University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Sonnets, Lyrics and Translations

By the Rev. Charles Turner [i.e. Charles Tennyson]
 

collapse section
collapse section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
expand section
expand section
 
 
 
 
expand section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
expand section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
collapse section
 
 
 
 
expand section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TO A YOUNG KING.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


71

TO A YOUNG KING.

O! be thou keen to guess when Flattery's near!
His face is not the shadow of his heart;
The court is shrewd and selfish, like the mart,
And fraught with perils that a king should fear;
Trust not his voice of hollow sympathy,
For, should'st thou fathom that dishonest sound,
The line would rise, with noisome clays hung round,
And not the fruitful loam of love for thee;
Such are thy dangers! but thy loves and joys
Are not more sweet than any shepherd-boy's;
The access to all pure delights and ties
Is free to peasant stock, or kingly line;
Beyond the common bliss thou canst not rise,
And royal troubles and restraints are thine.