Stanzas On The Late Indecent Liberties Taken With The Remains Of The Great Milton

"Me too, perchance, in future days,

The sculptured stone shall show,

With Paphian myrtle or with bays

Parnassian on my brow.

"But I, or e'er that season come,

Escaped from every care,

Shall reach my refuge in the tomb,

And sleep securely there."

So sang, in Roman tone and style,

The youthful bard, ere long

Ordained to grace his native isle

With her sublimest song.

Who then but must conceive disdain,

Hearing the deed unblest,

Of wretches who have dared profane

His dread sepulchral rest?

Ill fare the hands that heaved the stones

Where Milton's ashes lay,

That trembled not to grasp his bones

And steal his dust away!

O ill-requited bard! neglect

Thy living worth repaid,

And blind idolatrous respect

As much affronts thee dead.

The bones of Milton, who lies buried in Cripplegate church, were disinterred: a pamphlet by Le Neve was published at the time, giving an account of what appeared on opening his coffin.First 2 stanzas:---"Forsitan et nostros ducat de marmore vultusNectens aut Paphia myrti aut Pernasside lauriFronde comas -- At ego secura pace quiescam." ~ Milton in Manso.(Ill fare the hands that heaved the stones...): Cowper, no doubt, had in his memory the lines said to have been written by Shakspeare on his tomb:"Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbearTo dig the dust inclosed hereBlest be the man that spares these stones,And curst be he that moves my bones."