The poems and songs of William Hamilton of Bangour collated with the ms. volume of his poems, and containing several pieces hitherto unpublished; with illustrative notes, and an account of the life of the author. By James Paterson |
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 | The poems and songs of William Hamilton of Bangour |  |
Read here the pangs of unsuccessful love,
View the dire ills the weary sufferers prove,
When Care in every shape has leave to reign,
And keener sharpens ev'ry sense of pain:
No charm the cruel spoiler can control,
He blasts the beauteous features of the soul;
With various conflict rends the destin'd breast,
And lays th' internal fair creation waste:
The dreadful demon raging unconfin'd,
To his dire purpose bends the passive mind,
Gloomy and dark the prospect round appears,
Doubts spring from doubts, and fears engender fears;
Hope after hope goes out in endless night,
And all is anguish, torture, and affright.
View the dire ills the weary sufferers prove,
When Care in every shape has leave to reign,
And keener sharpens ev'ry sense of pain:
No charm the cruel spoiler can control,
He blasts the beauteous features of the soul;
With various conflict rends the destin'd breast,
And lays th' internal fair creation waste:
The dreadful demon raging unconfin'd,
To his dire purpose bends the passive mind,
35
Doubts spring from doubts, and fears engender fears;
Hope after hope goes out in endless night,
And all is anguish, torture, and affright.
O! beauteous friend, a gentler fate be thine;
Still may thy star with mildest influence shine;
May heav'n surround thee with peculiar care,
And make thee happy, as it made thee fair;
That gave thee sweetness, unaffected ease,
The pleasing look, that ne'er was taught to please,
True genuine charms, where falsehood claims no part,
Which not alone entice, but fix the heart:
And far beyond all these, supreme in place,
The virtuous mind, an undecaying grace.
Still may thy youth each fond endearment prove
Of tender friendship and complacent love;
May love approach thee in the mildest dress,
And court thee to domestic happiness;
And bring along the pow'r that only knows
To heighten human joys and soften woes;
For woes will be in life; these still return,
The good, the beauteous, and the wise must mourn:
Doubl'd the joy that friendship does divide,
Lessen'd the pain when arm'd the social side:
But ah! how fierce the pang, how deep the groan,
When strong affliction finds the weak alone!
Then many a friend still guard thy shelter'd days,
And guide thee safe thro' Fortune's mystic ways;
The happy youth, whom most thy soul approves,
Friend of thy choice and husband of thy loves,
Whose holy flame heav'n's altar does inspire,
That burns thro' life one clear unsullied fire,
A mutual warmth that glows from breast to breast,
Who loving is belov'd and blessing blest.
Then all the pleasing scenes of life appear,
The charms of kindred and relations dear,
The smiling offspring, Love's far better part,
And all the social meltings of the heart:
Then harlot Pleasure, with her wanton train,
Seduces from the perfect state in vain;
In vain to the lock'd ear the syren sings,
When angels shadow with their guardian wings.
Such, fair Monimia, be thy sacred lot,
When ev'ry memory of him forgot,
Whose faithful muse inspir'd the pious pray'r,
And wearied heaven to keep thee in its care;
That pleas'd it would its choicest influence show'r,
Or on thy serious, or thy mirthful hour;
Conspicuous known in ev'ry scene of life,
The mother, sister, daughter, friend, and wife;
That joy may grow on joy, and constant last,
And each new day rise brighter than the past.
Still may thy star with mildest influence shine;
May heav'n surround thee with peculiar care,
And make thee happy, as it made thee fair;
That gave thee sweetness, unaffected ease,
The pleasing look, that ne'er was taught to please,
True genuine charms, where falsehood claims no part,
Which not alone entice, but fix the heart:
And far beyond all these, supreme in place,
The virtuous mind, an undecaying grace.
Still may thy youth each fond endearment prove
Of tender friendship and complacent love;
May love approach thee in the mildest dress,
And court thee to domestic happiness;
And bring along the pow'r that only knows
To heighten human joys and soften woes;
For woes will be in life; these still return,
The good, the beauteous, and the wise must mourn:
Doubl'd the joy that friendship does divide,
Lessen'd the pain when arm'd the social side:
But ah! how fierce the pang, how deep the groan,
When strong affliction finds the weak alone!
Then many a friend still guard thy shelter'd days,
And guide thee safe thro' Fortune's mystic ways;
The happy youth, whom most thy soul approves,
Friend of thy choice and husband of thy loves,
Whose holy flame heav'n's altar does inspire,
That burns thro' life one clear unsullied fire,
A mutual warmth that glows from breast to breast,
Who loving is belov'd and blessing blest.
Then all the pleasing scenes of life appear,
The charms of kindred and relations dear,
The smiling offspring, Love's far better part,
And all the social meltings of the heart:
Then harlot Pleasure, with her wanton train,
Seduces from the perfect state in vain;
In vain to the lock'd ear the syren sings,
When angels shadow with their guardian wings.
Such, fair Monimia, be thy sacred lot,
When ev'ry memory of him forgot,
Whose faithful muse inspir'd the pious pray'r,
And wearied heaven to keep thee in its care;
That pleas'd it would its choicest influence show'r,
Or on thy serious, or thy mirthful hour;
Conspicuous known in ev'ry scene of life,
The mother, sister, daughter, friend, and wife;
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And each new day rise brighter than the past.
| The poems and songs of William Hamilton of Bangour | |