Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 2.djvu/182

176 And turn'd the iron leaves of his dark book To make new dooms, or mend what it mistook.

—I beg no pity for this mouldering clay; For if you give it burial, there it takes Possession of your earth; If burnt, and scatter'd in the air, the winds That strew my dust diffuse my royalty, And spread me o'er your clime; for where one atom Of mine shall light, know there Sebastian reigns. Of these quotations the two first may be allowed to be great, the two latter only timid.

Of such selection there is no end. I will add only a few more passages; of which the first, though it may perhaps be quite clear in prose, is not too obscure for poetry, as the meaning that it has is noble:
 * No, there is a necessity in Fate,

Why still the brave bold man is fortunate; He keeps his object ever full in sight, And that assurance holds him firm and right; True, 'tis a narrow way that leads to bliss, But right before there is no precipice; Fear makes men look aside, and so their footing miss. Rh