John Dryden

Upon Young Mr. Rogers, of Gloucestershire

OF gentle Blood, his Parents only Treasure,
Their lasting Sorrow and their vanish’d Pleasure.
Adorn’d with Features, Virtues, Wit, and Grace,
A large Provision for so short a Race:
More mod’rate Gifts might have prolong’d his Date,
Too early fitted for a better State:
But, knowing Heav’n his Home, to shun Delay
He leap’d o’er Age, and took the shortest Way.