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 FRIENDSHIP.
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 | Juvenilia |  |
TO FRIENDSHIP.
O thou, who winding thro' the wrinkles deep
Of giant Care, smooth'st out his rugged brow
As polish'd as thine own,
With wiles unknown before:
Of giant Care, smooth'st out his rugged brow
As polish'd as thine own,
With wiles unknown before:
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Or with thy lovely hand, lurking unseen,
Stamp'st a new dimple on his furrow'd cheek,
While his dark-boding eye
Starts into animation;
Stamp'st a new dimple on his furrow'd cheek,
While his dark-boding eye
Starts into animation;
How sweet thy form, when, hanging o'er his head,
Thy gentle tear meets his; that, rushing down,
Melts on his icy breast,
Rich with thy glowing pearl!
Thy gentle tear meets his; that, rushing down,
Melts on his icy breast,
Rich with thy glowing pearl!
Or when pale Melancholy, maid forlorn,
Mourns in soft plaint thro' yon deserted grove,
When Eve in bridals grey
Weds Twilight's sober form;
Mourns in soft plaint thro' yon deserted grove,
When Eve in bridals grey
Weds Twilight's sober form;
How sweetly hangs upon thy honey'd tongue
Persuasion, eloquent and mild, as oft
Thy soothing voice subdues
Her wo-worn soul to peace!
Persuasion, eloquent and mild, as oft
Thy soothing voice subdues
Her wo-worn soul to peace!
O lovely maid, if aught my humble lay
Avail to move thy gen'rous pitying breast,
Whose rugged numbers oft
Have hail'd thy genial reign;
Avail to move thy gen'rous pitying breast,
Whose rugged numbers oft
Have hail'd thy genial reign;
By all the griefs that rent the vengeful breast
Of dread Achilles, when the Trojan arm
Stretch'd on the clanging earth
His bold, his patriot friend;
Of dread Achilles, when the Trojan arm
Stretch'd on the clanging earth
His bold, his patriot friend;
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By all the fire that flash'd from Nisus' eye,
When the lov'd warrior lay convuls'd in death,
His tresses rudely tost
On his cold, pallid cheek;
When the lov'd warrior lay convuls'd in death,
His tresses rudely tost
On his cold, pallid cheek;
O still, to light and life, affection warm,
And all the nameless blessings thou canst give,
Pure, innocent, and free,
The social youth preserve,
And all the nameless blessings thou canst give,
Pure, innocent, and free,
The social youth preserve,
Who, in the cloister'd walks, where first I learnt
To feel thine influence mild, full oft has vow'd
To deck thy hallow'd shrine
With Summer's gayest stores!
To feel thine influence mild, full oft has vow'd
To deck thy hallow'd shrine
With Summer's gayest stores!
Then, soul-endearing maid, each rising morn,
That paints with purple all the glowing sky,
Shall, to thy bosom waft,
On Meditation's wing,
That paints with purple all the glowing sky,
Shall, to thy bosom waft,
On Meditation's wing,
Our heart-felt raptures, whether close conceal'd
By academic grove thou love to lay
In thick embow'ring shade,
Thy olive-wreathed head:
By academic grove thou love to lay
In thick embow'ring shade,
Thy olive-wreathed head:
Or roving far by Thame's moss-mantled side,
Crown thy gay temples with the moisten'd sedge,
That decks its rural banks
With lively glowing green.
Crown thy gay temples with the moisten'd sedge,
That decks its rural banks
With lively glowing green.
| Juvenilia | |