Poetical Exercises Written Upon Several Occasions Presented and Dedicated to Her Royal Highness, Mary Princess of Orange [by John Cutts] |
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To Mr. WALLER.
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 | Poetical Exercises Written Upon Several Occasions |  |
7
To Mr. WALLER.
Upon his commending my Verses of Wisdom.
O sir, no more—You know not what you do;
Such unexpected Praises, and from You,
(Who are install'd among the Sons of Fame,
And the best Writers take a Pride to name)
Have set my heedless Fancy all on Fire,
And make it to a dangerous Heighth aspire.
I fain would mount the Muses aiery Horse,
To try the utmost of his Speed and Force;
With him (methinks) I could out-strip the Wind,
And leave the slower Lightning far behind:
I'd visit Worlds by Mortal Eyes unseen,
And go where none before has ever been.
Such unexpected Praises, and from You,
(Who are install'd among the Sons of Fame,
And the best Writers take a Pride to name)
Have set my heedless Fancy all on Fire,
And make it to a dangerous Heighth aspire.
I fain would mount the Muses aiery Horse,
To try the utmost of his Speed and Force;
With him (methinks) I could out-strip the Wind,
And leave the slower Lightning far behind:
I'd visit Worlds by Mortal Eyes unseen,
And go where none before has ever been.
But if, like too ambitious Phaeton,
To seek a Glorious Ruin I rush on;
If over-heated in the rapid Course,
My fiery Pegasus, with angry Force,
Pressing his furious Head, should break the Reins
And wildly fly thro' Thoughts unbounded Plains
I fear I should, like that unhappy Youth,
While with too vast Designs my Hopes I sooth,
Instead of gaining Honour and Renown,
From my ungovern'd Flight come tumbling down.
Yet all these threatning Dangers I shall slight,
If you commend my Lines, and bid me Write.
The smallest Breath, assisted by your Name,
Exceeds the loudest Shouts of common Fame.
So in the War, sometimes, a Volunteer
Doubles his Vigour, when a Gen'rals near;
And if he hears him say, 'twas bravely done,
Unmindful of his Fate, he hurries on,
Till daz'ling Honour courts away his Breath,
And makes him run into the Arms of Death.
To seek a Glorious Ruin I rush on;
8
My fiery Pegasus, with angry Force,
Pressing his furious Head, should break the Reins
And wildly fly thro' Thoughts unbounded Plains
I fear I should, like that unhappy Youth,
While with too vast Designs my Hopes I sooth,
Instead of gaining Honour and Renown,
From my ungovern'd Flight come tumbling down.
Yet all these threatning Dangers I shall slight,
If you commend my Lines, and bid me Write.
The smallest Breath, assisted by your Name,
Exceeds the loudest Shouts of common Fame.
So in the War, sometimes, a Volunteer
Doubles his Vigour, when a Gen'rals near;
And if he hears him say, 'twas bravely done,
Unmindful of his Fate, he hurries on,
Till daz'ling Honour courts away his Breath,
And makes him run into the Arms of Death.
9
All have a natural desire to please,
But 'tis in some a dangerous Disease;
When uncontroll'd by Reasons juster Sway,
It turns their Heads, and takes their Sense away.
Fame, like a Syren, Charms the listning Ear,
And makes us blindly credit all we hear.
Then think upon some safe and gentle Ways,
To stop my Fate, and moderate your Praise.
But 'tis in some a dangerous Disease;
When uncontroll'd by Reasons juster Sway,
It turns their Heads, and takes their Sense away.
Fame, like a Syren, Charms the listning Ear,
And makes us blindly credit all we hear.
Then think upon some safe and gentle Ways,
To stop my Fate, and moderate your Praise.
If in my Verse you see some Thoughts Divine,
They're to the Subject due, the Faults are mine,
Say then, lest any, Sir, your Sense mistake,
You praise the Author for the Subjects sake.
They're to the Subject due, the Faults are mine,
Say then, lest any, Sir, your Sense mistake,
You praise the Author for the Subjects sake.
| Poetical Exercises Written Upon Several Occasions | |