Major Pack's Poetical Remains Published from his Original Manuscripts. To which are Added, translations from Catullus, Tibullus, and Ovid. With an Essay on the Roman elegiac poets, &c. [by Richardson Pack] |
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ON Reading Tibullus.
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 | Major Pack's Poetical Remains |  |
4
ON Reading Tibullus.
Alluding to the foregoing Separation.
Ah Crudele genus! nec fidum fœmina Nomen.
Tib. Lib. 3.
Hail happy Shade! thou bright Elysian Guest.
Midst tuneful Bards and faithful Lovers blest:
Who living didst a thousand Charms display;
Rich, Witty, Graceful, Elegant, and Gay.
When I survey Thee, thro' thy shining Page,
Inflam'd with Love by Turns and jealous Rage,
Yet decent still, well manner'd, and polite,
From fulsom Flatt'ry free, or meaner Spite;
(For gently, even thy Reproaches fall,
And in thy Spleen thou seem'st to have no Gall)
So soft the Subject, and so sweet the Song,
My Soul insensibly is borne along:
By secret Sympathy with Thee combin'd,
Thy Joys and Sorrows all affect my Mind.
Midst tuneful Bards and faithful Lovers blest:
Who living didst a thousand Charms display;
Rich, Witty, Graceful, Elegant, and Gay.
When I survey Thee, thro' thy shining Page,
Inflam'd with Love by Turns and jealous Rage,
Yet decent still, well manner'd, and polite,
From fulsom Flatt'ry free, or meaner Spite;
(For gently, even thy Reproaches fall,
And in thy Spleen thou seem'st to have no Gall)
5
My Soul insensibly is borne along:
By secret Sympathy with Thee combin'd,
Thy Joys and Sorrows all affect my Mind.
Tho' Fate so far our Persons did divide,
Our Souls, methinks, in Genius are ally'd;
Nature alike did either Breast inspire,
With melting Tenderness and warm Desire;
Melting as Snows that fall from southern Skies,
And warm as Odours which from Incense rise.
Our Souls, methinks, in Genius are ally'd;
Nature alike did either Breast inspire,
With melting Tenderness and warm Desire;
Melting as Snows that fall from southern Skies,
And warm as Odours which from Incense rise.
Thee have I chose (and let the Choice commend.
My Taste) both as an Author and a Friend.
Often I've sought the Silence of the Grove,
To hear thy moving Tales and Plaints of Love.
Then fondly took my gentle Poet's Part;
Felt all his Passions fluctuate in my Heart;
And, sighing! rav'd against th'ungrateful Maid,
By whom such Truth, such Merit, was betray'd.
And false
Neæra!
lovely perjur'd Dear
How kind you were, but ah, how insincere!
My Taste) both as an Author and a Friend.
Often I've sought the Silence of the Grove,
To hear thy moving Tales and Plaints of Love.
Then fondly took my gentle Poet's Part;
Felt all his Passions fluctuate in my Heart;
And, sighing! rav'd against th'ungrateful Maid,
By whom such Truth, such Merit, was betray'd.
6
How kind you were, but ah, how insincere!
Hard Lot of Us whom Beauty taught to sing?
From our obliging Cares our Suff'rings spring.
While we with Verse adorn our Fav'rite's Charms,
We recommend Her to some Rival's Arms:
To vain Parade the fickle-Fair invite,
And guide dull Fops by our Poetic Light;
Till modest Sense, o'erpower'd by Dress and Noise,
Will praise the Toast a Coxcomb oft enjoys.
From our obliging Cares our Suff'rings spring.
While we with Verse adorn our Fav'rite's Charms,
We recommend Her to some Rival's Arms:
To vain Parade the fickle-Fair invite,
And guide dull Fops by our Poetic Light;
Till modest Sense, o'erpower'd by Dress and Noise,
Will praise the Toast a Coxcomb oft enjoys.
Non tu corpus eras sine Pectore, Di tibi formam,
Di tibi divitias dederant, artemque fruendi.
Di tibi divitias dederant, artemque fruendi.
Hor. Ep. 4. Lib. 1.
| Major Pack's Poetical Remains | |