Rough Sketches of Bath, and Other Poems By Thomas Bayly ... Fifth Edition, with Additions |
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Imitations of Horace.
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 | Rough Sketches of Bath, and Other Poems |  |
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Imitations of Horace.
FASHION.
IMITATION OF HORACE—ODE I. BOOK I.
“Mæcenas, atavis edite regibus.”
Hail, Fashion! gay, capricious dame!
Past ages have revered thy name,
And humbly bent before thee;
And belles and beaux, in embryo now,
Before thy magic shrine shall bow,
And bucks unborn adore thee.
Past ages have revered thy name,
And humbly bent before thee;
And belles and beaux, in embryo now,
Before thy magic shrine shall bow,
And bucks unborn adore thee.
How many varied joys delight
Thy subjects, morning, noon, and night,
And make their moments pleasant:
With boots and military heels,
Some love to guide their tandem wheels,
And dash along the Crescent.
Thy subjects, morning, noon, and night,
And make their moments pleasant:
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Some love to guide their tandem wheels,
And dash along the Crescent.
This, fill'd with dreams of pomp and pride,
Hopes to become a noble bride,
And scorns plebeian offers;
That proves himself a rogue in grain,
And toils for ever to obtain
Fresh gold to fill his coffers.
Hopes to become a noble bride,
And scorns plebeian offers;
That proves himself a rogue in grain,
And toils for ever to obtain
Fresh gold to fill his coffers.
Another shuns the busy throng,
And seeks for happiness among
Paternal goods and chattels;
He never joins the herd who flock,
To gaze upon the Pump-Room clock,
And talk of balls and battles.
And seeks for happiness among
Paternal goods and chattels;
He never joins the herd who flock,
To gaze upon the Pump-Room clock,
And talk of balls and battles.
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The merchant dreads the stormy seas,
Commends tranquillity and ease,
'Till brighter beams are shining;
Then spreads his canvass to the wind,
Trusting in future years to find
For canvass bags a lining.
Commends tranquillity and ease,
'Till brighter beams are shining;
Then spreads his canvass to the wind,
Trusting in future years to find
For canvass bags a lining.
Some to the York Hotel resort,
And drown their cares in sparkling port,
For recreation seeking;
There talk of politics and dress—
At length grown weary of excess,
Break up—when day is breaking.
And drown their cares in sparkling port,
For recreation seeking;
There talk of politics and dress—
At length grown weary of excess,
Break up—when day is breaking.
One loves the trumpet's martial note,
And pants for pantaloons and coat,
Cut à la regimental;
Buys a barouche and chesnut steeds,—
Plays high—talks low—and never heeds
Anxieties parental.
And pants for pantaloons and coat,
Cut à la regimental;
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Plays high—talks low—and never heeds
Anxieties parental.
Of lyric inspiration proud,
I envy not the motley crowd—
Contented with my station;
While others dream of Hessian boots,
And choose the most prevailing suits,
I suit my inclination.
I envy not the motley crowd—
Contented with my station;
While others dream of Hessian boots,
And choose the most prevailing suits,
I suit my inclination.
Careless of sneers and critic rods,
My Muse shall raise me to the gods,
Above all earthly evil;
I'll neither dress, nor write by rule,
But be content to play the fool,
While others play the devil.
My Muse shall raise me to the gods,
Above all earthly evil;
I'll neither dress, nor write by rule,
But be content to play the fool,
While others play the devil.
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TO ORLANDO.
IMITATION OF HORACE—BOOK I. ODE IV.
“Solvitur acris hyems, grata vice veris et Favoni.”
The triumph of winter is o'er,
And spring re-illumines the plain
The breezes are balmy once more;
Adieu to the wind and the rain.
The Pump-Room attraction now ceases,
For Fashion no more lingers there;
The fair ones throw off their pelisses,
And cooler apparel prepare.
And spring re-illumines the plain
The breezes are balmy once more;
Adieu to the wind and the rain.
The Pump-Room attraction now ceases,
For Fashion no more lingers there;
The fair ones throw off their pelisses,
And cooler apparel prepare.
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Orlando! let's rove to the Crescent,—
Nay, frown not, let's hasten along;
To you it may surely prove pleasant,
Since Lucy enlivens the throng;
In Sydney Vauxhall, with your Venus,
The bustle of Bond-Street we'll shun,
Whilst pendant laburnums shall screen us
Awhile from the heat of the sun.
Nay, frown not, let's hasten along;
To you it may surely prove pleasant,
Since Lucy enlivens the throng;
In Sydney Vauxhall, with your Venus,
The bustle of Bond-Street we'll shun,
Whilst pendant laburnums shall screen us
Awhile from the heat of the sun.
Death knocks at the door of the cottage,
Or shatters the loftier gate,
And kicks down a pipkin of pottage,
As well as a service of plate.
Then surely, ye gods, 'tis a merit
To sing whilst possessing a rag,—
That mortal may soon be a spirit,
Who suffers his spirits to flag.
Or shatters the loftier gate,
And kicks down a pipkin of pottage,
As well as a service of plate.
Then surely, ye gods, 'tis a merit
To sing whilst possessing a rag,—
That mortal may soon be a spirit,
Who suffers his spirits to flag.
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Oh! happy Orlando, remember
Our span of existence is brief;
Soon April gives place to December,
And joy yields the sceptre to grief.
The heat now beginning to heighten,
Too soon shall the gay ones repair
To Scarborough, Weymouth, and Brighton,
All dying for want of sea air.
Our span of existence is brief;
Soon April gives place to December,
And joy yields the sceptre to grief.
The heat now beginning to heighten,
Too soon shall the gay ones repair
To Scarborough, Weymouth, and Brighton,
All dying for want of sea air.
Ah! surely, my friend, 'twill distress you,
To rove through the city alone:
How soon will blue devils oppress you,
When Lucy, your angel, is gone.
Then do not anticipate sorrow;
My friend, whilst we can, let's be gay;
Let us share (since joy leaves us to-morrow)
A double proportion to-day.
To rove through the city alone:
How soon will blue devils oppress you,
When Lucy, your angel, is gone.
Then do not anticipate sorrow;
My friend, whilst we can, let's be gay;
Let us share (since joy leaves us to-morrow)
A double proportion to-day.
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TO LAURA.
IMITATION OF HORACE—BOOK I. ODE V.
“Quis Malta gracilis te puer in rosa.”
Laura! what youth with passion warm
Now madly gazes on thy form,
And loads thee with caresses?
Who now adores those locks of gold,
And thinks thee not of mortal mould,
Whilst paying his addresses?
Now madly gazes on thy form,
And loads thee with caresses?
Who now adores those locks of gold,
And thinks thee not of mortal mould,
Whilst paying his addresses?
Alas! how soon shall he deplore,
When these fair features smile no more,
And jealous cares environ,
Thy perfidy which caused his fall;
For locks of gold can sure enthrall,
As well as locks of iron.
When these fair features smile no more,
And jealous cares environ,
Thy perfidy which caused his fall;
For locks of gold can sure enthrall,
As well as locks of iron.
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Fond youth! you think her kind and true;
Alas! these thoughts will prove to you
But unsubstantial bubbles;
From dimpled cheeks no smiles I crave,
For well I know that passion's wave
Oft proves a sea of troubles.
Alas! these thoughts will prove to you
But unsubstantial bubbles;
From dimpled cheeks no smiles I crave,
For well I know that passion's wave
Oft proves a sea of troubles.
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IMITATION OF HORACE;
BOOK I. ODE XI.
“Tu ne quæsieris scire (nefas) quem mihi quem tibi.”
Oh! seek not (what none are permitted to see)
How long life shall linger with you or with me;
Believe not in those who the future explain,
And calculate moments of pleasure and pain.
Life is stormy—but why should we lengthen the list,
By thinking of storms which may never exist?
Far wiser are those who, with fortitude blest,
Though prepared for the worst can still hope for the best;
If years should be added to those that are past,
Or if this which is fleeting should number your last,—
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But let not life's dawning embitter its close;
E'en now whilst I'm speaking the moments decay,
And since thus in succession they wither away,
Seize the joys of the present—'tis folly to borrow
One pang from the ills that may happen to-morrow.
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