 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
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30. ON THE MANY ATTACKS MADE BY LATE WRITERS ON THE MEMORY OF SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.
O thou, the darling of the Muse,
Since senseless men thy wit abuse,
And all thy matchless fame refuse:
Since senseless men thy wit abuse,
And all thy matchless fame refuse:
Though thou, indeed, art far above
The utmost fancy of our love;
And yet the shepherds sing of Jove:
The utmost fancy of our love;
And yet the shepherds sing of Jove:
I cannot tell what fate may be
To those, that thus would injure thee,
And spoil of immortality!
To those, that thus would injure thee,
And spoil of immortality!
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Since pity cannot touch their hearts,
Or Love with his thrice-golden darts,
Or fancy any joy imparts:
Or Love with his thrice-golden darts,
Or fancy any joy imparts:
Since all heroick virtue seems
To them, but as mere empty dreams,
Or fuel for a Poet's themes:
To them, but as mere empty dreams,
Or fuel for a Poet's themes:
They are by senseless nature so
Defended, that they cannot know
The poignant destiny of woe.
Defended, that they cannot know
The poignant destiny of woe.
The spearman cannot wound a shade,
Nor marble by sharp thought be sway'd,
And yet their fortune may be weigh'd:
Nor marble by sharp thought be sway'd,
And yet their fortune may be weigh'd:
O Sidney, this shall be their doom,
The pale oblivion shall o'ercome
Their malice, and their faults consume!
The pale oblivion shall o'ercome
Their malice, and their faults consume!
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