Poems on Several Occasions | ||
“But wou'd you shine? With due Attention read,
“And imitate the Beauties of the Dead.
“Let Homer lend you Majesty and Fire,
“And Virgil with judicious Rage inspire:
“Let Horace gay Variety impart,
“And Ovid's Softness humanize the Heart.
“Nor pass the English Excellencies by—
“Heav'ns! what bright Beauties in their Remnants lie!
“How rare t'impropriate Chaucer's cheerful Vein,
“Spencer's rich Fancy, Shakespear's nervous Strain,
“Milton's sublime, and Cowley's glitt'ring Wit,
“With all that Denham thought, or Waller writ?
“How great the Bard! his Labour how divine!
“Where Johnson's Depth, with Dryden's Numbers join?
“Where Butler's Humour, and Roscommon's Taste,
“Etheridge's Manners, Prior's courtly Jest,
“Rowe's Flow of Words, and Addison's good Fate,
“Conspire to make one Character compleat!
“Their various Virtues, blended in your Lays,
“Wou'd stamp Distinction, and perpetuate Praise.
“And imitate the Beauties of the Dead.
“Let Homer lend you Majesty and Fire,
“And Virgil with judicious Rage inspire:
“Let Horace gay Variety impart,
“And Ovid's Softness humanize the Heart.
“Nor pass the English Excellencies by—
“Heav'ns! what bright Beauties in their Remnants lie!
“How rare t'impropriate Chaucer's cheerful Vein,
“Spencer's rich Fancy, Shakespear's nervous Strain,
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“With all that Denham thought, or Waller writ?
“How great the Bard! his Labour how divine!
“Where Johnson's Depth, with Dryden's Numbers join?
“Where Butler's Humour, and Roscommon's Taste,
“Etheridge's Manners, Prior's courtly Jest,
“Rowe's Flow of Words, and Addison's good Fate,
“Conspire to make one Character compleat!
“Their various Virtues, blended in your Lays,
“Wou'd stamp Distinction, and perpetuate Praise.
Poems on Several Occasions | ||