 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
To Pollio, on his preparing for the Press a Treatise against the Romish Church.
Long had the Romish Darkness mock'd the Eyes,
And Smoke and Locusts hover'd round the Skies;
Like some dire Plague th' infectious Errors run,
They stalk'd thro' Midnight, and devour'd at Noon.
Confederate Schools secur'd the dark Retreats,
With sacred Lies, and consecrated Cheats;
Amazing Change! Obedient to the Priest,
Bread leaps to Flesh and omnipresent Paste!
To fill their Coffers all their Fancies team;
Ev'n Purgatory proves a golden Dream;
All Merchandise thro' their wide Market rolls,
From rotten Carcasses, to humane Souls.
And Smoke and Locusts hover'd round the Skies;
Like some dire Plague th' infectious Errors run,
They stalk'd thro' Midnight, and devour'd at Noon.
Confederate Schools secur'd the dark Retreats,
With sacred Lies, and consecrated Cheats;
Amazing Change! Obedient to the Priest,
Bread leaps to Flesh and omnipresent Paste!
To fill their Coffers all their Fancies team;
Ev'n Purgatory proves a golden Dream;
80
From rotten Carcasses, to humane Souls.
'Tis thine, O Pollio, in just Rage to rise,
And from the Monster snatch the thin Disguise,
With skilful Hand the fraudful Schemes display,
And all the bold Imposture open lay.
How strong thy Pages are in massy Sense,
Vast Hoards of Thought, and manly Eloquence!
Extensive Learning, and in Reas'ning cool,
And, like thy Conversation, rich and full!
And from the Monster snatch the thin Disguise,
With skilful Hand the fraudful Schemes display,
And all the bold Imposture open lay.
How strong thy Pages are in massy Sense,
Vast Hoards of Thought, and manly Eloquence!
Extensive Learning, and in Reas'ning cool,
And, like thy Conversation, rich and full!
Thy Conversation!—here the Muse could stay,
And in big Pleasures smile the Hours away.
The Muse familiar, shall the State forget.
The Schools, the Court, and secret Cabinet,
But milder Numbers shall in Thee commend
The gentle, and the condescending Friend.
If, in grave Words, you sacred Thoughts bestow,
A deep Attention sets on ev'ry Brow;
If thro' the Sciences your Fancy strays,
With Joy we follow thro' the flow'ry Maze;
Or if you Mirth, and hum'rous Airs assume,
An universal Laughter shakes the Room.
Each comes with Pleasure; while he stays admires;
Goes with Regret, nor unimprov'd retires.
And in big Pleasures smile the Hours away.
The Muse familiar, shall the State forget.
The Schools, the Court, and secret Cabinet,
But milder Numbers shall in Thee commend
The gentle, and the condescending Friend.
If, in grave Words, you sacred Thoughts bestow,
A deep Attention sets on ev'ry Brow;
If thro' the Sciences your Fancy strays,
With Joy we follow thro' the flow'ry Maze;
81
An universal Laughter shakes the Room.
Each comes with Pleasure; while he stays admires;
Goes with Regret, nor unimprov'd retires.
Forgive me, Pollio, if the forward Muse,
Forgets her Rank, and too familiar grows:
Forgive, if she ambitious should relate,
How free you talk, how intimate I set;
O let my Name with thine together stand,
And let me boast the Honours of thy Friend,
My Name, by Thee shall last to future Days,
And Pollio's Page protect his Byles's Lays.
Forgets her Rank, and too familiar grows:
Forgive, if she ambitious should relate,
How free you talk, how intimate I set;
O let my Name with thine together stand,
And let me boast the Honours of thy Friend,
My Name, by Thee shall last to future Days,
And Pollio's Page protect his Byles's Lays.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |