baptist , from thy GOD wast sent The crying Voice , to bid the World repent . Thee Youth shall study ; and no more engage Their flatt'ring Wishes for uncertain Age ; No more with fruitless Care , and cheated Strife Chace fleeting Pleasure thro' this Maze of Life ; Finding the wretched All They here can have , But present Food , and but a future Grave : Each , great as Philip's Victor Son , shall view This abject World , and weeping , ask a New . Decrepit Age shall read Thee , and confess , Thy Labours can asswage , where Med'cines cease : Shall bless thy Words , their wounded Souls Relief , The Drops that sweeten their last Dregs of Life : Shall look to Heav'n , and laugh at all beneath ; Own Riches gather'd , Trouble ; Fame , a Breath ; And Life an Ill , whose only Cure is Death . Thy even Thoughts with so much Plainness flow ; Their Sense untutor'd Infancy may know : Yet to such height is all That Plainness wrought ; Wit may admire , and letter'd Pride be taught : Easie in Words thy Style , in Sense sublime : On it's blest Steps each Age and Sex may rise : 'Tis like the Ladder in the Patriarch's Dream , It's Foot on Earth , it's Height above the Skies . Diffus'd it's Virtue , boundless is it's Pow'r : 'Tis Publick Health , and Universal Cure : Of Heav'nly Manna , 'tis a second Feast , A Nation's Food , and all to ev'ry Taste . To it's last Height mad Britain's Guilt was rear'd : And various Death for various Crimes She fear'd : With your kind Work her drooping Hopes revive : You bid Her read , repent , adore , and live : You wrest the Bolt from Heav'ns avenging Hand ; Stop ready Death , and save a sinking Land . O ! save Us still ; still bless Us with thy Stay : O ! want thy Heav'n , 'till We have learnt the Way : Refuse to leave thy destin'd Charge too soon : And for the Church's Good , defer thy own . O ! live ; and let thy Works urge our Belief ; Live to explain thy Doctrine by thy Life ; 'Till future Infancy , baptiz'd by Thee , Grow ripe in Years , and old in Piety ; 'Till Christians , yet unborn , be taught to die . Then in full Age , and hoary Holiness Retire , great Teacher , to thy promis'd Bliss : Untouch'd thy Tomb , uninjur'd be thy Dust , As thy own Fame among the future Just ; 'Till in last Sounds the dreadful Trumpet speaks : 'Till Judgment calls ; and quick'ned Nature wakes : 'Till thro' the utmost Earth , and deepest Sea Our scatter'd Atoms find their destin'd Way , In haste to cloath their Kindred Souls again ; Perfect our State , and build immortal Man : Then fearless Thou , who well sustain'dst the Fight , To Paths of Joy , and Tracts of endless Light Lead up all those who heard Thee , and believ'd : 'Midst thy own Flock , great Shepherd , be receiv'd ; And glad all Heav'n with Millions Thou hast sav'd .