 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
60
SOCIETY.
Hence, gloomy Spleen, and sullen Care!
Of black-stol'd Night, and horrid Hydra born,
That lead the Feet forlorn
All thro' the rueful Regions of Despair.
Hence, to the dark and dire Abode!
Where Folly mourns in superstition's Chain;
And Priests, devoutly vain,
Forsake each Virtue to adore their God.
Nor yet, ye deep immured Cells!
Nor yet, ye dim Glooms! ought have ye to please;
Where oft, the Mind's Disease,
Beating her lorn Breast, Melancholy dwells.
Far from these, I fly to Thee,
Blithe-eyed Nymph, Society;
In whose Dwelling, free, and fair,
Converse smooths the brow of Care;
Who, when waggish Wit betray'd
To his Arms a Sylvan Maid,
All beneath a Myrtle Tree,
In some Vale of Arcady,
Sprung, I ween, from such Embrace,
The lovely Contrast in her Face.
Of black-stol'd Night, and horrid Hydra born,
That lead the Feet forlorn
All thro' the rueful Regions of Despair.
Hence, to the dark and dire Abode!
Where Folly mourns in superstition's Chain;
And Priests, devoutly vain,
Forsake each Virtue to adore their God.
Nor yet, ye deep immured Cells!
Nor yet, ye dim Glooms! ought have ye to please;
Where oft, the Mind's Disease,
Beating her lorn Breast, Melancholy dwells.
61
Blithe-eyed Nymph, Society;
In whose Dwelling, free, and fair,
Converse smooths the brow of Care;
Who, when waggish Wit betray'd
To his Arms a Sylvan Maid,
All beneath a Myrtle Tree,
In some Vale of Arcady,
Sprung, I ween, from such Embrace,
The lovely Contrast in her Face.
Perchance, the Muses, as They stray'd,
Seeking other Spring or Shade,
On the sweet Child cast an Eye,
In some Vale of Arcady;
And, blithest of the Sisters Three,
Gave her to Euphrosyne.
Seeking other Spring or Shade,
On the sweet Child cast an Eye,
In some Vale of Arcady;
And, blithest of the Sisters Three,
Gave her to Euphrosyne.
62
The Grace, delighted, taught her Care
The Cordial Smile, the placid Air;
How to chase, and how restrain
All the fleet ideal Train;
How with apt Words well combin'd
To form each Image of the Mind—
Taught Her how They disagree,
Aukward Fear, and Modesty,
And Freedom, and Rusticity.
True Politeness how to know,
From the superficial Shew;
From the Coxcomb's shallow Grace,
And the many-modell'd Face:
That Nature's unaffected Ease
More than studied Forms wou'd please:
When to check the sportive Vein;
When to Fancy give the Rein.
On the Subject when to be
Grave or gay, reserv'd or free:
The speaking Air, th' impassion'd Eye,
The living Soul of Symmetry;
And that soft Sympathy that binds
In magic Chains congenial Minds.
The Cordial Smile, the placid Air;
How to chase, and how restrain
All the fleet ideal Train;
How with apt Words well combin'd
To form each Image of the Mind—
Taught Her how They disagree,
Aukward Fear, and Modesty,
And Freedom, and Rusticity.
True Politeness how to know,
From the superficial Shew;
From the Coxcomb's shallow Grace,
And the many-modell'd Face:
That Nature's unaffected Ease
More than studied Forms wou'd please:
When to check the sportive Vein;
When to Fancy give the Rein.
63
Grave or gay, reserv'd or free:
The speaking Air, th' impassion'd Eye,
The living Soul of Symmetry;
And that soft Sympathy that binds
In magic Chains congenial Minds.
Memory, Mother of the Nine,
Led her oft to Learning's Shrine;
And taught Her, from the treasur'd Page
To cull the Flowers of every Age.
Led her oft to Learning's Shrine;
And taught Her, from the treasur'd Page
To cull the Flowers of every Age.
Hail, gentle Herald of the Heart!
Fraught with every pleasing Art;
On H*****'s silent Shades, a while,
“Sweet Queen of Parley“ deign to smile;
For Thee, an Hour I well cou'd spare,
Stol'n from Solitude and Care.
Fraught with every pleasing Art;
On H*****'s silent Shades, a while,
“Sweet Queen of Parley“ deign to smile;
For Thee, an Hour I well cou'd spare,
Stol'n from Solitude and Care.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |