Juvenilia or, A collection of poems. Written between the ages of twelve and seventeen, by J. H. L. Hunt ... Fourth Edition |
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TO HONOUR.
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 | Juvenilia |  |
108
TO HONOUR.
Honos alit Artes.
Honour, nurse of ev'ry art,
Warm inspirer of the heart,
Thee, for all men own thy sway,
“Tributary kings obey;”
Thee, the warrior claims his due,
Honour, all he holds in view.
“'Twas for thee,” he cries, “I rode
“Fiercely thro' the fields of blood;
“Woke Discord with the trumpet's breath,
“And dipt my sword in blood, and purpled it with death!”
Warm inspirer of the heart,
Thee, for all men own thy sway,
“Tributary kings obey;”
Thee, the warrior claims his due,
Honour, all he holds in view.
“'Twas for thee,” he cries, “I rode
“Fiercely thro' the fields of blood;
“Woke Discord with the trumpet's breath,
“And dipt my sword in blood, and purpled it with death!”
When in brisk enliv'ning notes
Sweet the liquid music floats;
When the deep-ton'd organs blow
Solemn measures, soft and slow;
Or the clarions from afar
Rouse the ruthless storms of war;
Whose, but thine exalted hand,
Wakes with transport all the land?
Whose, but thy voice in thunder told,
Calls to the well-fought field the enterprising bold!
Sweet the liquid music floats;
When the deep-ton'd organs blow
Solemn measures, soft and slow;
Or the clarions from afar
Rouse the ruthless storms of war;
Whose, but thine exalted hand,
Wakes with transport all the land?
Whose, but thy voice in thunder told,
Calls to the well-fought field the enterprising bold!
109
See where on the canvas glows,
Christ triumphant in his woes ;
See, as wild he sweeps the lyre,
Anger all the bard inspire,
While, at each prophetic sound,
Death and Ruin storm around;
Who, but thou, the Master taught
Imag'd life and pictur'd thought!
With life inspir'd each wond'rous form;
Gave deadlier looks to Death , new terrors to the Storm ?
Christ triumphant in his woes ;
See, as wild he sweeps the lyre,
Anger all the bard inspire,
While, at each prophetic sound,
Death and Ruin storm around;
Who, but thou, the Master taught
Imag'd life and pictur'd thought!
With life inspir'd each wond'rous form;
Gave deadlier looks to Death , new terrors to the Storm ?
Last yet richer drest than all,
Poesy attends thy call:
Thee, when Milton soaring high
Search'd the glories of the sky;
Thee, when Gray's terrific hand
Woke to Vengeance Cambria's land;
Or enraptur'd Collins sung,
As Fancy wild her reeds among;
Thee she saw, while wond'ring earth
View'd with awe thy glorious birth;
Thee she beheld with eager eye,
And wav'd her airy wing, and hail'd thee from the sky!
Poesy attends thy call:
Thee, when Milton soaring high
Search'd the glories of the sky;
Thee, when Gray's terrific hand
Woke to Vengeance Cambria's land;
Or enraptur'd Collins sung,
As Fancy wild her reeds among;
Thee she saw, while wond'ring earth
View'd with awe thy glorious birth;
Thee she beheld with eager eye,
And wav'd her airy wing, and hail'd thee from the sky!
| Juvenilia | |