The Shamrock or, Hibernian Cresses. A Collection of Poems, Songs, Epigrams, &c. Latin as well as English, The Original Production of Ireland. To which are subjoined thoughts on the prevailing system of school education, respecting young ladies as well as gentlemen: with practical proposals for a reformation [by Samuel Whyte] |
 |
 |
|
VERSES, WRITTEN Upon a Pedestal, beneath a Row of Elms, in a Meadow,
near Richmond-Ferry, Belonging to RICHARD OWEN CAMBRIDGE, Esq |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | The Shamrock |  |
VERSES, WRITTEN Upon a Pedestal, beneath a Row of Elms, in a Meadow, near Richmond-Ferry, Belonging to RICHARD OWEN CAMBRIDGE, Esq
September, 1760.
Ye green-hair'd Nymphs, whom Pan allows
To guard from Harm these favour'd Boughs;
Ye blue-ey'd Naiads of the Stream,
That sooth the warm, poetic Dream;
Ye Elves, and Spirits, that, thronging round,
When Midnight darkens all the Ground,
In antic Measures, uncontroul'd,
Your Fairy Sports, and Revels hold,
And up and down, where'er ye pass,
With many a Ringlet print the Grass;
If e'er the Bard hath hail'd your Power,
At Morn's grey Dawn, or Evening Hour;
If e'er, by Moonlight, on the Plain,
Your Ears have caught th'enraptur'd Strain;
From every Floweret's velvet Head;
From reverend Thames's oozy Bed;
From those moss'd Elms, where, prison'd deep,
Conceal'd from human Eyes, ye sleep;
If these your Haunts be worth your Care,
Awake, arise, and hear my Prayer!
To guard from Harm these favour'd Boughs;
Ye blue-ey'd Naiads of the Stream,
That sooth the warm, poetic Dream;
Ye Elves, and Spirits, that, thronging round,
When Midnight darkens all the Ground,
In antic Measures, uncontroul'd,
Your Fairy Sports, and Revels hold,
97
With many a Ringlet print the Grass;
If e'er the Bard hath hail'd your Power,
At Morn's grey Dawn, or Evening Hour;
If e'er, by Moonlight, on the Plain,
Your Ears have caught th'enraptur'd Strain;
From every Floweret's velvet Head;
From reverend Thames's oozy Bed;
From those moss'd Elms, where, prison'd deep,
Conceal'd from human Eyes, ye sleep;
If these your Haunts be worth your Care,
Awake, arise, and hear my Prayer!
O banish from this peaceful Plain
The perjur'd Nymph; the faithless Swain;
The stubborn Heart, that scorns to bow,
And, harsh, rejects the honest Vow;
The Fop, who wounds the Virgin's Ear
With aught that Sense would blush to hear,
Or, false to Honour, mean, and vain,
Defames the Worth he cannot stain;
The light Coquet, with various Art,
Who casts her Net for every Heart,
And, smiling, flatters to the Chace,
Alike, the Worthy, and the Base;
The Dame, who, proud of Virtue's Praise,
Is happy, if a Sister strays,
And, conscious of unclouded Fame,
Delighted, spreads the Tale of Shame:
But far, O! banish'd far, be they,
Who hear, unmov'd, the Orphan's Cry;
Who see, nor wish to wipe away,
The Tear that swells the Widow's Eye;
Th'unloving Man, whose narrow Mind
Disdains to feel for human Kind;
At others' Bliss whose Cheek ne'er glows;
Whose Breast ne'er throbs with others' Woes;
Whose hoarded Sum of private Joys
His private Care alone destroys;
Ye Fairies, cast your Spells around,
And guard from such this hallow'd Ground!
The perjur'd Nymph; the faithless Swain;
The stubborn Heart, that scorns to bow,
And, harsh, rejects the honest Vow;
The Fop, who wounds the Virgin's Ear
With aught that Sense would blush to hear,
Or, false to Honour, mean, and vain,
Defames the Worth he cannot stain;
The light Coquet, with various Art,
Who casts her Net for every Heart,
And, smiling, flatters to the Chace,
Alike, the Worthy, and the Base;
The Dame, who, proud of Virtue's Praise,
Is happy, if a Sister strays,
And, conscious of unclouded Fame,
Delighted, spreads the Tale of Shame:
But far, O! banish'd far, be they,
Who hear, unmov'd, the Orphan's Cry;
Who see, nor wish to wipe away,
The Tear that swells the Widow's Eye;
98
Disdains to feel for human Kind;
At others' Bliss whose Cheek ne'er glows;
Whose Breast ne'er throbs with others' Woes;
Whose hoarded Sum of private Joys
His private Care alone destroys;
Ye Fairies, cast your Spells around,
And guard from such this hallow'd Ground!
But welcome all, who sigh with Truth;
Each constant Maid, and faithful Youth,
Whom mutual Love alone hath join'd,
Sweet Union of the willing Mind!
Hearts pair'd in Heaven, not meanly sold,
Law-licens'd Prostitutes, for Gold:
And welcome thrice, and thrice again,
The chosen few, the worthy Train,
Whose steady Feet, untaught to stray,
Still tread where Virtue marks the Way;
Whose Souls no Thought, whose Hands have known
No Deed which Honour might not own;
Who, torn with Pain, or stung with Care,
In others' Bliss can claim a Part;
And, in Life's brightest Hour, can share
Each Pang that wrings another's Heart:
Ye guardian Spirits, when such ye see,
Sweet Peace be their's, and Welcome free!
Clear be the Sky from Clouds, or Showers!
Green be the Turf, and fresh the Flowers!
Each constant Maid, and faithful Youth,
Whom mutual Love alone hath join'd,
Sweet Union of the willing Mind!
Hearts pair'd in Heaven, not meanly sold,
Law-licens'd Prostitutes, for Gold:
And welcome thrice, and thrice again,
The chosen few, the worthy Train,
Whose steady Feet, untaught to stray,
Still tread where Virtue marks the Way;
Whose Souls no Thought, whose Hands have known
No Deed which Honour might not own;
Who, torn with Pain, or stung with Care,
In others' Bliss can claim a Part;
And, in Life's brightest Hour, can share
Each Pang that wrings another's Heart:
Ye guardian Spirits, when such ye see,
Sweet Peace be their's, and Welcome free!
Clear be the Sky from Clouds, or Showers!
Green be the Turf, and fresh the Flowers!
99
And, that the Youth, whose pious Care
Lays on your Shrine this honest Prayer,
May, with the Rest, Admittance gain,
And visit oft this pleasant Scene,
Let all who love the Muse attend!
Who loves the Muse is Virtue's Friend.
Lays on your Shrine this honest Prayer,
May, with the Rest, Admittance gain,
And visit oft this pleasant Scene,
Let all who love the Muse attend!
Who loves the Muse is Virtue's Friend.
Such, then, alone may venture here,
Who, free from Guilt, are free from Fear;
Whose wide Affections can embrace
The whole Extent of human Race;
Whom Virtue, and her Friends, approve;
Whom Cambridge, and the Muses love.
Who, free from Guilt, are free from Fear;
Whose wide Affections can embrace
The whole Extent of human Race;
Whom Virtue, and her Friends, approve;
Whom Cambridge, and the Muses love.
| The Shamrock | |