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The Poems Of Mark Akenside

Akenside, Mark (1721-1770)

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THE PLEASURES OF IMAGINATION. A POEM. IN THREE BOOKS.
 1. 
BOOK THE FIRST.
 2. 
BOOK THE SECOND.
 3. 
BOOK THE THIRD.
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THE PLEASURES OF THE IMAGINATION: A POEM.
 1. 
BOOK THE FIRST.
 2. 
BOOK THE SECOND.
 3. 
BOOK THE THIRD.
 4. 
BOOK THE FOURTH.
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ODES ON SEVERAL SUBJECTS. IN TWO BOOKS.
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ODES, BOOK THE FIRST.
  
ODE I. PREFACE.
  
ODE II. ON THE WINTER-SOLSTICE,
  
ODE III. TO A FRIEND, UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOVE.
  
ODE IV. AFFECTED INDIFFERENCE. TO THE SAME.
  
ODE V. AGAINST SUSPICION.
  
ODE VI. HYMN TO CHEERFULNESS.
  
ODE VII. ON THE USE OF POETRY.
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ODE VIII. ON LEAVING HOLLAND.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
  
ODE IX. TO CURIO.
  
ODE X. TO THE MUSE.
  
ODE XI. ON LOVE, TO A FRIEND.
  
ODE XII. TO SIR FRANCIS HENRY DRAKE, BARONET.
  
ODE XIII. ON LYRIC POETRY.
  
ODE XIV. TO THE HONOURABLE CHARLES TOWNSHEND:
  
ODE XV. TO THE EVENING-STAR.
  
ODE XVI. TO CALEB HARDINGE, M. D.
  
ODE XVII. ON A SERMON AGAINST GLORY.
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ODE XVIII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FRANCIS EARL OF HUNTINGDON.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
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ODES, BOOK THE SECOND.
  
ODE I. THE REMONSTRANCE OF SHAKESPEARE:
  
ODE II. TO SLEEP.
  
ODE III. TO THE CUCKOW.
  
ODE IV. TO THE HONOURABLE CHARLES TOWNSHEND IN THE COUNTRY.
  
ODE V. ON LOVE OF PRAISE.
  
ODE VI. TO WILLIAM HALL, ESQUIRE: WITH THE WORKS OF CHAULIEU.
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ODE VII. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND BENJAMIN LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
  
ODE VIII.
  
ODE IX. AT STUDY.
  
ODE X. TO THOMAS EDWARDS, ESQUIRE: ON THE LATE EDITION OF MR. POPE'S WORKS.
  
ODE XI. TO THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN OF ENGLAND.
  
ODE XII. ON RECOVERING FROM A FIT OF SICKNESS, IN THE COUNTRY.
  
ODE XIII. TO THE AUTHOR OF MEMOIRS OF THE HOUSE OF BRANDENBURGH:
  
ODE XIV. THE COMPLAINT.
  
ODE XV. ON DOMESTIC MANNERS.
  
HYMN TO THE NAIADS.
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INSCRIPTIONS.
  
I. FOR A GROTTO.
  
II. FOR A STATUE OF CHAUCER AT WOODSTOCK.
  
III.
  
IV.
  
VI. FOR A COLUMN AT RUNNYMEDE.
  
VII. THE WOOD NYMPH.
  
VIII.
  
IX.

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II.

1.

Mr. Locke died in 1704, when Mr. Hoadly was beginning to distinguish himself in the cause of civil and religious liberty: Lord Godolphin in 1712, when the doctrines of the Jacobite faction were chiefly favoured by those in power: Lord Somers in 1716, amid the practices of the nonjuring clergy against the protestant establishment; and Lord Stanhope in 1721, during the controversy with the lower house of convocation.

No cold or unperforming hand
Was arm'd by heaven with this command.
The world soon felt it: and, on high,
To William's ear with welcome joy
Did Locke among the blest unfold
The rising hope of Hoadly's name,
Godolphin then confirm'd the fame;
And Somers, when from earth he came,
And generous Stanhope the fair sequel told.
315

2.

Then drew the lawgivers around,
(Sires of the Grecian name renown'd)
And listening ask'd, and wondering knew,
What private force could thus subdue
The vulgar and the great combin'd;
Could war with sacred folly wage;
Could a whole nation disengage
From the dread bonds of many an age,
And to new habits mould the public mind.

3.

For not a conqueror's sword,
Nor the strong powers to civil founders known,
Were his: but truth by faithful search explor'd,
And social sense, like seed, in genial plenty sown.
Wherever it took root, the soul (restor'd
To freedom) freedom too for others sought.
Not monkish craft the tyrant's claim divine,
Not regal zeal the bigot's cruel shrine
Could longer guard from reason's warfare sage;
Not the wild rabble to sedition wrought,
Nor synods by the papal Genius taught,
Nor St. John's spirit loose, nor Atterbury's rage.
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