| |
| DIVIDED far by death were they whose names, | |
| In honor here united as in birth, | |
| This monumental verse records. They drew | |
| In Dorset’s healthy vales their natal breath, | |
| And from these shores beheld the ocean first, | 5 |
| Whereon in early youth, with one accord, | |
| They chose their way of fortune; to that course | |
| By Hood and Bridport’s bright example drawn, | |
| Their kinsmen, children of this place, and sons | |
| Of one who in his faithful ministry | 10 |
| Inculcated within these hallowed walls | |
| The truths in mercy to mankind revealed. | |
| Worthy were these three brethren each to add | |
| New honors to the already honored name; | |
| But Arthur, in the morning of his day, | 15 |
| Perished amid the Caribbean Sea, | |
| When the Pomona, by a hurricane | |
| Whirled, riven, and overwhelmed, with all her crew | |
| Into the deep went down. A longer date | |
| To Alexander was assigned,—for hope, | 20 |
| For fair ambition, and for fond regret, | |
| Alas, how short! for duty, for desert, | |
| Sufficing; and, while Time preserves the roll | |
| Of Britain’s naval feats, for good report. | |
| A boy, with Cooke he rounded the great globe; | 25 |
| A youth, in many a celebrated fight | |
| With Rodney had his part; and having reached | |
| Life’s middle stage, engaging ship to ship, | |
| When the French Hercules, a gallant foe, | |
| Struck to the British Mars his three-striped flag, | 30 |
| He fell, in the moment of his victory. | |
| Here his remains, in sure and certain hope, | |
| Are laid, until the hour when earth and sea | |
| Shall render up their dead. One brother yet | |
| Survived, with Keppel and with Rodney trained | 35 |
| In battles, with the Lord of Nile approved, | |
| Ere in command he worthily upheld | |
| Old England’s high prerogative. In the East, | |
| The West, the Baltic and the Midland Seas,— | |
| Yea, wheresoever hostile fleets have ploughed | 40 |
| The ensanguined deep,—his thunders have been heard, | |
| His flag in brave defiance hath been seen; | |
| And bravest enemies at Sir Samuel’s name | |
| Felt fatal presage, in their inmost heart, | |
| Of unavertible defeat foredoomed. | 45 |
| Thus in the path of glory he rode on, | |
| Victorious alway, adding praise to praise, | |
| Till, full of honors, not of years, beneath | |
| The venom of the infected clime he sunk, | |
| On Coromandel’s coast, completing there | 50 |
| His service, only when his life was spent. | |
| |
| To the three brethren, Alexander’s son, | |
| (Sole scion he in whom their line survived,) | |
| With English feeling, and the deeper sense | |
| Of filial duty, consecrates this tomb. | 55 |
| |
