Best Friend! could my unbounded Grief but rate
With due proportion thy too cruel Fate;
Could I some happy Miracle bring forth,
Great as my Wishes and thy greater Worth,
All Helicon should soon be thine,
And pay a Tribute to thy Shrine.
The learned Sisters all transform'd should be,
No longer nine, but one Melpomene:
Each should into a Niobe relent,
At once thy Mourner and thy Monument.
Each should become
Like the fam'd Memnon 's speaking Tomb,
To sing thy well-tun'd Praise;
Nor should we fear their being dumb,
Thou still would'st make 'em vocal with thy Rays.