Valentine Verses or, Lines of Truth, Love, and Virtue. By the Reverend Richard Cobbold |
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THE MASQUERADE. |
 | Valentine Verses |  |
61
THE MASQUERADE.
In life how oft are human beings doom'd
To act a character, or part assum'd.
Nature and art oppose each other here,
Man makes the contrast in his odd career;
Ah! strange to say, not speaking to upbraid,
Life seems with many but a Masquerade.
To act a character, or part assum'd.
Nature and art oppose each other here,
Man makes the contrast in his odd career;
Ah! strange to say, not speaking to upbraid,
Life seems with many but a Masquerade.
Beneath the form or fashion of the wise,
How oft are hid the foolish in disguise;
Beneath the garb of sanctity, sometimes
A monster covers his audacious crimes.
Here laughs the sorrowful; there, sighs the glad;
Fools would be wise; and wise men must be mad;
This man will promise, and will ne'er perform;
In rage one smiles, another calm, will storm;
Behold my friend, my inmost bosom friend,
Would borrow money, yet will never lend;
To-day exalted in my kinsman's eye,
To-morrow hated in my poverty.
O see the world! see vice become a trade!
And tell me, is it not a Masquerade?
How oft are hid the foolish in disguise;
Beneath the garb of sanctity, sometimes
A monster covers his audacious crimes.
Here laughs the sorrowful; there, sighs the glad;
Fools would be wise; and wise men must be mad;
This man will promise, and will ne'er perform;
In rage one smiles, another calm, will storm;
Behold my friend, my inmost bosom friend,
Would borrow money, yet will never lend;
To-day exalted in my kinsman's eye,
To-morrow hated in my poverty.
O see the world! see vice become a trade!
And tell me, is it not a Masquerade?
62
In love how many seek by art, not heart,
To act a seemingly straight forward part.
Vows made and broken, smiles dispersed with frowns,
The conquest gain'd affection one disowns;
Another glories in attentions paid,
And feigns attachment to deceive the maid;
One courts for beauty, which he does not see,
Another for attractions not to be;
The world depicted surely must be made,
A scene of Folly and of Masquerade.
To act a seemingly straight forward part.
Vows made and broken, smiles dispersed with frowns,
The conquest gain'd affection one disowns;
Another glories in attentions paid,
And feigns attachment to deceive the maid;
One courts for beauty, which he does not see,
Another for attractions not to be;
The world depicted surely must be made,
A scene of Folly and of Masquerade.
But Lady fear not, think me not so rude,
To write this piece of Wisdom to delude:
Believe me, many real in their Love,
By unaffected manners often prove
Their characters no fiction can compose;
Their honest hearts affection must disclose;
Who seek by industry to gain the high
Distinguished honor of sufficiency,
Not that of self, or pelf,—enough to make
A female happy, for affections sake:
May such a man wherever he may grade,
Escape the Folly of a Masquerade.
To write this piece of Wisdom to delude:
Believe me, many real in their Love,
By unaffected manners often prove
Their characters no fiction can compose;
Their honest hearts affection must disclose;
Who seek by industry to gain the high
Distinguished honor of sufficiency,
Not that of self, or pelf,—enough to make
A female happy, for affections sake:
May such a man wherever he may grade,
Escape the Folly of a Masquerade.
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