THI

POETICAL WORKS

OF

CHA. CHURCHILL.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

WITH THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

The Muse's ofice was by Heaven design'd
To please, improve, instruct, reforin, mankind;
To make dejected Virtue nobly rise
Above the towering pitch of splendid Vice;
To make pale Vice, abash'd, her head hang down,
And, trembling, crouch at Virtue's awful frown...
But if the Muse, too cruel in her mirth,
With harsh reflections wounds the man of worth-
Ashan'd, she marks that passage with a blut,
And hates the line where candour was furgot,

APOLOGY.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF JOHN BELL,

BRITISH LIBRARY, STRAND,
BOOKSELLER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE PRINCE OF WALES.

1793

Let one poor sprig of bay around my head
Bloom whilst I live, and point me out when dead;
Let it (may Heaven, indulgent, grant that prayer!)
Be planted on my grave, nor wither there;
And when, on travel bound, some rhyming guest
Roams thro' the church-yard whilst his dinner's dress
Let it hold up this comment to his eyes,
Life to the last enjoy'd, Here Churchill lies;
Whilst, (o what joy that pleasing flattery gives!)
Reading my Works, he cries---Here Churchill lives!

CANDIDATE.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR JOHN BELL, BOOKSELLER TO HIS

ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE PRINCE OF WALES.

1793.

kilt
Seo des Tariky
4-290 320 THE LIFE OF

CHARLES CHURCHILL.
This gentleman was the son of the Rev. Mr.
Charles Churchill, Curate and Lecturer of St.
John's in Westminster. He was also educated in
Westminster-school, and received soine applause
for his abilities from his tutors in that famous se-
minary. His capacity, however, was greater than
his application; so that he received the character of

a boy who could do good if he would. As the to slightest accounts of persons so noted are agree

able, it may not he amiss to observe, that having one day got an exercise to make, and from idleness or inattention having failed to bring it at the time

appointed, his master thought proper to chastise in him with some severity, and even reproach his stu

pidity: what the fear of stripes could not effect, the fear of shame soon produced ; and he brought his exercise the next day finished in such a manner, that he received the public thanks of all the masters.

Still, however, it is to be supposed that his progress in the learned languages was but slow ; nor is it to be wondered at, if we consider how difficult it is for a strong imagination, such as he was possessed of, to conform and walk tamely forward in the trammels of a school education ; minds like his are ever starting aside after new pursuits ; desirous of embracing a multiplicity of amusing ob

B

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