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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| VIII. | FABLE VIII.
THE
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 | The Poetical Works of John Langhorne |  |
29
FABLE VIII. THE TULIP AND THE MYRTLE.
'Twas on the border of a stream
A gaily-painted Tulip stood,
And, gilded by the morning beam,
Survey'd her beauties in the flood.
A gaily-painted Tulip stood,
And, gilded by the morning beam,
Survey'd her beauties in the flood.
And sure, more lovely to behold,
Might nothing meet the wistful eye,
Than crimson fading into gold,
In streaks of fairest symmetry.
Might nothing meet the wistful eye,
Than crimson fading into gold,
In streaks of fairest symmetry.
The beauteous flower, with pride elate,
Ah me! that pride with beauty dwells!
Vainly affects superior state,
And thus in empty fancy swells:
Ah me! that pride with beauty dwells!
Vainly affects superior state,
And thus in empty fancy swells:
“O lustre of unrivall'd bloom!
“Fair painting of a hand divine!
“Superior far to mortal doom,
“The hues of heav'n alone are mine!
“Fair painting of a hand divine!
“Superior far to mortal doom,
“The hues of heav'n alone are mine!
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“Away, ye worthless, formless race!
“Ye weeds, that boast the name of flowers?
“No more my native bed disgrace,
“Unmeet for tribes so mean as yours!
“Ye weeds, that boast the name of flowers?
“No more my native bed disgrace,
“Unmeet for tribes so mean as yours!
“Shall the bright daughter of the sun
“Associate with the shrubs of earth?
“Ye slaves, your sovereign's presence shun!
“Respect her beauties and her birth.
“Associate with the shrubs of earth?
“Ye slaves, your sovereign's presence shun!
“Respect her beauties and her birth.
“And thou, dull, sullen ever-green!
“Shalt thou my shining sphere invade?
“My noon-day beauties beam unseen,
“Obscur'd beneath thy dusky shade!”
“Shalt thou my shining sphere invade?
“My noon-day beauties beam unseen,
“Obscur'd beneath thy dusky shade!”
“Deluded flower!” the Myrtle cries,
“Shall we thy moment's bloom adore?
“The meanest shrub that you despise,
“The meanest flower has merit more.
“Shall we thy moment's bloom adore?
“The meanest shrub that you despise,
“The meanest flower has merit more.
“That daisy, in its simple bloom,
“Shall last along the changing year;
“Blush on the snow of winter's gloom,
“And bid the smiling spring appear.
“Shall last along the changing year;
“Blush on the snow of winter's gloom,
“And bid the smiling spring appear.
“The violet, that, those banks beneath,
“Hides from thy scorn its modest head,
“Shall fill the air with fragrant breath,
“When thou art in thy dusty bed.
“Hides from thy scorn its modest head,
“Shall fill the air with fragrant breath,
“When thou art in thy dusty bed.
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“E'en I, who boast no golden shade,
“Am of no shining tints possess'd,
“When low thy lucid form is laid,
“Shall bloom on many a lovely breast.
“Am of no shining tints possess'd,
“When low thy lucid form is laid,
“Shall bloom on many a lovely breast.
“And he, whose kind and fost'ring care
“To thee, to me, our beings gave,
“Shall near his breast my flowrets wear,
“And walk regardless o'er thy grave.
“To thee, to me, our beings gave,
“Shall near his breast my flowrets wear,
“And walk regardless o'er thy grave.
“Deluded flower, the friendly screen
“That hides thee from the noon-tide ray,
“And mocks thy passion to be seen,
“Prolongs thy transitory day.
“That hides thee from the noon-tide ray,
“And mocks thy passion to be seen,
“Prolongs thy transitory day.
“But kindly deeds with scorn repaid,
“No more by virtue need be done:
“I now withdraw my dusky shade,
“And yield thee to thy darling sun.”
“No more by virtue need be done:
“I now withdraw my dusky shade,
“And yield thee to thy darling sun.”
Fierce on the flower the scorching beam
With all its weight of glory fell;
The flower exulting caught the gleam,
And lent its leaves a bolder swell.
With all its weight of glory fell;
The flower exulting caught the gleam,
And lent its leaves a bolder swell.
Expanded by the searching fire,
The curling leaves the breast disclos'd;
The mantling bloom was painted higher,
And every latent charm expos'd.
The curling leaves the breast disclos'd;
The mantling bloom was painted higher,
And every latent charm expos'd.
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But when the sun was sliding low
And ev'ning came, with dews so cold;
The wanton beauty ceas'd to blow,
And sought her bending leaves to fold.
And ev'ning came, with dews so cold;
The wanton beauty ceas'd to blow,
And sought her bending leaves to fold.
Those leaves, alas! no more would close;
Relax'd, exhausted, sick'ning, pale;
They left her to a parent's woes,
And fled before the rising gale.
Relax'd, exhausted, sick'ning, pale;
They left her to a parent's woes,
And fled before the rising gale.
| The Poetical Works of John Langhorne | |