Upon the Death of Lord Balmerino, by a Non-jurant Clergyman in London, in a Letter to a Friend

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Upon the Death of Lord Balmerino,
by a Non-jurant Clergyman in Lon-
don, in a Letter to a Friend.

Short is the Term of Life, my honour’dhonoured Friend;

Soon o’erover the puny Space with rapid Speed

Th’The unreturning Moments wing their Way,

And sweep us from our Cradles to the Grave:

And yet this puny Space is fill’dfilled wtwith Toil,

And labours in the transitory Scene.

To make Life wretched, as ‘tis frail &and fleeting,

Rattles &and Toys employ &and please our Childhood;

Wealth, Pomp &and Pleasure, full as arrant Trifles,

Commence the Idols of our riper Years,

And fill yethe Mind with Images as wild,

Absurd, fantastic, as a sick Man’s Dreams,

Disquieting this Span of Life in vain.

He truly lives! &and makes the most of Life,

Who well hath studied it’sits intrinsic Worth,

And learntlearned to lay it down wtwith Resignation;

Can, like Thee, Balmerino! lay it down,

And deem it not his own, qnwhen Honour claims it.

See, the unconquer’dunconquered Captive, (matchless Man!)

Collected in his own Integrity,

Facing wtwith such a Brow yethe King of Terrors,

And, treading on yethe utmost Verge of Life,

Serene, as on a Summer’s Ev’ningEvening Walk,

Draws more amazing Eyes upon his Scaffold,

Than ever gaz’dgazed on laurell’dlaurelled Heroes Car,

[T]riumphant in his Fall o’erover all that crusht him!
Amazement 114 (114)
Amazement seiz’dseized the crowded Theatre,

Struck wtwith yethe awefulawful Scene, &and throb’dthrobbed a Heart

In ev’ryevery Breast but his. The Headsman trembl’dtrembled

That rais’draised yethe fatal Axe, nor trembled He,

On whom 'twasit was falling. Falls the fell Edge,

Nor shrinks yethe mangl’dmangled Victim!_ _ _What are Stars &and Garters?

All Titles, Dignities, all Crowns &and Sceptres,

Compar’dCompared wtwith such an Exit? When these perish,

Their Owners be as they had never been,

In deep Oblivion sunk. This greater Name,

As long as any Sense of Virtue lasts,

Shall live, &and fragrant smell to after Times,

Exhibiting a Pattern how to die,

And far yethe fairest former Times have seen!