Here lies, lamented by the poor and great-- (Prop of the Church, and glory of the State)-- A woman, late a mighty monarch’s queen, Above all flattery, and above all spleen; Loved by the good, and hated by the evil, Pursued, now dead, by satire and the devil. With steadfast zeal (which kindled in her youth) A foe to bigotry, a friend to truth; Too generous for the lust of lawless rule, Nor Persecution’s nor Oppression’s tool: In Locke’s, in Clarke’s, in Hoadley’s paths she trod, Nor fear’d to follow where _they_ follow’d God. To all obliging and to all sincere, Wise to choose friendships, firm to persevere. Free without rudeness; great without disdain; An hypocrite in nought but _hiding pain_. To courts she taught the rules of just expence, Join’d with economy, magnificence; Attention to a kingdom’s vast affairs, Attention to the meanest mortal’s cares; Profusion might consume, or avarice hoard, ’Twas hers to feed, unknown, the scanty board. Thus, of each human excellence possess’d, With as few faults as e’er attend the best; Dear to her lord, to all her children dear, And (to the last her thought, her conscience clear) Forgiving all, forgiven and approved, To peaceful worlds her peaceful soul removed. The above panegyric was drawn up as a reply to an epitaph of another character, which was then in circulation, from the pen of a writer who contemplated his subject in another point of view. It was to this effect:-- Here lies unpitied, both by Church and State, The subject of their flattery and hate; Flatter’d by those on whom her favours flow’d, Hated for favours impiously bestow’d; Who aim’d the Church by Churchmen to betray, And hoped to share in arbitrary sway. In Tindal’s and in Hoadley’s paths she trod, An hypocrite in all but disbelief in God. Promoted luxury, encouraged vice, Herself a sordid slave to avarice. True friendship’s tender love ne’er touch’d her heart, Falsehood appear’d in vice disguised by art. Fawning and haughty; when familiar, rude; And never civil seem’d but to delude. Inquisitive in trifling, mean affairs, Heedless of public good or orphan’s tears; To her own offspring mercy she denied, And, unforgiving, unforgiven died. CHAPTER X. THE REIGN OF THE WIDOWER.