 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
131
ODE On MEDIOCRITY
Queen of my Heart! whose happy Reign
The early Sons of Nature lov'd;
Shalt Thou, dear Liberty, complain,
Thy sacred Laws no more approv'd?
In this dark Age, these wretched Days,
No more thy social Altars blaze?
The early Sons of Nature lov'd;
Shalt Thou, dear Liberty, complain,
Thy sacred Laws no more approv'd?
In this dark Age, these wretched Days,
No more thy social Altars blaze?
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Thro' Error's endless Maze we stray,
Slaves, willing Slaves, thy Sweets forego;
And cast thy native Joys away,
For specious Hopes, and spendid Woe.
In vain We gild the servile Pain,
And cloath with Gold an Iron Chain.
Slaves, willing Slaves, thy Sweets forego;
And cast thy native Joys away,
For specious Hopes, and spendid Woe.
In vain We gild the servile Pain,
And cloath with Gold an Iron Chain.
Lives there a Sage whose peaceful Mind
Has still one equal Tenor known;
Lord of Himself, that, unconfin'd,
Can call the passing Hour his own?
To Him, to Him I'll Homage pay;
His sacred Laws my Heart shall sway.
Has still one equal Tenor known;
Lord of Himself, that, unconfin'd,
Can call the passing Hour his own?
To Him, to Him I'll Homage pay;
His sacred Laws my Heart shall sway.
She comes, She comes—ingenuous Fair!
Aloft on Wings of Fire I soar;
Hail peaceful Realms of purer Air!
Hail Regions unperceiv'd before!
O Goddess, wake the vocal Lay;
The Scenes, thy Hand has form'd, display.
Aloft on Wings of Fire I soar;
Hail peaceful Realms of purer Air!
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O Goddess, wake the vocal Lay;
The Scenes, thy Hand has form'd, display.
Embosom'd in the friendly Shore,
Beneath whose Banks the wild Sea raves,
While Fortune thro' the madd'ning Roar,
Drives the proud Vessels of her Slaves,
Here the safe Bark a Refuge finds,
No more the Sport of Waves, and Winds.
Beneath whose Banks the wild Sea raves,
While Fortune thro' the madd'ning Roar,
Drives the proud Vessels of her Slaves,
Here the safe Bark a Refuge finds,
No more the Sport of Waves, and Winds.
On the tall Beach's lonely Side,
Whence, as the wand'ring Eye surveys
The torn Wreck on the distant Tide,
We feel our Safety while We gaze;
Behold a rustic Temple stand!
The Work of Nature's antient Hand.
Whence, as the wand'ring Eye surveys
The torn Wreck on the distant Tide,
We feel our Safety while We gaze;
Behold a rustic Temple stand!
The Work of Nature's antient Hand.
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Here, by immortal Wisdom led,
Dwells Mediocrity serene;
Where never Plutus dar'd to tread,
Or revel in the peaceful Scene.
Here flourish by her forming Care,
The Pleasures pure, the Virtues fair.
Dwells Mediocrity serene;
Where never Plutus dar'd to tread,
Or revel in the peaceful Scene.
Here flourish by her forming Care,
The Pleasures pure, the Virtues fair.
O Goddess! Thee the thoughtless Crowd,
Seduc'd by each false Idol, flies;
The vain, the Empty, and the Proud—
Thy only Subjects are the Wise.
These seek thy Paths with nobler Aim,
By Wisdom lead to deathless Fame.
Seduc'd by each false Idol, flies;
The vain, the Empty, and the Proud—
Thy only Subjects are the Wise.
These seek thy Paths with nobler Aim,
By Wisdom lead to deathless Fame.
To thy Retreat, fair Nymph! We owe
Each tender Bard of Verse divine,
Whom Fortune never taught to bow,
A Suppliant at her painted Shrine;
Nor freezing Penury confin'd,
Whose cold Hand chills the genial Mind.
Each tender Bard of Verse divine,
Whom Fortune never taught to bow,
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Nor freezing Penury confin'd,
Whose cold Hand chills the genial Mind.
In vain Thou slights't the flow'ry Crown
That Fame wreathes round thy favour'd Head,
Whilst laurel'd Victory and Renown
Seek their lov'd Heroes in thy Shade;
There form'd, from courtly Softness free,
By rigid Virtue and by Thee.
That Fame wreathes round thy favour'd Head,
Whilst laurel'd Victory and Renown
Seek their lov'd Heroes in thy Shade;
There form'd, from courtly Softness free,
By rigid Virtue and by Thee.
By Thee were form'd, from Cities far,
Fabricius just, Camillus wise,
Those philosophic Sons of War,
That, from Imperial Dignities
Returning, plough'd their native Plain,
And plac'd their Laurels in thy Fane.
Fabricius just, Camillus wise,
Those philosophic Sons of War,
That, from Imperial Dignities
Returning, plough'd their native Plain,
And plac'd their Laurels in thy Fane.
141
Thrice happy He thro' whose calm Breast
The Smiles of peaceful Wisdom play;
With all thy sober Charms possest,
Whose Wishes never learn'd to stray.
Wrapt in the Joys of Truth alone,
Who laughs at Follies not his own.
The Smiles of peaceful Wisdom play;
With all thy sober Charms possest,
Whose Wishes never learn'd to stray.
Wrapt in the Joys of Truth alone,
Who laughs at Follies not his own.
Far from the Crowd's low-thoughted Strife,
From all that bounds fair Freedom's Aim;
He envies not the Pomp of Life,
A Length of Rent-Roll, or of Name.
Thus safe He views the Vale-grown Elm,
While Thunder-sounding storms the Mountain-Pine o'erwhelm.
From all that bounds fair Freedom's Aim;
He envies not the Pomp of Life,
A Length of Rent-Roll, or of Name.
Thus safe He views the Vale-grown Elm,
While Thunder-sounding storms the Mountain-Pine o'erwhelm.
143
To Him black Censure brings no Dread;
No Frown He fears from vulgar Eyes,
Whose Thought by nobler Prospects led,
Far, far o'er their Horizon flies:
With Reason's Suffrage at his Side,
Whose firm Heart rests self-satisfied.
No Frown He fears from vulgar Eyes,
Whose Thought by nobler Prospects led,
Far, far o'er their Horizon flies:
With Reason's Suffrage at his Side,
Whose firm Heart rests self-satisfied.
And while alternate Conquest sways
The northern or the southern Shore,
He smiles at Fortune's giddy Maze,
And calmly hears the rude Storms roar:
Nay shou'd They Nature's Vitals tear,
Her parting Groan He'd calmly hear.
The northern or the southern Shore,
He smiles at Fortune's giddy Maze,
And calmly hears the rude Storms roar:
Nay shou'd They Nature's Vitals tear,
Her parting Groan He'd calmly hear.
Such are the faithful Hearts you love,
O Friendship fair! immortal Maid!
The few Caprice cou'd never move;
The few whom Interest never sway'd,
Nor shed, unseen, with Hate refin'd,
Envy's fell Poisons o'er the Mind.
O Friendship fair! immortal Maid!
The few Caprice cou'd never move;
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Nor shed, unseen, with Hate refin'd,
Envy's fell Poisons o'er the Mind.
Soft Sleep that lov'st the peaceful Cell!
On these descends thy balmy Power,
While no terrific Dreams dispel
The Slumbers of the sober Hour;
Which oft array'd in Darkness drear,
Wake the wild Eye of Pride to Fear.
On these descends thy balmy Power,
While no terrific Dreams dispel
The Slumbers of the sober Hour;
Which oft array'd in Darkness drear,
Wake the wild Eye of Pride to Fear.
In Joys like these—all Life can yield—
Once Sidon's Monarch liv'd unknown;
And sigh'd to leave his little Field,
For the long Splendors of a Throne.
There once more happy, and more free,
Than rank'd with Dido's Ancestry.
Once Sidon's Monarch liv'd unknown;
And sigh'd to leave his little Field,
For the long Splendors of a Throne.
There once more happy, and more free,
Than rank'd with Dido's Ancestry.
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With these pacific Virtues blest,
These Charms of Philosophic Ease,
Wrapt in your sweet Trivolis Rest,
You pass, dear R****, your useful Days.
Where Cher your silent Vallies laves,
And pays the Loir her tributary Waves.
These Charms of Philosophic Ease,
Wrapt in your sweet Trivolis Rest,
You pass, dear R****, your useful Days.
Where Cher your silent Vallies laves,
And pays the Loir her tributary Waves.
Shou'd Life's more publick Scenes engage
Your Time that thus consistent flows,
And, following still these Maxims sage,
For ever brings the same Repose,
Your Worth may greater Fame procure;
But hope not Happiness so pure.
Your Time that thus consistent flows,
And, following still these Maxims sage,
For ever brings the same Repose,
Your Worth may greater Fame procure;
But hope not Happiness so pure.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |