 | The poems (1969) |  |
24 [Lines Addressed to Jacob Tonson]
531
While you perhaps exclude the wintry gloom
In jovial Jacob's academic room,
There pleased by turns in breathing paint to trace
The wit's gay air or poet's genial face,
Say, happy Tonson, say what great design
(For warmest gratitude must sure be thine),
What due return employs thy musing heart
For all the happiness their works impart;
What taste-directed monument, which they
Might own with smiles and thou with honour pay.
In jovial Jacob's academic room,
532
The wit's gay air or poet's genial face,
Say, happy Tonson, say what great design
(For warmest gratitude must sure be thine),
What due return employs thy musing heart
For all the happiness their works impart;
What taste-directed monument, which they
Might own with smiles and thou with honour pay.
Even from the days when courtly Waller sung
And tuned with polished sounds our barbarous tongue,
Ere yet the verse to full perfection brought
With nicer music clothed the poet's thought,
The muse whose song bespoke securest fame
Made fair alliance with thy favoured name.
Dealt from thy press, the maid of elder days
Lisped the soft lines to Sacharissa's praise;
Or the gay youth, for livelier spirits known,
By Cowley's pointed thought improved his own.
Even all the easy sons of song, who gained
A poet's name when Charles and pleasure reigned,
All from thy race a lasting praise derived:
Not by their toil the careless bards survived.
You wisely saved the race who, [OMITTED] gay,
But sought to wear the myrtles of a day.
At soft Barn Elms (let every critic join)
You more than all enjoy each flowing line.
Yours is the price, whate'er their merits claim,
Heir of their verse and guardian of their fame!
[OMITTED] move
[OMITTED] luxury and love!
And tuned with polished sounds our barbarous tongue,
Ere yet the verse to full perfection brought
With nicer music clothed the poet's thought,
The muse whose song bespoke securest fame
Made fair alliance with thy favoured name.
Dealt from thy press, the maid of elder days
533
Or the gay youth, for livelier spirits known,
By Cowley's pointed thought improved his own.
Even all the easy sons of song, who gained
A poet's name when Charles and pleasure reigned,
All from thy race a lasting praise derived:
Not by their toil the careless bards survived.
You wisely saved the race who, [OMITTED] gay,
But sought to wear the myrtles of a day.
At soft Barn Elms (let every critic join)
You more than all enjoy each flowing line.
Yours is the price, whate'er their merits claim,
Heir of their verse and guardian of their fame!
[OMITTED] move
[OMITTED] luxury and love!
| The poems (1969) | |