The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
 |
 |
The Progress of Wit; a Caveat.
|
|
 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
The Progress of Wit; a Caveat.
Tuneful Alexis, on the Thame's fair side,
The ladies play thing, and the muses pride;
With merit popular, with wit polite,
Easy, tho' vain; and elegant, tho' light:
Desiring, and deserving, others praise,
Poorly accepts a fame, he ne'er repays;
Unborn to cherish, sneakingly approves,
And wants the soul to spread the worth, he loves.
This, to the juniors of his tribe, gave pain,
For mean minds praise, but to be prais'd again;
Henceforth, renouncing an ungracious Baal,
His altars smoak not, and their off'rings fail:
The heat, his scorn had rais'd, his pride inflam'd,
'Till what they worship'd first, they next defam'd;
Depos'd, at length, from Pindus' top, he roll'd,
While insect witlings, pleas'd, his fall behold,
And each cold-croaking Heliconian frog
Leaps scornful, and bestrides th' unreigning log.
The ladies play thing, and the muses pride;
With merit popular, with wit polite,
Easy, tho' vain; and elegant, tho' light:
Desiring, and deserving, others praise,
Poorly accepts a fame, he ne'er repays;
Unborn to cherish, sneakingly approves,
And wants the soul to spread the worth, he loves.
This, to the juniors of his tribe, gave pain,
For mean minds praise, but to be prais'd again;
Henceforth, renouncing an ungracious Baal,
His altars smoak not, and their off'rings fail:
372
'Till what they worship'd first, they next defam'd;
Depos'd, at length, from Pindus' top, he roll'd,
While insect witlings, pleas'd, his fall behold,
And each cold-croaking Heliconian frog
Leaps scornful, and bestrides th' unreigning log.
Far-fall'n Alexis, who so ill aspir'd,
Sick of successless war, from wounds retir'd,
Where, while in sleep, his sorrows ebb'd away,
And, hush'd in darkness, indignation lay;
Fancy, fair mistress of the poet's mind,
For ever changing, yet for ever kind;
Soft, o'er his dreams, her formful radiance shed,
And his rapt soul thro' heav'n's thin purlieus, led;
Seated beside the star-invading dame,
Whose steeds, wind-footed, paw'd the lambent flame.
High, as a widow'd lover's grief can climb,
Her air-built chariot rose, and hung sublime.
Sick of successless war, from wounds retir'd,
Where, while in sleep, his sorrows ebb'd away,
And, hush'd in darkness, indignation lay;
Fancy, fair mistress of the poet's mind,
For ever changing, yet for ever kind;
Soft, o'er his dreams, her formful radiance shed,
And his rapt soul thro' heav'n's thin purlieus, led;
Seated beside the star-invading dame,
Whose steeds, wind-footed, paw'd the lambent flame.
High, as a widow'd lover's grief can climb,
Her air-built chariot rose, and hung sublime.
Unveiling, thence, the world's bleak wastes, below,
They saw the stream of life, beneath 'em, flow;
Dim, from the sable sea of birth, it rose,
In a slow, silent, sullen, dread repose:
For, round th' emerging source, that glimmer'd, pale,
Mountains of midnight darkness roll'd a veil:
But, as the evolving surge swell'd into day,
Quick'ning, it mov'd, and roar'd, and rush'd away.
They saw the stream of life, beneath 'em, flow;
373
In a slow, silent, sullen, dread repose:
For, round th' emerging source, that glimmer'd, pale,
Mountains of midnight darkness roll'd a veil:
But, as the evolving surge swell'd into day,
Quick'ning, it mov'd, and roar'd, and rush'd away.
Broad, on the left, from low oblivion's shore,
Quicksands, and rocks, reach'd half the current o'er:
Lucid, like truth, the treach'rous water shone,
And, o'er gay gilded shoals, ran, tuneful, on;
Pebbles of gem-like hue, with painted pride,
Glow'd, thro' the wave, and burnt, amid the tide.
Wantonly kind, the sun's enliv'ning beams
Shower'd, in light spangles, on the dancing streams:
While insect nations, gnats, and wasps, and flies,
Ting'd, in the rainbow's ever-changing dyes,
Sheathing their stings, and smiling, like the fair,
Peopled the sunshine, and adorn'd the air.
Quicksands, and rocks, reach'd half the current o'er:
Lucid, like truth, the treach'rous water shone,
And, o'er gay gilded shoals, ran, tuneful, on;
Pebbles of gem-like hue, with painted pride,
Glow'd, thro' the wave, and burnt, amid the tide.
Wantonly kind, the sun's enliv'ning beams
Shower'd, in light spangles, on the dancing streams:
While insect nations, gnats, and wasps, and flies,
Ting'd, in the rainbow's ever-changing dyes,
Sheathing their stings, and smiling, like the fair,
Peopled the sunshine, and adorn'd the air.
Less lively, on the right, the stream's deep flow,
There, no false colours mix'd their varied glow;
No gawdy bottom catch'd the downcast eye:
Above, no flutt'ring insect wing'd the sky:
Serenely solemn, all—One equal whole
Flash'd not upon the sense, but touch'd the soul:
Instead of rocks, green islands flourish'd, here,
Silent, and fruitful, as the full-grown year;
In place of flies, grave swans of snow-like hue,
Sweetly majestic, in slow circles, flew:
But, tho' these isles the distant prospect chear'd,
No bay, no port, no landing-place appear'd;
Kind birds, alone, gave entrance o'er the mound,
Nor, from the stream, below, was inlet found.
There, no false colours mix'd their varied glow;
374
Above, no flutt'ring insect wing'd the sky:
Serenely solemn, all—One equal whole
Flash'd not upon the sense, but touch'd the soul:
Instead of rocks, green islands flourish'd, here,
Silent, and fruitful, as the full-grown year;
In place of flies, grave swans of snow-like hue,
Sweetly majestic, in slow circles, flew:
But, tho' these isles the distant prospect chear'd,
No bay, no port, no landing-place appear'd;
Kind birds, alone, gave entrance o'er the mound,
Nor, from the stream, below, was inlet found.
Then
fancy, thus—Fame's future regions, these,
Where nothing surfeits, yet, where all things please;
Here, memory stands fix'd, while time runs on,
And worth blooms fresh, when life itself is gone;
Danger keeps distance, soften'd spleen grows kind,
Ambition temperate, and love refin'd:
Nor pride, nor jealousy, can, here, annoy,
Nothing is ecstacy, tho' all is joy:
Peace without languor, labour, void of pain,
Glory unenvied, and unslander'd gain.
Where nothing surfeits, yet, where all things please;
Here, memory stands fix'd, while time runs on,
And worth blooms fresh, when life itself is gone;
Danger keeps distance, soften'd spleen grows kind,
Ambition temperate, and love refin'd:
Nor pride, nor jealousy, can, here, annoy,
Nothing is ecstacy, tho' all is joy:
Peace without languor, labour, void of pain,
Glory unenvied, and unslander'd gain.
375
Tho' diff'ring, thus, the stream's unsocial sides,
Yet, one broad gulph absorb'd the double tides;
From birth, devolving, death's blind sea, below,
Boundless, and formless, snatch'd the mingled flow;
Both rounding oceans, backward, seem'd to tend,
And vast, beneath, their sable surges blend:
But far more frightful this!—whose dark profound,
A depth eternal! life wants line to sound:
Unbottom'd shade roll'd, loose, o'er swallowed light—
Fancy grew giddy, nor sustain'd the sight:
But, starting into fear, transpos'd remark,
And sought the source, less dreadful, tho' as dark.
Yet, one broad gulph absorb'd the double tides;
From birth, devolving, death's blind sea, below,
Boundless, and formless, snatch'd the mingled flow;
Both rounding oceans, backward, seem'd to tend,
And vast, beneath, their sable surges blend:
But far more frightful this!—whose dark profound,
A depth eternal! life wants line to sound:
Unbottom'd shade roll'd, loose, o'er swallowed light—
Fancy grew giddy, nor sustain'd the sight:
But, starting into fear, transpos'd remark,
And sought the source, less dreadful, tho' as dark.
Thick, on the rising stream's emitted tide,
Millions of shapeless bodies seem'd to glide;
Whose breathing bulks, to life, and motion, blown,
Shot into human forms, compleatly grown;
Mix'd rank, and sex, sprung thro' the liquid jet,
But, pouring outward, clear distinction met;
Some wading, naked, trod the slipp'ry plain,
Some cut the fluent wave—some, tir'd with pain,
Falling to float, or wade, neglected, fell,
And sunk, unsnatch'd at, in the troubled swell:
To others, rising happier, and serene,
Fortune, dark bustling, pow'r, obscurely seen,
Reach'd, with blind bounty, and, with hasty hand,
Thin boats—and buoy'd 'em o'er the shining sand:
Of diff'rent form, these boats—a single oar
Distinguish'd some—Some wing'd their sides, with more:
Others, with oars and sails, conjoin'd, made way,
And mow'd the murm'ring surge with sweepy sway:
While some, slow pole-men, o'er their toil, reclin'd,
Push'd their check'd barks, and, lab'ring, lagg'd behind.
Millions of shapeless bodies seem'd to glide;
Whose breathing bulks, to life, and motion, blown,
Shot into human forms, compleatly grown;
Mix'd rank, and sex, sprung thro' the liquid jet,
But, pouring outward, clear distinction met;
376
Some cut the fluent wave—some, tir'd with pain,
Falling to float, or wade, neglected, fell,
And sunk, unsnatch'd at, in the troubled swell:
To others, rising happier, and serene,
Fortune, dark bustling, pow'r, obscurely seen,
Reach'd, with blind bounty, and, with hasty hand,
Thin boats—and buoy'd 'em o'er the shining sand:
Of diff'rent form, these boats—a single oar
Distinguish'd some—Some wing'd their sides, with more:
Others, with oars and sails, conjoin'd, made way,
And mow'd the murm'ring surge with sweepy sway:
While some, slow pole-men, o'er their toil, reclin'd,
Push'd their check'd barks, and, lab'ring, lagg'd behind.
While some essay'd to cross, and veering wide,
Wou'd with strong stem, the stubborn stream divide,
And slowly slanting, sought the silent side;
Swift, to the shelvy shore, light gallies flew,
As the fierce channel's rapid current drew,
'Twixt rocks, and whirlpools, driv'n, obliquely gay,
And, thro' the shoaly sunshine, danc'd away.
Wou'd with strong stem, the stubborn stream divide,
And slowly slanting, sought the silent side;
Swift, to the shelvy shore, light gallies flew,
As the fierce channel's rapid current drew,
377
And, thro' the shoaly sunshine, danc'd away.
Caught, by the gulphy void, that gloom'd, below,
These, from the current's fair descending flow,
In-drawn, at once, by darkness swallow'd o'er,
Sunk, from their sunny scene, and rose no more:
Still gap'd th' unclosing deep; o'er millions gone,
Yet, still insatiate, hourly swallow'd on!
Titles, distinctions, forms, rush mingled down,
Not levity itself wants weight to drown:
Gamesters, beaux, casuists, jinglers, jesters, drinkers,
Fox-hunters, politicians, and free-thinkers,
Prudes, devotees, coquets, grave, light, young, old,
In one mixt night, the covering waves infold:
Swept from the noise they sought, to rest they shun'd,
They plunge, for ever, into death's profound:
While abler pilots, who, resolv'd, stood o'er,
And, edging broad, gain'd slow, the safer shore;
Snatch'd, from their sinking seats, were borne to land,
By watchful swans, whose wings the surface fann'd:
There, on green islands, reign'd, escap'd from cares,
Lords of a blooming world, for ever, theirs.
These, from the current's fair descending flow,
In-drawn, at once, by darkness swallow'd o'er,
Sunk, from their sunny scene, and rose no more:
Still gap'd th' unclosing deep; o'er millions gone,
Yet, still insatiate, hourly swallow'd on!
Titles, distinctions, forms, rush mingled down,
Not levity itself wants weight to drown:
Gamesters, beaux, casuists, jinglers, jesters, drinkers,
Fox-hunters, politicians, and free-thinkers,
Prudes, devotees, coquets, grave, light, young, old,
In one mixt night, the covering waves infold:
Swept from the noise they sought, to rest they shun'd,
They plunge, for ever, into death's profound:
While abler pilots, who, resolv'd, stood o'er,
And, edging broad, gain'd slow, the safer shore;
378
By watchful swans, whose wings the surface fann'd:
There, on green islands, reign'd, escap'd from cares,
Lords of a blooming world, for ever, theirs.
Wide, o'er the scene, Alexis winds his eye,
Swift, as the progress of the gliders by;
A strange confusion rose—of all who past,
With earnest emptiness, and barren haste,
Few, cross the flood, repugnant, strove to steer,
Fewer had strength of oars to hold them near!
Tir'd, by the current's ill-resisted force,
Or, bulg'd by envious prows, which cross'd their course,
The boldest keels, pursuing, or pursu'd,
Entangling, and perplex'd, were lost in feud:
While others, heedless of their sleeping oars,
Drove, in light negligence, nor shun'd the shores;
But, pendent o'er the helm, each shoal explor'd,
And snatch'd, in transport, shells, and stones, on board:
Or, leaping wanton, catch'd the glittering prey,
That buzz'd, and gambol'd, in their sportive way.
Swift, as the progress of the gliders by;
A strange confusion rose—of all who past,
With earnest emptiness, and barren haste,
Few, cross the flood, repugnant, strove to steer,
Fewer had strength of oars to hold them near!
Tir'd, by the current's ill-resisted force,
Or, bulg'd by envious prows, which cross'd their course,
The boldest keels, pursuing, or pursu'd,
Entangling, and perplex'd, were lost in feud:
While others, heedless of their sleeping oars,
Drove, in light negligence, nor shun'd the shores;
But, pendent o'er the helm, each shoal explor'd,
And snatch'd, in transport, shells, and stones, on board:
379
That buzz'd, and gambol'd, in their sportive way.
Mean while, most mournful, of the motley scene!
Cherish'd effect of pride, and food of spleen!
Boat over boat, destructive passage made,
And weeping pity mourn'd defective aid:
Sailing presumers, pressing, proudly on,
Bore down each envied rower, who nearest shone;
The oar-wing'd vessel ey'd, with dumb disdain,
The creeping pole-man's slow-availing pain;
And, lordly wanton, with invasive beak,
Sunk the faint struggler, criminally weak!
He, too, in concert with superior hate,
Loth to exert less guilt, than match'd his state,
Triumphant, in his turn, sought equal prey,
And, o'er the naked wader, forc'd his way:
Cherish'd effect of pride, and food of spleen!
Boat over boat, destructive passage made,
And weeping pity mourn'd defective aid:
Sailing presumers, pressing, proudly on,
Bore down each envied rower, who nearest shone;
The oar-wing'd vessel ey'd, with dumb disdain,
The creeping pole-man's slow-availing pain;
And, lordly wanton, with invasive beak,
Sunk the faint struggler, criminally weak!
He, too, in concert with superior hate,
Loth to exert less guilt, than match'd his state,
Triumphant, in his turn, sought equal prey,
And, o'er the naked wader, forc'd his way:
Alexis, pondering, in suspended thought,
What meaning all these mazy mixtures taught,
Sudden, a shout, from every distant side,
Eddied the air, and broke the back'ning tide;
Acclamatory thousands rose alarm'd,
All eyes attracted, and each hearing charm'd;
Pointing in transport, all their helms forsook,
And, on one object, hung their length'ning look.
What meaning all these mazy mixtures taught,
Sudden, a shout, from every distant side,
Eddied the air, and broke the back'ning tide;
Acclamatory thousands rose alarm'd,
All eyes attracted, and each hearing charm'd;
380
And, on one object, hung their length'ning look.
Down, from the gloomy source, in side-long float,
Proudly descending, mov'd a glitt'ring boat;
Her silken sails a colour'd radiance threw,
And ting'd the sunny beams, thro' which they flew;
While oars of silver, dash'd the wat'ry spray,
That rain'd in gemmy show'rs, and dazzled day:
High, on the painted stern, a youth appear'd,
Who rather happily, than strongly steer'd;
Faint, and unstriking was his anguish'd mien,
Sadden'd by sickness, and o'ercast with spleen;
Yet, from his eyes, there beam'd a living light,
Keen, and intent, as a fir'd eagle's sight:
And, from his voice, (for, as he sail'd, he sung)
Such magic sounds of melting music sprung,
That the hush'd heav'n all downward seem'd to bend,
And, against nature, the charm'd earth ascend.
Proudly descending, mov'd a glitt'ring boat;
Her silken sails a colour'd radiance threw,
And ting'd the sunny beams, thro' which they flew;
While oars of silver, dash'd the wat'ry spray,
That rain'd in gemmy show'rs, and dazzled day:
High, on the painted stern, a youth appear'd,
Who rather happily, than strongly steer'd;
Faint, and unstriking was his anguish'd mien,
Sadden'd by sickness, and o'ercast with spleen;
Yet, from his eyes, there beam'd a living light,
Keen, and intent, as a fir'd eagle's sight:
And, from his voice, (for, as he sail'd, he sung)
Such magic sounds of melting music sprung,
That the hush'd heav'n all downward seem'd to bend,
And, against nature, the charm'd earth ascend.
381
Careless, he look'd, yet, heedful of his way,
Broke the kind current's un-obstructing sway,
That kiss'd his oars, and hasten'd to obey:
Scarce was his course oblique, for each glad boat,
That, envious, stem'd all other's rival float,
Fix'd, and enchanted, when this youth drew nigh,
Hung on his passing notes, and help'd him by:
The Muses row'd him, and the Graces' care
Trimm'd his light sails, and spread them to the air;
In his boat's bottom, green-ey'd Envy lay,
And serv'd, as ballast, while she clog'd his way:
Down, from her chariot, light-wing'd Fancy flew,
And o'er him, loose, her starry mantle threw;
Pleasure, praise, beauty, 'twixt his shrowds, trod gay,
And danc'd the measur'd moments soft away:
Sportful as Zephyrs, in his smiles, they strove,
And the young loves forsook their mother's grove.
Broke the kind current's un-obstructing sway,
That kiss'd his oars, and hasten'd to obey:
Scarce was his course oblique, for each glad boat,
That, envious, stem'd all other's rival float,
Fix'd, and enchanted, when this youth drew nigh,
Hung on his passing notes, and help'd him by:
The Muses row'd him, and the Graces' care
Trimm'd his light sails, and spread them to the air;
In his boat's bottom, green-ey'd Envy lay,
And serv'd, as ballast, while she clog'd his way:
Down, from her chariot, light-wing'd Fancy flew,
And o'er him, loose, her starry mantle threw;
Pleasure, praise, beauty, 'twixt his shrowds, trod gay,
And danc'd the measur'd moments soft away:
Sportful as Zephyrs, in his smiles, they strove,
And the young loves forsook their mother's grove.
Thus fortunate, thus favour'd, and thus bright,
Luckily negligent, and aptly light,
He touch'd no shoal, safe rounded every rock,
Despis'd all danger, and sustain'd no shock;
'Till, to that calmer coast, approaching nigh,
And gliding, 'twixt green islands, safely high,
Circles of hov'ring swans, with joyful note,
Clapp'd their broad wings, in triumph o'er his boat,
Charm'd, that, so soon, he reach'd their solemn side,
E'er yet one third of the stream's length was try'd.
Luckily negligent, and aptly light,
He touch'd no shoal, safe rounded every rock,
Despis'd all danger, and sustain'd no shock;
382
And gliding, 'twixt green islands, safely high,
Circles of hov'ring swans, with joyful note,
Clapp'd their broad wings, in triumph o'er his boat,
Charm'd, that, so soon, he reach'd their solemn side,
E'er yet one third of the stream's length was try'd.
Steering, from isle to isle, with joyless awe,
Thin, o'er each height, their white-rob'd lords he saw,
Pleas'd, without transport, bow the palms they bore,
To hail his passage near their silent shore;
Cold, and uncharm'd, he sought his fav'rite croud,
Immensely distant, now, tho', late, so loud:
All was serene, the air was hush'd around,
The waters calm!—Lost ev'n his musick's sound!
Back to the left, impatient looks he cast,
And long'd for ev'ry shining insect past;
Distant he saw them, wings o'er wings, display,
And, in light chases, thread the colour'd ray:
Eager, for these, contending pilots strove,
And catch'd them, careless how their vessels drove;
Then, with their trophies, dress'd each gaudy sail,
While humming drones, in swarms, their fortune hail:
Record past leaps, foretel their next essays,
And buz, melodious, in the fly-men's praise.
Thin, o'er each height, their white-rob'd lords he saw,
Pleas'd, without transport, bow the palms they bore,
To hail his passage near their silent shore;
Cold, and uncharm'd, he sought his fav'rite croud,
Immensely distant, now, tho', late, so loud:
All was serene, the air was hush'd around,
The waters calm!—Lost ev'n his musick's sound!
Back to the left, impatient looks he cast,
And long'd for ev'ry shining insect past;
Distant he saw them, wings o'er wings, display,
And, in light chases, thread the colour'd ray:
Eager, for these, contending pilots strove,
And catch'd them, careless how their vessels drove;
383
While humming drones, in swarms, their fortune hail:
Record past leaps, foretel their next essays,
And buz, melodious, in the fly-men's praise.
Warm'd, and misled, by this false fire of fame,
His beaming eyes, with emulation, flame;
And have I, recreant, thus renounc'd a field,
Where baffled danger can such glory yield?
Lives there a catch-fly, of yon vent'rous press,
More brave than I am? or, who fears them less?
Shew me the warring wasp, whose threat'ning wing
I dare not strike at, and provoke his sting!
Swans! give me way—your shoreless islands keep,
Too safe your clime is, and too calm your deep;
I chuse a rapid glory, not a slow:
Shoals are sought harbours, where these jewels grow.
His beaming eyes, with emulation, flame;
And have I, recreant, thus renounc'd a field,
Where baffled danger can such glory yield?
Lives there a catch-fly, of yon vent'rous press,
More brave than I am? or, who fears them less?
Shew me the warring wasp, whose threat'ning wing
I dare not strike at, and provoke his sting!
Swans! give me way—your shoreless islands keep,
Too safe your clime is, and too calm your deep;
I chuse a rapid glory, not a slow:
Shoals are sought harbours, where these jewels grow.
He said, and rising, push'd, with liquid sweep,
Th' inverted helm, and goar'd the groaning deep:
Flaming erect, re-sought the surgy side,
And bounded, threat'ning, o'er the foaming tide:
Sailing athwart the swarms, and skipping high,
He snatch'd, triumphant, every tempting fly:
Gave his loose rudder, to the current's claim,
And drove, disdainful, thro' his rival's game;
Press'd by invaded wasps' excited stings,
He warr'd, revengeful, on their falling wings:
Thro' dust of slaughter'd gnats, he fought, in shade,
And squeez'd them, deathful, on the wounds, they made;
Fleets of cold opposites, from all sides, join,
And, wedg'd, against this general foe, combine:
Vainly, indignant, they resist his sway,
Yet block his passage, and obstruct his way:
Still, tho' he stagnates, he the fight maintains,
While drones, applausive, with their ductile strains,
Homage the rising hero's new renown,
And prince of fly-catchers the champion crown.
Th' inverted helm, and goar'd the groaning deep:
Flaming erect, re-sought the surgy side,
And bounded, threat'ning, o'er the foaming tide:
384
He snatch'd, triumphant, every tempting fly:
Gave his loose rudder, to the current's claim,
And drove, disdainful, thro' his rival's game;
Press'd by invaded wasps' excited stings,
He warr'd, revengeful, on their falling wings:
Thro' dust of slaughter'd gnats, he fought, in shade,
And squeez'd them, deathful, on the wounds, they made;
Fleets of cold opposites, from all sides, join,
And, wedg'd, against this general foe, combine:
Vainly, indignant, they resist his sway,
Yet block his passage, and obstruct his way:
Still, tho' he stagnates, he the fight maintains,
While drones, applausive, with their ductile strains,
Homage the rising hero's new renown,
And prince of fly-catchers the champion crown.
The
swans, mean-while, which, from the calmer side,
Forsaken, saw him trust the fatal tide;
Mournful, with pendent wing, his triumph griev'd,
And wish'd his wasted vigour less deceiv'd:
Trembling, they mark'd his vessel, downward bent,
Hang o'er th' engulphing ocean's dark descent,
While he, regardless, still, new trophies won,
And, bent to conquer, saw not what to shun.
Forsaken, saw him trust the fatal tide;
Mournful, with pendent wing, his triumph griev'd,
And wish'd his wasted vigour less deceiv'd:
385
Hang o'er th' engulphing ocean's dark descent,
While he, regardless, still, new trophies won,
And, bent to conquer, saw not what to shun.
FANCY, still busied, still enamour'd, staid,
And, still concurring, lent his rashness aid;
To her, far distant, touch'd Alexis cry'd.
And with strain'd voice, to reach her notice, try'd:
“O! save him, warn him, bid him turn, and think,
“Let not his bark, in yon black ocean, sink!
“Teach me to call him, by his pow'rful name,
“Point out his danger, quench his devious flame;
“Rash spleen of heart, that could such war advise!
“Blind rage! to lose himself, and catch but flies!
“Oh teach my tongue his name” —Then fancy heard,
And, smiling, at her chariot's side appear'd:
“Why dost thou ask, she cry'd, what nations know,
“Even, all, whom wit, or worth, inspire, below?
“His is a name, that dwells on ev'ry mind,
“Tunes every tongue, and sails, with every wind!
“Not surer is that river life's extent,
“Or by those oceans, birth, and death, are meant;
“Not surer fortune is that dark pow'r's name,
“That left, oblivion, and that right side, fame.
“Than, that no son of wit dares justly, hope,
“Fame dwells in folly's paths, but thou, O POPE!
And, still concurring, lent his rashness aid;
To her, far distant, touch'd Alexis cry'd.
And with strain'd voice, to reach her notice, try'd:
“O! save him, warn him, bid him turn, and think,
“Let not his bark, in yon black ocean, sink!
“Teach me to call him, by his pow'rful name,
“Point out his danger, quench his devious flame;
“Rash spleen of heart, that could such war advise!
“Blind rage! to lose himself, and catch but flies!
“Oh teach my tongue his name” —Then fancy heard,
And, smiling, at her chariot's side appear'd:
“Why dost thou ask, she cry'd, what nations know,
“Even, all, whom wit, or worth, inspire, below?
386
“Tunes every tongue, and sails, with every wind!
“Not surer is that river life's extent,
“Or by those oceans, birth, and death, are meant;
“Not surer fortune is that dark pow'r's name,
“That left, oblivion, and that right side, fame.
“Than, that no son of wit dares justly, hope,
“Fame dwells in folly's paths, but thou, O POPE!
Alexis, starting, heard his own lov'd name,
Felt his pride shrink, and blush'd, with conscious shame!
Pitch'd from the chariot, lost to fancy's call,
And, had not waiting judgment broke the fall,
Contempt's cold vale had caught him, wak'd, and stunn'd,
And deep intomb'd him, in his own profund.
Felt his pride shrink, and blush'd, with conscious shame!
Pitch'd from the chariot, lost to fancy's call,
And, had not waiting judgment broke the fall,
Contempt's cold vale had caught him, wak'd, and stunn'd,
And deep intomb'd him, in his own profund.
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |