3 12 A PREFATORY ESSAY ON ELEGY. tenderness of fentiment he has endeavoured to impress, he begs the metre also may not be too fuddenly condemned. The public ear, habituated of late to a quicker measure, may perhaps confider this as beavy and languid; but an objeƐtion of that kind may gradually lofe its force, if this measure should be allowed to fuit the nature of elegy. If it should happen to be confidered as an objection with others, that there is too much of a moral caft diffufed through the whole; it is replied, that he endeavoured to animate the poetry fo far as not to render this objection too obvious; or to risque excluding the fashionable reader: at the fame time never deviating from a fixed principle, that poetry without morality is but the bloffom of a fruit-tree. Poetry is indeed like that fpecies of plants, which may bear at once both fruits and blossoms, and the tree is by no means in perfection without the former, however it may be embellished by the flowers which furround it. ELEGY EL EGY I. He arrives at his retirement in the country, and takes occafion to expatiate in praife of fimplicity. To a friend. OR rural virtues, and for native skies, Now, mid the trees, I fee my fmoke arise; O may that genius, which fecures my reft, Far from these paths, ye faithless friends, depart! But mourns in labour'd strains, the price of fame! O lov'd fimplicity! be thine the prize! Still may the mourner, lavish of his tears Soft as the line of love-fick HAMMOND flows, 'Twas his fond heart effus'd the melting theme; Ah! never could AONIA's hill disclofe So fair a fountain, or fo lov'd a stream. Ye loveless bards! intent with artful pains plains Survey CAMILLA's charms, and grow fincere. But thou, my friend! while in thy youthful foul Pleafing when youth is long expir'd, to trace The forms our pencil, or our pen defign'd! "Such was our youthful air and shape and face! "Such the foft image of our youthful mind! Soft The loves and graces fteal unfeen away; And where the turf diffus'd its pomp of flow'rs, Curfe the fad fortune that detains thy fair; When hope exalts thee, or when doubt alarms: Where with CENONE thou haft worn the day, The faithful mufe fhall meet thee in the grove. ELEGY EL EGY II. On pofthumous reputation. To a friend. GRIEF of griefs! that envy's frantic ire Should rob the living virtue of its praise ! O foolish muses! that with zeal aspire To deck the cold infenfate fhrine with bays! When the free spirit quits her humble frame, Perhaps ev'n genius pours a flighted lay; Perhaps ev'n friendship sheds a fruitless tear; Tho' weeping virgins haunt his favour'd urn, The loit'ring fragrance will it reach the skies? No, fhou'd his DELIA Votive wreaths prepare, Yet the dear hope of DELIA's future care Once crown'd his pleasures, and dispell'd his pain. Yes |