[420] See post, Oct. 16, 1769.
[421] In the original and. Gent. Mag. x. 464. The title of this poem as there given is:—'An epitaph upon the celebrated Claudy Philips, Musician, who died very poor.'
[422] The epitaph of Phillips is in the porch of Wolverhampton Church. The prose part of it is curious:—
'Near this place lies
Charles Claudius Phillips,
Whose absolute contempt of riches
and inimitable performances upon the
violin
made him the admiration of all that
knew him.
He was born in Wales,
made the tour of Europe,
and, after the experience of both
kinds of fortune,
Died in 1732.'
Mr. Garrick appears not to have recited the verses correctly, the original being as follows:—
'Exalted soul, thy various sounds could please
The love-sick virgin and the gouty ease;
Could jarring crowds, like old Amphion, move
To beauteous order and harmonious love;
Rest here in peace, till Angels bid thee rise,
And meet thy Saviour's consort in the skies.' BLAKEWAY.
Consort is defined in Johnson's Dictionary as a number of instruments playing together.
[423] I have no doubt that it was written in 1741; for the second line is clearly a parody of a line in the chorus of Cibber's Birthday Ode for that year. The chorus is as follows:
'While thou our Master of the Main
Revives Eliza's glorious reign,
The great Plantagenets look down,
And see your race adorn your crown.'
Gent. Mag. xi. 549.