Poems on Several Occasions With some Select Essays in Prose. In Two Volumes. By John Hughes; Adorn'd with Sculptures |
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 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
[Immortal Bard! tho' from the World retir'd]
Immortal
Bard! tho' from the World retir'd,
Still known to Fame, still honour'd, and admir'd!
While fill'd with Joy, in happier Realms you stray,
And dwell in Mansions of eternal Day;
While You, conspicuous thro' the heav'nly Choir,
With swelling Rapture tune the chosen Lyre;
Where echoing Angels the glad Notes prolong,
Or with attentive Silence crown your Song;
Forgive the Muse that in unequal Lays
Offers this humble Tribute of her Praise.
Still known to Fame, still honour'd, and admir'd!
While fill'd with Joy, in happier Realms you stray,
And dwell in Mansions of eternal Day;
While You, conspicuous thro' the heav'nly Choir,
With swelling Rapture tune the chosen Lyre;
Where echoing Angels the glad Notes prolong,
Or with attentive Silence crown your Song;
Forgive the Muse that in unequal Lays
Offers this humble Tribute of her Praise.
Lost in thy Works, how oft I pass the Day,
While the swift Hours steal Unperceiv'd away;
There, in sweet Union, Wit and Virtue charm,
And noblest Sentiments the Bosom warm;
The Brave, the Wise, the Virtuous, and the Fair,
May view themselves in fadeless Colours there.
While the swift Hours steal Unperceiv'd away;
There, in sweet Union, Wit and Virtue charm,
And noblest Sentiments the Bosom warm;
lxxi
May view themselves in fadeless Colours there.
Thro' ev'ry polish'd Piece Correctness flows,
Yet each bright Page with sprightly Fancy glows;
Oh! happy Elegance, where thus are join'd
A solid Judgment, and a Wit refin'd!
Yet each bright Page with sprightly Fancy glows;
Oh! happy Elegance, where thus are join'd
A solid Judgment, and a Wit refin'd!
Here injur'd Phocyas and Eudocia claim
A lasting Pity and a lasting Fame:
Thy Heroine's softer Virtues charm the Sight,
And fill our Souls with ravishing Delight.
Exalted Love and dauntless Courage meet,
To make thy Hero's Character compleat.
This finish'd Piece the noblest Pens commend;
And ev'n the Criticks are the Poet's Friend.
A lasting Pity and a lasting Fame:
Thy Heroine's softer Virtues charm the Sight,
And fill our Souls with ravishing Delight.
Exalted Love and dauntless Courage meet,
To make thy Hero's Character compleat.
This finish'd Piece the noblest Pens commend;
And ev'n the Criticks are the Poet's Friend.
Led on by Thee, those
flow'ry Paths I view,
For ever Lovely, and for ever New,
Where all the Graces with joint Force engage,
To stem th'impetuous Follies of the Age:
Virtue, there deck'd in ever-blooming Charms,
With such resistless Rays of Beauty warms,
That Vice, abash'd, confounded, skulks away,
As Night retires at Dawn of rosy Day.
For ever Lovely, and for ever New,
Where all the Graces with joint Force engage,
To stem th'impetuous Follies of the Age:
Virtue, there deck'd in ever-blooming Charms,
With such resistless Rays of Beauty warms,
That Vice, abash'd, confounded, skulks away,
As Night retires at Dawn of rosy Day.
Struck with his Guilt, the hardy Atheist dreads
Approaching Fate, and trembles as he reads:
Vanquish'd by Reason, yet asham'd to fly,
He dares nor Own a God, nor yet Deny:
Convinc'd, tho' late, Forgiveness he implores;
Shrinks from the Jaws of Hell, and Heav'n adores.
Approaching Fate, and trembles as he reads:
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He dares nor Own a God, nor yet Deny:
Convinc'd, tho' late, Forgiveness he implores;
Shrinks from the Jaws of Hell, and Heav'n adores.
Hither the Wild, the Frolick, and the Gay,
As thoughtless thro' their wanton Rounds they stray,
Compell'd by Fame, repair with curious Eye,
And their own various Forms with Wonder spy.
The Censor so polite, so kindly true,
They see their Faults, and sicken at the View.
Hence trifling Damon ceases to be vain;
And Cloe scorns to give her Lover Pain:
Strephon is true, who ne'er was true before;
And Cælia bids him Love, but not Adore.
As thoughtless thro' their wanton Rounds they stray,
Compell'd by Fame, repair with curious Eye,
And their own various Forms with Wonder spy.
The Censor so polite, so kindly true,
They see their Faults, and sicken at the View.
Hence trifling Damon ceases to be vain;
And Cloe scorns to give her Lover Pain:
Strephon is true, who ne'er was true before;
And Cælia bids him Love, but not Adore.
Tho' Addison and Steele the Honour claim,
Here to stand foremost on the List of Fame;
Yet still the Traces of Thy Hand we see,
Some of the brightest Thoughts are due to Thee.
While then for those Illustrious Bards we mourn,
The Muse shall visit thy Distinguish'd Urn;
With copious Tears bedew the Sacred Ground,
And plant the never-fading Bay around.
Here to stand foremost on the List of Fame;
Yet still the Traces of Thy Hand we see,
Some of the brightest Thoughts are due to Thee.
While then for those Illustrious Bards we mourn,
The Muse shall visit thy Distinguish'd Urn;
With copious Tears bedew the Sacred Ground,
And plant the never-fading Bay around.
Here thro' the Gloom, aspiring Bards explore
These awful Relicts, and be vain no more:
Learning, and Wit, and Fame it self must die;
Virtue alone can tow'ring reach the Sky.
This crown'd his Life. Admire not, Heav'n in View,
He to the glorious Prize with Transport flew.
A Fate so blest shou'd check our streaming Woe,
He Reigns above, his Works Survive below.
These awful Relicts, and be vain no more:
Learning, and Wit, and Fame it self must die;
Virtue alone can tow'ring reach the Sky.
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He to the glorious Prize with Transport flew.
A Fate so blest shou'd check our streaming Woe,
He Reigns above, his Works Survive below.
J. Bunce.
Late of Trinity-Hall, Cambridge.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |