The Poetical Works of John Langhorne ... To which are prefixed, Memoirs of the Author by his Son the Rev. J. T. Langhorne ... In Two Volumes |
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TO
GEORGE COLMAN, ESQ.
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 | The Poetical Works of John Langhorne |  |
146
TO GEORGE COLMAN, ESQ.
PREFIXED TO THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THEODOSIUS AND CONSTANTIA.
To live beneath the golden star of love,
With happier fancy, passions more refin'd,
Each soft'ning charm of tenderness to prove,
And all the finer movements of the mind—
With happier fancy, passions more refin'd,
Each soft'ning charm of tenderness to prove,
And all the finer movements of the mind—
From gifts like these say, what the boasted gain
Of those who exquisitely feel or know?
The skill from pleasure to extract the pain,
And open all the avenues of woe.
Of those who exquisitely feel or know?
The skill from pleasure to extract the pain,
And open all the avenues of woe.
Yet shall we, Colman, at these gifts repine?
Implore cold apathy to steel the heart?
Would you that sensibility resign,
And with those powers of genius would you part?
Implore cold apathy to steel the heart?
Would you that sensibility resign,
And with those powers of genius would you part?
Ah me! my friend! nor deem the verse divine
That weakness wrote in Petrarch's gentle strain!
When once he own'd at love's unfav'ring shrine,
“A thousand pleasures were not worth one pain.”
That weakness wrote in Petrarch's gentle strain!
When once he own'd at love's unfav'ring shrine,
“A thousand pleasures were not worth one pain.”
147
The dreams of fancy sooth the pensive heart;
For fancy's urn can new delights dispense:
The powers of genius purer joys impart;
For genius brightens all the springs of sense.
For fancy's urn can new delights dispense:
The powers of genius purer joys impart;
For genius brightens all the springs of sense.
O charm of every muse-ennobl'd mind,
Far, far above the groveling crowd to rise!—
Leave the low train of trifling cares behind,
Assert its birthright, and affect the skies!
Far, far above the groveling crowd to rise!—
Leave the low train of trifling cares behind,
Assert its birthright, and affect the skies!
O right divine, the pride of power to scorn!
On fortune's little vanity look down!
With nobler gifts, to fairer honours born,
Than fear, or folly, fancies in a crown!
On fortune's little vanity look down!
With nobler gifts, to fairer honours born,
Than fear, or folly, fancies in a crown!
As far each boon that Nature's hand bestows,
The worthless glare of fortune's train exceeds,
As yon fair orb, whose beam eternal glows,
Outshines the transient meteor that it feeds.
The worthless glare of fortune's train exceeds,
As yon fair orb, whose beam eternal glows,
Outshines the transient meteor that it feeds.
To Nature, Colman, let thy incense rise,
For, much indebted, much hast thou to pay;
For taste refin'd, for wit correctly wise,
And keen discernment's soul-pervading ray.
For, much indebted, much hast thou to pay;
For taste refin'd, for wit correctly wise,
And keen discernment's soul-pervading ray.
To catch the manners from the various face,
To paint the nice diversities of mind,
The living lines of character to trace,
She gave thee powers, and the task assign'd.
To paint the nice diversities of mind,
The living lines of character to trace,
She gave thee powers, and the task assign'd.
148
Seize, seize the pen! the sacred hour departs!
Nor, led by kindness, longer lend thine ear:
The tender tale of two ingenuous hearts
Would rob thee of a moment and a tear.
Nor, led by kindness, longer lend thine ear:
The tender tale of two ingenuous hearts
Would rob thee of a moment and a tear.
| The Poetical Works of John Langhorne | |