Haply thy Muse, as with unceasing sighs Shall seek forgiveness of Ophelia's shade; Shall unmolested breathe her softest sigh; And candour with unwonted warmth complain, And innocence indulge a wailful cry. Then Elegance, with coy judicious hand, Shall cull fresh flowrets for Ophelia's tomb; And beauty chide the Fates' severe command, That show'd the frailty of so fair a bloom! And Fancy then, with wild ungovern'd woe, Shall her lov'd pupil's native taste explain; For mournful sable all her hues forego, And ask sweet solace of the Muse in vain! Ah! gentle forms! expect no fond relief: Too much the sacred Nine their loss deplore: Well may ye grieve, nor find an end of griefYour best, your brightest, favourite is no more. E 2 HE COMPARES THE TURBULENCE OF LOVE WITH THE TRANQUILLITY OF FRIENDSHIP. TO MELISSA, HIS FRIEND. FROM Love, from angry Love's inclement reign Love is a pleasing but a various clime. When Maro to these fragrant haunts retir'd: Oh, fatal realms! and, oh, accurs'd domains! When Pliny mid sulphureous clouds expir'd. So smiles the surface of the treacherous main, As o'er its waves the peaceful halcyons play, When soon rude winds their wonted rule regain, And sky and ocean mingle in the fray. But let or air contend or ocean rave; Ev'n Hope subside, amid the billows tost; Hope, still emergent, still contemns the wave, And not a feature's wonted smile is lost. TO A LADY, ON THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. COME then, Dione, let us range the grove, Nor senseless ditty cheers the vernal tree: Pensive beneath the twilight shades I sate, The slave of hopeless vows and cold disdain! When Philomel address'd his mournful mate, And thus I construed the mellifluent strain:'Sing on, my bird!—the liquid notes prolong, At every note a lover sheds his tear; Sing on, my bird!-'tis Damon hears thy song, Ah, could our music his complaint remove! 'Erewhile no shepherd to these woods retir'd, 'Cheer'd by the sun, the vassals of his pow'r, Let such by day unite their jarring strains; But let us choose the calm, the silent hour, Nor want fit audience while Dione reigns.' HE DESCRIBES HIS VISION TO AN ACQUAINTANCE. Cætera per terras omnes animalia, &c. Virg. ON distant heaths, beneath autumnal skies, While the rude storm alone distress'd mine ear. The sounding winds were hush'd, and all was fair. Instant a grateful form appear'd confess'd; White were his locks, with awful scarlet crown'd; And livelier far than Tyrian seem'd his vest, That with the glowing purple ting'd the ground. Stranger, (he said) amid this pealing rain, Benighted, lonesome, whither wouldst thou stray? Does wealth or power thy weary step constrain ? Reveal thy wish, and let me point the way. 'For know, I trod the trophied paths of pow'r, Felt every joy that fair Ambition brings, And left the lonely roof of yonder bow'r To stand beneath the canopies of kings. 'I bade low hinds the towering ardour share, Nor meanly rose to bless myself alone; I snatch'd the shepherd from his fleecy care, And bade his wholesome dictate guard the throne. 'Low at my feet the suppliant peer I saw; I saw proud empires my decision wait; My will was duty, and my word was law, My smile was transport, and my frown was fate.' Ah me! (said I) nor power I seek, nor gain; Nor urg'd by hope of fame these toils endure; A simple youth, that feels a lover's pain, And from his friend's condolence hopes a cure, 'He, the dear youth! to whose abodes I roam, Nor can mine honours nor my fields extend; Yet for his sake I leave my distant home, Which oaks embosom, and which hills defend. 'Beneath that home I scorn the wintry wind; The Spring, to shade me, robes her fairest tree; And if a friend my grass-grown threshold find, O how my lonely cot resounds with glee! |