 | A collection of poems |  |
To a Gentleman on the sight of some of his Poems.
Hail! charming Poet, whose distinguish'd lays,
Excite our wonder and surmount our praise:
Whom all the Muses with fresh ardour fire,
And Aganippe's chrystal streams inspire.
O! were my genius equal to my will!
What melting words should from my lips distill,
Smooth as the gentle flow from your soft quill.
On me the pow'r but throws his glancing beams,
You feel the vital vigour of his flames:
But tho' the subject tow'rs above my sight,
I'll stretch my wings, and dare the wondrous height.
Excite our wonder and surmount our praise:
Whom all the Muses with fresh ardour fire,
And Aganippe's chrystal streams inspire.
O! were my genius equal to my will!
What melting words should from my lips distill,
Smooth as the gentle flow from your soft quill.
On me the pow'r but throws his glancing beams,
You feel the vital vigour of his flames:
But tho' the subject tow'rs above my sight,
I'll stretch my wings, and dare the wondrous height.
4
But where, ye Nine, shall I begin my song,
Hurried impetuous by his fire along.
Lost in a pleasing maze I wandring rove,
Here crop a rose, and there a tulip prove,
Nor ever fix'd my wanton footsteps stray,
But o'er the beauteous field take an unbounded play
If you attempt the Lyre in tender strains,
And moving numbers warble o'er the plains,
The listning swains a deep attention show
The winds are hush'd, the rivers cease to flow;
With wonder silent are the bending trees,
Nor hear their boughs the murmurs of a breeze.
Hurried impetuous by his fire along.
Lost in a pleasing maze I wandring rove,
Here crop a rose, and there a tulip prove,
Nor ever fix'd my wanton footsteps stray,
But o'er the beauteous field take an unbounded play
If you attempt the Lyre in tender strains,
And moving numbers warble o'er the plains,
The listning swains a deep attention show
The winds are hush'd, the rivers cease to flow;
With wonder silent are the bending trees,
Nor hear their boughs the murmurs of a breeze.
Like Horace sweet the tuneful harp you string,
While in our ears th' enchanting accents ring.
Or like your Watts's soft melodious lyre,
Who from the Roman snatch'd the immortal fire.
Waller who best excell'd in handsome praise,
Joyful beholds your temples bear his bays.
Your Similes like sparkling diamonds glow,
Which on their ambient gold a light bestow,
And as the stars in measur'd numbers dance,
With sprightly glory thro' the vast expanse,
A lively lustre gilds the heavenly blue,
Such your pure lines, such your allusions shew.
While in our ears th' enchanting accents ring.
Or like your Watts's soft melodious lyre,
Who from the Roman snatch'd the immortal fire.
Waller who best excell'd in handsome praise,
Joyful beholds your temples bear his bays.
Your Similes like sparkling diamonds glow,
Which on their ambient gold a light bestow,
And as the stars in measur'd numbers dance,
With sprightly glory thro' the vast expanse,
A lively lustre gilds the heavenly blue,
Such your pure lines, such your allusions shew.
Happy the Poet whom the applauding town,
Admir'd in your fine lines, before his own.
And happy you, who while you strive to raise
Your modest Friend, are compass'd round with praise.
He, bashful, with a veil conceals his face,
Nor on the world his living lightnings flash.
So Maids in whom the varied red and white,
The blushing rose, and lilly fair unite,
Their lovely looks from gazing mortals hide,
Nor lavish on the world their cheeks gay pride:
But conscious of an ever-springing bloom,
O'erspread their features with a decent gloom.
Admir'd in your fine lines, before his own.
5
Your modest Friend, are compass'd round with praise.
He, bashful, with a veil conceals his face,
Nor on the world his living lightnings flash.
So Maids in whom the varied red and white,
The blushing rose, and lilly fair unite,
Their lovely looks from gazing mortals hide,
Nor lavish on the world their cheeks gay pride:
But conscious of an ever-springing bloom,
O'erspread their features with a decent gloom.
You, like Apollo, shine with godlike rays,
And court the Virgin with melodious lays;
Whose person to the wondring world unknown,
By you adorn'd with laurel wreaths, is shone.
Your Poem with unnumber'd graces gleams
Upon my soul, and darts promiscuous beams:
Its numbers, like a stream, majestick glide,
When by its banks it rolls it silver tide,
While mourning Winds in murmurs softly breathe,
And silent scenes an image paint of death.
Your thoughts for multitude like billows roul;
And with the force of Lightning peirce the Soul.
And court the Virgin with melodious lays;
Whose person to the wondring world unknown,
By you adorn'd with laurel wreaths, is shone.
Your Poem with unnumber'd graces gleams
Upon my soul, and darts promiscuous beams:
Its numbers, like a stream, majestick glide,
When by its banks it rolls it silver tide,
While mourning Winds in murmurs softly breathe,
And silent scenes an image paint of death.
Your thoughts for multitude like billows roul;
And with the force of Lightning peirce the Soul.
May former Bards their just esteem enjoy,
Nor I to raise your merit their's destroy.
You scorn a fame with borrow'd glory bright,
But shine like Phæbus in your native light
But sure the Nine more graceful garments show,
And softer accents from their fingers flow,
Since you with pity saw their rude attire,
And taught their hands to bend the sounding wyre.
Nor I to raise your merit their's destroy.
You scorn a fame with borrow'd glory bright,
But shine like Phæbus in your native light
6
And softer accents from their fingers flow,
Since you with pity saw their rude attire,
And taught their hands to bend the sounding wyre.
No more shall foreign wits our clime despise,
And bless the indulgence of their milder skies.
Britannia's Bards, forever may ye feel
The inspiring Pow'r; and with his raptures swell.
May Milton's force, and Dryden's smoothness join
With mingled lustre on your Isle to shine:
But still regard, with fond propitious eyes,
Your distant sons by your examples rise,
On us Apollo sheds his kindly light,
We too ascend Parnassus steepy height:
My friend can riding reign the furious horse,
And thro' the aerial kingdoms drive his course:
Can reach the glittering Regions of the sky,
Where the still tracts of purest ether ly;
Or thro' the flow'ry fields of nature rove,
And gather garlands to adorn his love.
And bless the indulgence of their milder skies.
Britannia's Bards, forever may ye feel
The inspiring Pow'r; and with his raptures swell.
May Milton's force, and Dryden's smoothness join
With mingled lustre on your Isle to shine:
But still regard, with fond propitious eyes,
Your distant sons by your examples rise,
On us Apollo sheds his kindly light,
We too ascend Parnassus steepy height:
My friend can riding reign the furious horse,
And thro' the aerial kingdoms drive his course:
Can reach the glittering Regions of the sky,
Where the still tracts of purest ether ly;
Or thro' the flow'ry fields of nature rove,
And gather garlands to adorn his love.
And now, my Muse, attempt one labour more,
Let Milton's fame refound from shore to shore:
Milton who in his works immortal lives,
And in the deathless praise your Poem gives.
You imitate his airy rapid flights,
And mount with ardour to his godlike heights.
How swift the vigour of your numbers fly,
When the dread chariot bounds along the sky;
While o'er the azure plains Messiah's driven,
And hurls his foes precipitant from heaven!
His eyes majestick flash with flames of fire,
And kindle hell in those who dare his ire.
You lead me through the gay delightful scenes,
Where paradise adorns the happy plains.
Here nature's wing'd inhabitants repair,
And chant their musick thro' the ravish'd air.
Here rilling streams in winding mazes move,
There tow'r the shady honours of the grove.
There opening flow'rs breathe their refreshing sweets,
And here the ripening fruit the inger greets:
While courtly Zephyres wave the trembling trees,
And fan their faces with a gentle breeze.
Blest garden of primæval innocence!
(But now surrounded with a flaming fence)
How longs my panting Soul to stretch my limbs,
Near the soft running of thy cooling streams,
Upon the verdure of a grassy mead,
And rising turf a pillow for my head,
Easy my thought, my prostrate length to lay,
And waste in chearful joys the smiling day?
Here dwelt the happy Pair dissolv'd in bliss,
And heard unmov'd the Serpent's harmless hiss,
While subject nature bow'd its humble neck,
And every charm conspir'd the place to deck.
Let Milton's fame refound from shore to shore:
Milton who in his works immortal lives,
And in the deathless praise your Poem gives.
You imitate his airy rapid flights,
And mount with ardour to his godlike heights.
7
When the dread chariot bounds along the sky;
While o'er the azure plains Messiah's driven,
And hurls his foes precipitant from heaven!
His eyes majestick flash with flames of fire,
And kindle hell in those who dare his ire.
You lead me through the gay delightful scenes,
Where paradise adorns the happy plains.
Here nature's wing'd inhabitants repair,
And chant their musick thro' the ravish'd air.
Here rilling streams in winding mazes move,
There tow'r the shady honours of the grove.
There opening flow'rs breathe their refreshing sweets,
And here the ripening fruit the inger greets:
While courtly Zephyres wave the trembling trees,
And fan their faces with a gentle breeze.
Blest garden of primæval innocence!
(But now surrounded with a flaming fence)
How longs my panting Soul to stretch my limbs,
Near the soft running of thy cooling streams,
Upon the verdure of a grassy mead,
And rising turf a pillow for my head,
Easy my thought, my prostrate length to lay,
And waste in chearful joys the smiling day?
Here dwelt the happy Pair dissolv'd in bliss,
And heard unmov'd the Serpent's harmless hiss,
8
And every charm conspir'd the place to deck.
Forgive, dear Friend, the straying of my verse,
Which should your merit, not your thoughts rehearse
But your description so my sense invites,
I leave the Author for the things he writes;
Viewing the copy of your wondrous mind,
I lose the great Original behind.
Thus trav'llers walking thro' the Italian plains,
To some great city, studious of their gains,
Lost in a thousand charms which court their eyes,
Drink in the prospect with a vast surprize,
Till thoughtless of their journey's destin'd end,
They thro' the vales with high exultings tend.
Which should your merit, not your thoughts rehearse
But your description so my sense invites,
I leave the Author for the things he writes;
Viewing the copy of your wondrous mind,
I lose the great Original behind.
Thus trav'llers walking thro' the Italian plains,
To some great city, studious of their gains,
Lost in a thousand charms which court their eyes,
Drink in the prospect with a vast surprize,
Till thoughtless of their journey's destin'd end,
They thro' the vales with high exultings tend.
But tho' the painter and the picture please,
In praise of both my strains reluctant cease.
Nor can the labours of my vulgar Muse,
Tho' You the theme a tedious length excuse.
You best can stretch along and lofty wing,
And with unfailing force for ever sing.
So Phæbus shining with immortal gleams,
Shoots down the golden glory of his beams.
Nor when behind the hills his light retires,
Are in the ocean quenc'd his radiant fires,
But rising to their sight, the inferiour world
Behold his flames with fiery vigour hurl'd.
In praise of both my strains reluctant cease.
Nor can the labours of my vulgar Muse,
Tho' You the theme a tedious length excuse.
You best can stretch along and lofty wing,
And with unfailing force for ever sing.
So Phæbus shining with immortal gleams,
Shoots down the golden glory of his beams.
Nor when behind the hills his light retires,
Are in the ocean quenc'd his radiant fires,
But rising to their sight, the inferiour world
Behold his flames with fiery vigour hurl'd.
| A collection of poems | |