Medulla Poetarum Romanorum Or, the Most Beautiful and Instructive Passages of the Roman Poets. Being a Collection, (Disposed under proper Heads,) Of such Descriptions, Allusions, Comparisons, Characters, and Sentiments, as may best serve to shew the Religion, Learning, Politicks, Arts, Customs, Opinions, Manners, and Circumstances of the Antients. With Translations of the same in English Verse. By Mr. Henry Baker |
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Dreams.
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 | Medulla Poetarum Romanorum |  |
Dreams.
See Sleep.
Folded in Sleep whilst all the Members lie,And the whole Body is to Rest compos'd,
Then, even then, we fancy we're awake,
And move, and act, and view the glorious Sun,
And chearful Day;—tho' pitchy Night it be:
Then too, tho' all the while in Bed confin'd,
Imaginary Climes we journey thro':
O'er various Seas, Rivers, and Mountains steep,
And flow'ry Fields we range: and Voices hear,
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Reigns solemn Silence, and a Hush profound.—
Whatever Studies please, whatever Things
The Mind pursues, or dwells on with Delight,
The same, in Dreams, engage our chief Concern:
The Lawyers plead, and argue what is Law:
The Soldiers fight, and thro' the Battle rage:
The Sailors Work, and strive against the Winds:
Me, an Enquiry into Nature's Laws,
And writing down my Thoughts continually employs.—
The Mind pursues, or dwells on with Delight,
The same, in Dreams, engage our chief Concern:
The Lawyers plead, and argue what is Law:
The Soldiers fight, and thro' the Battle rage:
The Sailors Work, and strive against the Winds:
Me, an Enquiry into Nature's Laws,
And writing down my Thoughts continually employs.—
Whatever Actions often are perform'd,
On every Creature else, as well as Man,
Have this Effect: Stout Horses you shall see,
(Whilst at their Length, and fast asleep they lie,)
Lather'd with Sweat, snorting, and panting quick:
As if, the Barrier down, with all their Strength,
They stretch'd, and were contending for the Palm.
Hounds too are often hunting in their Sleep,
And fling about their Limbs, and open oft,
And often snuff the Air, as on full Scent,
Pursuing close the Footsteps of their Prey.—
But
He, of Dreams the Parent, does excite
On every Creature else, as well as Man,
Have this Effect: Stout Horses you shall see,
(Whilst at their Length, and fast asleep they lie,)
Lather'd with Sweat, snorting, and panting quick:
As if, the Barrier down, with all their Strength,
They stretch'd, and were contending for the Palm.
Hounds too are often hunting in their Sleep,
And fling about their Limbs, and open oft,
And often snuff the Air, as on full Scent,
Pursuing close the Footsteps of their Prey.—
Morpheus that artful masquerading Sprite:
Morpheus, of all his num'rous Sons, express'd
The Shape of Man, and imitated best:
The Walk, the Words, the Gesture could supply,
The Habit mimic, and the Mein belie:
Plays well, but all his Action is confin'd,
Extending not beyond our human Kind.
Another Birds, and Beasts, and Dragons apes,
And dreadful Images, and Monster shapes:
This Demon, Icelos, in Heav'n's high Hall,
The Gods have nam'd: but Men Phobetor call.
A third is Phantasus, whose Actions roll
On meaner Thoughts, and Things devoid of Soul:
Earth, Fruits, and Flow'rs, he represents in Dreams,
And solid Rocks unmov'd, and running Streams.—
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Thro' which with Ease the real Fantoms pass:
With polish'd Elephant the other shines,
Thro' which the Manes send false Dreams to Light.—
So when a Dream our sleeping Sight betrays,
And to our View some hidden Gold conveys,
Our busy Hands th' inviting Treasure seize,
And short-liv'd Joys our working Fancy please:
But straight, we sweat with Dread, lest any Spy,
Should find the Secret, and our Theft descry.
Nay, even when the charming Dream is o'er,
When we're awake, and as we were before,
Sighing, we wish the fancy'd Loss regain'd,
And with the Image still are entertain'd.—
And to our View some hidden Gold conveys,
Our busy Hands th' inviting Treasure seize,
And short-liv'd Joys our working Fancy please:
But straight, we sweat with Dread, lest any Spy,
Should find the Secret, and our Theft descry.
Nay, even when the charming Dream is o'er,
When we're awake, and as we were before,
Sighing, we wish the fancy'd Loss regain'd,
And with the Image still are entertain'd.—
When, in our Dreams, the Forms of Things arise,
In mimic Order plac'd before our Eyes,
Nor Heav'n, nor Hell, the airy Vision sends,
But ev'ry Breast it's own Delusion lends.
For when soft Sleep the Body lays at Ease,
And from the heavy Mass our Fancy frees,
Whate'er it is in which we take Delight,
And think of most by Day, we dream at Night.—
In mimic Order plac'd before our Eyes,
Nor Heav'n, nor Hell, the airy Vision sends,
But ev'ry Breast it's own Delusion lends.
For when soft Sleep the Body lays at Ease,
And from the heavy Mass our Fancy frees,
Whate'er it is in which we take Delight,
And think of most by Day, we dream at Night.—
Thus he who shakes proud States, and Cities burns,
Sees Show'rs of Darts, forc'd Lines, disorder'd Wings,
Fields drown'd in Blood, and Obsequies of Kings:
The Lawyer dreams of Terms, and double Fees,
And trembles when he long Vacations sees:
The Miser hides his Wealth, new Treasure finds:
In ecchoing Woods his Horn the Huntsman winds:
The Sailor's Dream a shipwreck'd Chance describes:
The Whore writes Billet doux: Th' Adultress bribes:
The op'ning Dog the tim'rous Hare pursues:
And Misery in Sleep it's Pain renews.—
Sees Show'rs of Darts, forc'd Lines, disorder'd Wings,
Fields drown'd in Blood, and Obsequies of Kings:
The Lawyer dreams of Terms, and double Fees,
And trembles when he long Vacations sees:
The Miser hides his Wealth, new Treasure finds:
In ecchoing Woods his Horn the Huntsman winds:
The Sailor's Dream a shipwreck'd Chance describes:
The Whore writes Billet doux: Th' Adultress bribes:
The op'ning Dog the tim'rous Hare pursues:
And Misery in Sleep it's Pain renews.—
Still Slumbers Erisichthon's Senses drown,
And sooth his Fancy with their softest Down.
He dreams of Viands delicate to eat,
And revels on imaginary Meat.
Chaws with his working Mouth, but chaws in vain,
And tires his grinding Teeth with fruitless Pain:
Deludes his Throat with visionary Fare,
Feasts on the Wind, and Banquets on the Air.—
And sooth his Fancy with their softest Down.
He dreams of Viands delicate to eat,
And revels on imaginary Meat.
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And tires his grinding Teeth with fruitless Pain:
Deludes his Throat with visionary Fare,
Feasts on the Wind, and Banquets on the Air.—
| Medulla Poetarum Romanorum | |