He went musing all along, Composing new their heav'nly song. Awhile his skilful notes loud hallelujahs drown'd, But soon they ceas'd their own, to catch his pleasing sound. David, in sacred story so renown'd Crown'd with applause surpassing all desert, A man just after God's own heart! If human cares are lawful to the blest, Already settled in eternal rest; Needs must he wish that Purcell only might Have liv'd to set, what he vouchsaf'd to write : With the frail body never dies, But with the soul ascends the skies, From whence at first it came. 'Tis sure no little proof we have And in our fame below still bears a share : And death despis'd for fame, by all the wise and brave? His genius was universal. His love-songs are pathetic, tender, and finely varied; and his martial songs are most animating and spirited. For sublimity and grandeur in the church style, his "Te Deum" and "Jubilate" will keep their rank while any taste for church-music shall remain. See Tytler's Dissertation on the Scottish Music, p. 213 Look down with pity from your peaceful bower On this sad isle perplex'd, And ever, ever vex'd With anxious care of trifles, wealth, and power. In our rough minds due reverence infuse For sweet melodious sounds, and each harmonious muse! Music exalts man's nature, and inspires High elevated thoughts, or gentle, kind desires."] The writer of his life gives the following illustration of his character: "This noble peer had something more than ordinary in his composition. He had a mind formed for greatness and heroick actions: his abilities were employed for the good of mankind: his life in every part of it was set off with modesty and merit: his heart was filled with goodness and magnanimity, and it is impossible to mention his name without approving his actions. In his religion he was sincere : he showed his abhorrence to persecution, whatever dress or shape it appeared in; and always acted with the greatest moderation to those who had the unhappiness to differ from him. As to his capacity for publick affairs, Europe will bear testimony how he laboured for the glory of his sovereign, and the welfare of his fellow subjects. His many fatiguing journies to Vienna, Madrid, Paris, and other courts, sufficiently prove that indolence was insufferable to him. What Mr. Prior remarked of the earl of Dorset may be justly applied to this great peer, 'that so many ornaments • and graces met in him as contributed to make him 'universally beloved and esteemed."" The biographer adds, from a contemporary writer, that "lord Stanhope was at the bottom of many excellent counsels in which he did not appear; that he did offices of friendship 6 Pope, in the Epilogue to his Satires, speaks of "Stanhope's noble flame;" and he is termed in Warburton's note, a nobleman of equal courage, spirit, and learning.” to many persons who knew not from whom they came; performed great services for his country, the glory of which was transferred to others; and made it his endeavours rather to do worthy actions, than to gain an illustrious character." His lordship's productions consist of the two following tracts, the titles of which it may be sufficient. transcribe : "An Answer to the Report of the Commissioners sent into Spain." Lond. 1714, 8vo. "A Memorial sent from London by Earl Stanhope to the Abbot Vertot at Paris; containing the following Questions relating to the Constitution of the Roman Senate, viz.: "1. What was the ordinary regular method of admission into the senate in the four or five first ages of the commonwealth? "2. Why, the senate consisting then of none but patricians, we read of some patricians that were senators, while others were only private men, and did not partake of that dignity? and whether this distinction came by succession and primogeniture: or whether the choice of the candidates lay wholly in the consuls, and afterwards in the censors? "3. For what reason, after the second Punic war, a dictator was named on purpose to fill up the vacancies in the senate; from whence one might infer that the Romans had no common and regular way of sup |