 | Poems on several subjects |  |
A POEM on R--- H--- of South-Ballo.
Let valiant heroes glory o'er the dead,
And in triumph their conquer'd captives lead;
Let bribes in courts the covetous allure,
And misers hoard in bags their cash secure;
Let lawyers lead their clients to expence,
And wrangling clergy dispute for the sense;
Proud haughty beaux expose their foolishness,
Oppressors all within their pow'r distress;
Lovers for gold instead of beauty pant;
And debauchees drink, whore, and swear, and rant;
Improvers, architects, and foreign scums,
From landlords wheedle many needless sums;
Let poets write strange hyperboles of praise
On silly wretches, worthy of no lays,
Or write heroic numbers on the wars,
Intending to describe European jars:
But me, let me, in low plebeian verse,
The works and merits of a friend rehearse,
And in triumph their conquer'd captives lead;
Let bribes in courts the covetous allure,
And misers hoard in bags their cash secure;
Let lawyers lead their clients to expence,
And wrangling clergy dispute for the sense;
Proud haughty beaux expose their foolishness,
Oppressors all within their pow'r distress;
Lovers for gold instead of beauty pant;
And debauchees drink, whore, and swear, and rant;
Improvers, architects, and foreign scums,
From landlords wheedle many needless sums;
Let poets write strange hyperboles of praise
On silly wretches, worthy of no lays,
Or write heroic numbers on the wars,
Intending to describe European jars:
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The works and merits of a friend rehearse,
And were it in my small engine to raise
Bright and heroic strains in Ballo's praise,
I would not grudge either my pains or time,
To furnish out the most delightful rhyme.
Bright and heroic strains in Ballo's praise,
I would not grudge either my pains or time,
To furnish out the most delightful rhyme.
The Fates concurr'd with Nature, both exert
Their skill in forming of a man expert,
Complete in body, more complete in mind,
Surpassing many of the human kind:
For who could trace him from his birth and cradle,
Till he became a man to mount a saddle,
Might see his embryo fancies quickly grow,
Unto a pregnance, yea, an overflow.
Their skill in forming of a man expert,
Complete in body, more complete in mind,
Surpassing many of the human kind:
For who could trace him from his birth and cradle,
Till he became a man to mount a saddle,
Might see his embryo fancies quickly grow,
Unto a pregnance, yea, an overflow.
Thus Jove's own brain one time so pregnant grew,
That to get ease the god himself not knew;
Till Vulcan came, and daring with his hammer,
Gave him a blow that made his godship stammer;
And cleanly cleft his ripen'd brain in two,
Whence out in haste the armed Pallas flew.
That to get ease the god himself not knew;
Till Vulcan came, and daring with his hammer,
Gave him a blow that made his godship stammer;
And cleanly cleft his ripen'd brain in two,
Whence out in haste the armed Pallas flew.
Just so, when time had Ballo's fruitful thought
To perfect rectitude and ripeness brought,
A thousand schemes, each justling to get vent,
Oppress'd his brain, all pleading his consent.
To perfect rectitude and ripeness brought,
A thousand schemes, each justling to get vent,
Oppress'd his brain, all pleading his consent.
Some bid him travel: others, arts pursue:
Some to the court his politics to shew:
Some bid him try the martial feats of war;
For there, there only same and honours are:
Men seek by these for an immortal name,
That after-ages may their deeds proclaim.
Some to the court his politics to shew:
Some bid him try the martial feats of war;
For there, there only same and honours are:
Men seek by these for an immortal name,
That after-ages may their deeds proclaim.
But he, delib'rate, saw the ills that might
Upon such vain aspiring mortals light:
The trav'ller often in his journey dies;
And fame oft from the proudest warrior flies;
Artists find small encouragement oft-times;
Courtiers detect'd for some inglorious crimes.
Upon such vain aspiring mortals light:
The trav'ller often in his journey dies;
And fame oft from the proudest warrior flies;
Artists find small encouragement oft-times;
Courtiers detect'd for some inglorious crimes.
Thus he survey'd the scenes of life; and bless'd
The country life, as judging it the best.
Thought he, What's honour or wide-mouth'd renown,
The dignity and glory of a crown,
Guarded by foes, at best but seeming friends,
Pretending such for base sinistrous ends?
While I contented and securely sleep,
Needing no centinels my life to keep:
Good angels guard my chamber all the night,
And early cock proclaims approaching light:
Up with the sun, I and my rural train,
Each to their labours, some to plow the plain,
Some thresh the corn, others do dung prepare,
Plying each season of the wheeling year.
What life more sweet, enjoying more content,
Than when the farmer views his meadows, pent
With various flow'rs, which ev'ry now and then
Nod with sweet zephyrs puffling o'er the plain?
Nor need I be less famous, if I please,
Than potentates, e'en kings, and great grandees.
The country life, as judging it the best.
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The dignity and glory of a crown,
Guarded by foes, at best but seeming friends,
Pretending such for base sinistrous ends?
While I contented and securely sleep,
Needing no centinels my life to keep:
Good angels guard my chamber all the night,
And early cock proclaims approaching light:
Up with the sun, I and my rural train,
Each to their labours, some to plow the plain,
Some thresh the corn, others do dung prepare,
Plying each season of the wheeling year.
What life more sweet, enjoying more content,
Than when the farmer views his meadows, pent
With various flow'rs, which ev'ry now and then
Nod with sweet zephyrs puffling o'er the plain?
Nor need I be less famous, if I please,
Than potentates, e'en kings, and great grandees.
Thus after chusing of a farmer's life,
Bless'd with a virtuous and a loving wife,
His fruitful thought with ease began to play
Upon his buildings seeming to decay:
The muddy walls he tumbled down, and threw
Them into dunghills, straightway building new.
Bless'd with a virtuous and a loving wife,
His fruitful thought with ease began to play
Upon his buildings seeming to decay:
The muddy walls he tumbled down, and threw
Them into dunghills, straightway building new.
But to describe the schemes and plans he laid,
The thousandth part by me cannot be said;
Improvements, buildings, plantings, these declare
What mighty feats by him performed were.
The thousandth part by me cannot be said;
Improvements, buildings, plantings, these declare
What mighty feats by him performed were.
| Poems on several subjects | |