A collection of poems on various subjects including the theatre, a didactic essay; in the course of which are pointed out, the rocks and shoals to which deluded adventurers are inevitably exposed. Ornamented with cuts and illustrated with notes, original letters and curious incidental anecdotes [by Samuel Whyte] |
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| SONNETS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. |
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 | A collection of poems on various subjects |  |
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SONNETS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS.
211
SONNET III. TO GORGES EDMOND HOWARD, ESQ.
ON READING SOME ILLIBERAL STRICTURES ON HIS WRITINGS AND CHARACTER.
MDCCLXXII.
Howard! whose eagle-genius soars above
The weak enervate flight of modern rhymes;
Whose bosom, glowing with thy country's love,
Curbs the wild phrenzy of distemper'd times.
The weak enervate flight of modern rhymes;
Whose bosom, glowing with thy country's love,
Curbs the wild phrenzy of distemper'd times.
Whether those sacred heights thy fancy climbs,
Where memory's maids round Shakspeare's temple rove,
Or, deeply shuddering at a nation's crimes,
Her sluggard sons you waken and reprove.
Where memory's maids round Shakspeare's temple rove,
Or, deeply shuddering at a nation's crimes,
Her sluggard sons you waken and reprove.
Complete thy generous toil—lo! fame pursues,
Her golden trump, her laurel wreath she brings,
To crown with deathless praise thy various worth;
Though rancorous envy the fair palm refuse,
'Tis virtue's tax; for true the poet sings,
“It is the bright day brings the adder forth.”
Her golden trump, her laurel wreath she brings,
To crown with deathless praise thy various worth;
Though rancorous envy the fair palm refuse,
'Tis virtue's tax; for true the poet sings,
“It is the bright day brings the adder forth.”
212
SONNET IV. ON SEEING MISS POPE IN VARIOUS CHARACTERS.
WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF A PLAY-BILL,
MDCCLXXXV.
To copy nature is no easy part,
A thousand failures daily prove it true;
The test and pride of imitative art;
The poet's, painter's, and the player's too.
A thousand failures daily prove it true;
The test and pride of imitative art;
The poet's, painter's, and the player's too.
But art consummate vests her offspring ease
With prompt address her beauties to unfold;
She waves her wand, when 'tis her cue to please,
And every thing she touches turns to gold.
With prompt address her beauties to unfold;
She waves her wand, when 'tis her cue to please,
And every thing she touches turns to gold.
Thus, nature's mirrour, Avon's druid shone,
Educ'd each charm and to advantage dress'd;
Thus long has Reynolds, art's creative son,
Perfection felt, and what he felt express'd;
And, tho' an age may but one phœnix hope,
Thus Garrick shines and his fair pupil Pope.
Educ'd each charm and to advantage dress'd;
Thus long has Reynolds, art's creative son,
Perfection felt, and what he felt express'd;
And, tho' an age may but one phœnix hope,
Thus Garrick shines and his fair pupil Pope.
213
SONNET V. ON READING MRS. DOBSON'S LIFE OF PETRARCH, IN THE COTTAGE AT FURNACE,
THE SEAT OF RICHARD NEVILL, ESQ.
JANUARY VITH, MDCCLXXVI.
Cease then, illiberal, vain, short-sighted tribe!
Cease to depreciate and degrade the fair;
Know ye, when wisdom's lore you there prescribe,
What bootless self-delusion marks your care?
Cease to depreciate and degrade the fair;
Know ye, when wisdom's lore you there prescribe,
What bootless self-delusion marks your care?
On Mersey's laurel'd banks, abash'd you'll find
That worth you envy and affect to scorn,
Imbuing Laura's unelated mind,
Pure as the dewy spangles of the morn.
That worth you envy and affect to scorn,
Imbuing Laura's unelated mind,
Pure as the dewy spangles of the morn.
Away! your social feelings all debas'd,
You scan their beauties with a jaundic'd eye,
By culture deck'd, and elegance of taste—
On leaves of brass your penitence enrol,
Nor quit, to wallow in a sensual stye,
“The feast of reason and the flow of soul.”
You scan their beauties with a jaundic'd eye,
By culture deck'd, and elegance of taste—
On leaves of brass your penitence enrol,
Nor quit, to wallow in a sensual stye,
“The feast of reason and the flow of soul.”
| A collection of poems on various subjects | |