 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
24
ODE ON BENEVOLENCE.
Delightless queen of gloomy Woe!
No more thy sadly solemn strain
Shall teach these tear-worn eyes to flow,
Tho' sweet Melpomene complain,
And Life's unumber'd Ills bewail,
Recounting many a mournful Tale.
Behold! gay-smiling as the youthful Spring,
Parent of Bliss, Benevolence divine
The chearful rays of gladdening Comfort bring,
And gild the gloom of Melancholy's shrine!
Dejected Care at her approach is gay,
And heavy Discontent turns sullenly away.
With her, what e'er delights the Heart,
The Joys of social Life among,
The Charms that Beauty's smiles impart,
The Graces' dance, the Muses' Song,
The sparkling Glass, the spicy Bowl,
Doubly pleasing, steal the Soul.
Tho' born of Heaven, she mourns no Realms above,
Nor sighs in absence of a happier Day;
Pleas'd the dull Scenes of human joy t'improve,
The Smiles and Graces round their Goddess play;
With Wreaths fresh-blooming her fair brows adorn,
Where in mild lust're beams the radiance of the Morn.
No more thy sadly solemn strain
Shall teach these tear-worn eyes to flow,
Tho' sweet Melpomene complain,
And Life's unumber'd Ills bewail,
Recounting many a mournful Tale.
Behold! gay-smiling as the youthful Spring,
Parent of Bliss, Benevolence divine
The chearful rays of gladdening Comfort bring,
And gild the gloom of Melancholy's shrine!
Dejected Care at her approach is gay,
And heavy Discontent turns sullenly away.
25
The Joys of social Life among,
The Charms that Beauty's smiles impart,
The Graces' dance, the Muses' Song,
The sparkling Glass, the spicy Bowl,
Doubly pleasing, steal the Soul.
Tho' born of Heaven, she mourns no Realms above,
Nor sighs in absence of a happier Day;
Pleas'd the dull Scenes of human joy t'improve,
The Smiles and Graces round their Goddess play;
With Wreaths fresh-blooming her fair brows adorn,
Where in mild lust're beams the radiance of the Morn.
Yet have I seen in Tears those Eyes,
Where Smiles of lively Pleasure dwell;
Yet have I seen, with bursting Sighs,
That joy-dilated Bosom swell;
When Pity taught the Tear to flow,
The Heart to melt with generous woe.
As the fond Parent that with eager arms,
In anguish, folds her dying Infant fair;
As guardian Angels, when some grief alarms,
Or some dread Ruin threats their thoughtless care;
Oft have I seen her o'er Distress complain,
Rear the low-drooping head, and sooth the Heart in pain.
Where Smiles of lively Pleasure dwell;
26
That joy-dilated Bosom swell;
When Pity taught the Tear to flow,
The Heart to melt with generous woe.
As the fond Parent that with eager arms,
In anguish, folds her dying Infant fair;
As guardian Angels, when some grief alarms,
Or some dread Ruin threats their thoughtless care;
Oft have I seen her o'er Distress complain,
Rear the low-drooping head, and sooth the Heart in pain.
In lonely wilds, and Desarts drear,
To Life's luxurious Joys unknown;
Where Sorrow sheds her silent Tear,
And want unpity'd pines alone;
In search of Grief she loves to stray,
Nor scorns the tenement of clay.
When pale-eye'd Famine leads her ghastly train,
Disease and Anguish, round the mourning land;
Where e'er she smiles, the Furies rage in vain,
By Her supprest in Savile's bounteous hand.
Hail, generous Youth! whom thus the fair inspires,
Whose glowing breast she fills with her celestial fires!
To Life's luxurious Joys unknown;
Where Sorrow sheds her silent Tear,
And want unpity'd pines alone;
In search of Grief she loves to stray,
Nor scorns the tenement of clay.
27
Disease and Anguish, round the mourning land;
Where e'er she smiles, the Furies rage in vain,
By Her supprest in Savile's bounteous hand.
Hail, generous Youth! whom thus the fair inspires,
Whose glowing breast she fills with her celestial fires!
O may the boundless Wish to bless,
By Time or Parties unconfin'd,
Inspire thee, as in fond Excess
It fills the first all-gracious Mind;
Whose Favours, far-diffusive, fall;
Whose Eye benignant smiles on all.
For thee while Seasons spread, profusely kind,
The carmine bed, or rosy-blooming Bower!
That God of Seasons, for the lowly Hind,
Taught the wild furze to wear a golden flower;
Taught the poor Slave that reaps the genial grain,
With joy to see it bloom, and sweep the loaded Plain.
By Time or Parties unconfin'd,
Inspire thee, as in fond Excess
It fills the first all-gracious Mind;
Whose Favours, far-diffusive, fall;
Whose Eye benignant smiles on all.
28
The carmine bed, or rosy-blooming Bower!
That God of Seasons, for the lowly Hind,
Taught the wild furze to wear a golden flower;
Taught the poor Slave that reaps the genial grain,
With joy to see it bloom, and sweep the loaded Plain.
How blest with whom, tho' lowly born,
Divine Benevolence shall dwell!
His humble Virtues to adorn,
While Peace plays round his lonely Cell;
No fruitless Wish shall wound his Breast,
No tort'ring Envy banish Rest;
While HE whose Bounty fills the pregnant Field
With Spring's fair Herbage, and with Autumn's Gold,
Who bids the Rock refreshing Waters yield,
And the tall Blade her shining ear unfold,
Supplies the little, Nature's want requires,
And sweet Benevolence, and calm Content inspires.
Divine Benevolence shall dwell!
His humble Virtues to adorn,
While Peace plays round his lonely Cell;
No fruitless Wish shall wound his Breast,
No tort'ring Envy banish Rest;
While HE whose Bounty fills the pregnant Field
With Spring's fair Herbage, and with Autumn's Gold,
29
And the tall Blade her shining ear unfold,
Supplies the little, Nature's want requires,
And sweet Benevolence, and calm Content inspires.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |