[Page 57]

INSCRIPTION FOR A GOTHIC NICHE LINED WITH IVY,

IN THE GARDEN OF DR. BERKELEY'S PREBENDAL HOUSE IN THE OAKS AT CANTERBURY, WHERE MR. BERKELEY USED TO SIT AND READ GREEK. THE LADIES OF THE FAMILY NAMED IT THE GREEK SEAT.

TO THE REV. DR. BERKELEY, PREBENDARY OF CANTERBURY, CHANCELLOR OF BRECON, &c.

1 MORTAL, thou who view'st this cell,
2 Scorn not here awhile to dwell;
3 Hence is banish'd noisy sport:
4 This is Contemplation's court.
5 Hermits here, in days of yore,
6 O'er their beads were seen to pore;
7 Screen'd within this friendly shade,
8 Erst has wept the lovelorn maid.
[Page 58]
9 Oft within this ivy'd seat,
10 Tenants of the green retreat,
11 Bards have shunn'd the glare of noon,
12 Here have hail'd the rising moon.
13 Here with glitt'ring visions blest,
14 Have they sunk to downy rest;
15 Here have wak'd this truth to know,
16 Wild ambition leads to woe.
17 Whilst around your eyes you turn,
18 From this cell one moral learn;
19 Far from Fortune's flatt'ring gale
20 Cautious spread your little sail.
21 See yon once aspiring fane
* The magnificent ruins of St. Augustine's Monastery are seen in a most beautiful point of view from Dr. Berkeley's garden in the Oaks.
,
22 With ruin sad bestrew the plain,
23 Whilst within the fretted tower
24 Night's lone bird selects her bower.
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25 Yet the zealot's ruffian hand,
26 Speeding ruin o'er the land,
27 Spar'd this rude, this humble cell,
28 Where Contentment chose to dwell.
29 Those who from the prelate's hand
30 Tore the crosier's jewel'd wand,
31 Bad the shepherd by the brook
32 Keep secure his beechen crook.

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Title (in Source Edition): INSCRIPTION FOR A GOTHIC NICHE LINED WITH IVY, IN THE GARDEN OF DR. BERKELEY'S PREBENDAL HOUSE IN THE OAKS AT CANTERBURY, WHERE MR. BERKELEY USED TO SIT AND READ GREEK. THE LADIES OF THE FAMILY NAMED IT “THE GREEK SEAT.”
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Berkeley, George Monck, 1763-1793. Poems: by the late George-Monck Berkeley, Esq. ... With a preface by the editor, consisting of some anecdotes of Mr. Monck Berkeley and several of his friends. London: printed by J. Nichols; and sold by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; Mr. Edwards; Mr. Cooke, Oxford; Mr. Todd, York; Messrs. Simmons and Co.; Messrs. Flackton, Marrable, and Claris; and Mr. Bristow, Canterbury, 1797, pp. 57-59. viii,DCXXXII,212p.,plate: port.; 4⁰. (ESTC T142950; OTA K111746.000) (Page images digitized by the University of California Libraries.)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

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