 | Poetical essays on Several Occasions |  |
50
MARSTON-HOUSE.
Inscribed to the Right Honourable the Earl of ORRERY.
Te nostræ, Vare, miricæ,
Te nemus omne canet
Virg. Ecl. VI.
Te nemus omne canet
Virg. Ecl. VI.
Since you, my Lord, from public Cares refrain,
Nor rural Seats, or rural Songs disdain,
Proud of so great a Guide, the rustic Muse
Thro' the lone Shade your silent Steps pursues,
And like fond Birds, which follow your Retreat,
Haunts your Repose, and hovers round your Seat,
As you approve, advances, or withdraws,
In Woods gives Musick, and in Courts Applause.
Nor rural Seats, or rural Songs disdain,
Proud of so great a Guide, the rustic Muse
Thro' the lone Shade your silent Steps pursues,
And like fond Birds, which follow your Retreat,
Haunts your Repose, and hovers round your Seat,
51
In Woods gives Musick, and in Courts Applause.
Your Presence now our Marston Groves confess,
From civil Noise, soft Region of Recess.
At Your Approach the Country smiles around,
And vocal Forests with the Tidings sound:
Long absent Echoes pleas'd return again,
Wind thro' the Woods, and wanton o'er the Plain:
At Your Approach the Fields appear more gay,
And thro' those Fields the Streams more chearful play:
The grateful Brutes come fawning at your Feet,
And conscious Doves in Flocks your Chariot greet.
From civil Noise, soft Region of Recess.
At Your Approach the Country smiles around,
And vocal Forests with the Tidings sound:
Long absent Echoes pleas'd return again,
Wind thro' the Woods, and wanton o'er the Plain:
At Your Approach the Fields appear more gay,
And thro' those Fields the Streams more chearful play:
The grateful Brutes come fawning at your Feet,
And conscious Doves in Flocks your Chariot greet.
No Crouds, no busy Fops, this Clime annoy,
No Cares this Region of Repose destroy:
No public Knaves, no Parasites intrude,
No Zealots vex these Seats of Solitude.
No Cares this Region of Repose destroy:
No public Knaves, no Parasites intrude,
No Zealots vex these Seats of Solitude.
52
Here o'er th'Horizon wide a Mountain reigns,
That with gay Brow o'erlooks the subject Plains.
In whose Mid-way a gentle Flat is seen,
From Damps below, and Winds above a Screen.
Here hangs the Villa in majestick Show,
And high in Beauty fronts the Meads below,
And seated thus, looks to the distant Eye,
Like some inchanted Palace in the Sky.
That with gay Brow o'erlooks the subject Plains.
In whose Mid-way a gentle Flat is seen,
From Damps below, and Winds above a Screen.
Here hangs the Villa in majestick Show,
And high in Beauty fronts the Meads below,
And seated thus, looks to the distant Eye,
Like some inchanted Palace in the Sky.
A spacious Court, which lofty Walls surround,
And loftier Trees, the splendid Entrance bound:
Deep, mossy Banks in artless Hills decline,
And sloping Verdures beautifully shine.
Behind, with slow Ascent, the Gardens rise,
Whose airy Top looks downward to the Skies;
And on each Side such distant Scenes surveys,
The Sight is buried in the boundless Gaze.
Like the old hanging Gardens of the East,
'Twixt Heav'n and Earth th'exalted Arbors rest:
Thro' Sweets we climb, and climbing, seem to share
Ambrosial Odors, and celestial Air.
And loftier Trees, the splendid Entrance bound:
Deep, mossy Banks in artless Hills decline,
And sloping Verdures beautifully shine.
Behind, with slow Ascent, the Gardens rise,
Whose airy Top looks downward to the Skies;
And on each Side such distant Scenes surveys,
The Sight is buried in the boundless Gaze.
Like the old hanging Gardens of the East,
'Twixt Heav'n and Earth th'exalted Arbors rest:
53
Ambrosial Odors, and celestial Air.
Below, an Area of enamel'd Green
Displays its Robes, where Statues rise between,
And shine with Features of a Roman Mien.
Here polish'd Bowls o'er the smooth Surface glide
Serene, like Bubbles floating on the Tide.
Illustrious Game! which in contracted Space,
Forms a low Copy of th'Olympic Race.
Displays its Robes, where Statues rise between,
And shine with Features of a Roman Mien.
Here polish'd Bowls o'er the smooth Surface glide
Serene, like Bubbles floating on the Tide.
Illustrious Game! which in contracted Space,
Forms a low Copy of th'Olympic Race.
See the pois'd Globes with Emulation roll,
As stream'd swift Chariots to the destin'd Goal;
Now round the Mark with oblique Shiness bend,
And feign to shun that Point to which they tend;
But drawn by Gravity of inward Steel,
Near and more near in lessening Eddies wheel,
Then drop at once, like Birds with downward Wing;
And loud Applauses o'er the Verdure ring.
As stream'd swift Chariots to the destin'd Goal;
Now round the Mark with oblique Shiness bend,
And feign to shun that Point to which they tend;
But drawn by Gravity of inward Steel,
Near and more near in lessening Eddies wheel,
Then drop at once, like Birds with downward Wing;
And loud Applauses o'er the Verdure ring.
54
Thus Vessels near some Vortex in the Deep,
With various Path long round its Edges sweep,
But once within the Gulphy Circles cast,
Sink to the Centre with impetuous Haste.
With various Path long round its Edges sweep,
But once within the Gulphy Circles cast,
Sink to the Centre with impetuous Haste.
But see, th'Antagonists, 'twixt Joy and Fear,
Alternate vary with the shifting Sphere;
As this revolves, their Passions rise or fall,
Just Picture of the great terrestrial Ball;
When from the Mark the Bowl elopes in Flight,
Persuading Muscles try to wind it right,
And with mechanic Impulse, laboring guide
Its Path erratic, and the Motion chide;
When slowly waddling with dull, slumbring Pace,
The flying Words precipitate the Race;
But when too swift, the Language slacks its Sound,
And Syllables sleep loitering o'er the Ground.
Alternate vary with the shifting Sphere;
As this revolves, their Passions rise or fall,
Just Picture of the great terrestrial Ball;
When from the Mark the Bowl elopes in Flight,
Persuading Muscles try to wind it right,
And with mechanic Impulse, laboring guide
Its Path erratic, and the Motion chide;
When slowly waddling with dull, slumbring Pace,
The flying Words precipitate the Race;
But when too swift, the Language slacks its Sound,
And Syllables sleep loitering o'er the Ground.
55
Here you, my Lord, unsully'd Pleasures find,
And from severer Scenes relax your Mind;
Books and Diversions, happy Contrast! blend
Gentle Amusements, and a gentle Friend;
And with these Bowls more glorious Contest hold,
Than the Pellæan Ravager of old,
Or rapid Cæsar in his martial Robe,
Crossing the Rhine, and toiling for the Globe.
Blest in your Lady, whose attractive Air,
And chaste Endearments, sweeten every Care.
While in your blooming Offspring we presage
Uncommon Blessings to the rising Age.
And from severer Scenes relax your Mind;
Books and Diversions, happy Contrast! blend
Gentle Amusements, and a gentle Friend;
And with these Bowls more glorious Contest hold,
Than the Pellæan Ravager of old,
Or rapid Cæsar in his martial Robe,
Crossing the Rhine, and toiling for the Globe.
Blest in your Lady, whose attractive Air,
And chaste Endearments, sweeten every Care.
While in your blooming Offspring we presage
Uncommon Blessings to the rising Age.
Let Men of Pleasure of their Raptures boast,
'Tis but a momentary Joy at most,
A treach'rous Sea which will no Storm abide,
While virtuous Pleasure is a constant Tide.
Let others restless rove the World around,
In vain Pursuits no Happiness is found;
Let needy Courtiers pine for wretched State,
'Tis private Virtue makes the good Man Great.
'Tis but a momentary Joy at most,
A treach'rous Sea which will no Storm abide,
While virtuous Pleasure is a constant Tide.
Let others restless rove the World around,
In vain Pursuits no Happiness is found;
56
'Tis private Virtue makes the good Man Great.
Heroic Souls, of such a Prize possess'd,
May scorn the tinsel Treasures of the East,
And fraught with calm Tranquility can find
A better Treasure in a guiltless Mind.
'Tis thus the Brave all Ills of Life despise,
And know that to be Blest, is to be Wise.
May scorn the tinsel Treasures of the East,
And fraught with calm Tranquility can find
A better Treasure in a guiltless Mind.
'Tis thus the Brave all Ills of Life despise,
And know that to be Blest, is to be Wise.
| Poetical essays on Several Occasions | |