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Poetics

Or, a series of poems, and disquisitions on poetry. By George Dyer
Dyer, George (1755-1841)

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VOL. I.
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ODES.
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BOOK THE FIRST.
 I. 
ODE I. VISIONS.
 III. 
ODE III. ON REVISITING THE SCENES OF EARLIER LIFE.
 IV. 
ODE IV. ON THE APPROACH OF SPRING.
 V. 
ODE V. INDEPENDENCE.
 VI. 
ODE VI. TO JOHN HAMMOND, A. M. OF FENSTANTON, HUNTINGDONSHIRE.
 VII. 
ODE VII. THE RECONCILIATION.
 VIII. 
ODE VIII. INVOCATION TO MAY.
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BOOK THE SECOND.
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ODE I. THE RACE OF HEROES.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 II. 
ODE II. PEACE AND FREEDOM.
 III. 
ODE III. TO MRS. OPIE, WHEN MISS ALDERSON,
 IV. 
ODE IV. TO AN INFANT,
 VI. 
ODE VI. ON CONTEMPLATING THE WEALTH AND AGGRANDIZEMENT FLOWING FROM CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS IN INDIA.
 X. 
ODE X. ON THE EVENING.
 XI. 
ODE XI. CUPID'S ADDRESS;
 XII. 
ODE XII. ON SEEING A LADY'S PORTRAIT.
 XIII. 
ODE XIII. LOVE OF PLEASURE.
 XIV. 
ODE XIV. THE MUSIC OF THE GROVES.
 XV. 
ODE XV. GAIA, OR MY OWN HONEST LANDLADY IN A COUNTRY VILLAGE.
 XVI. 
ODE XVI. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EVIL.
 XVII. 
ODE XVII. ADDRESS TO THE CAM.
 XVIII. 
ODE XVIII. TO A LADY, WHO HAD RALLIED THE AUTHOR IN THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE, FOR HIS REJECTION OF TITLES.
 XXI. 
ODE XXI. TO NARCISSA.
 XXII. 
ODE XXII. TO MELANCHOLY.
 XXIII. 
ODE XXIII. MEDITATED IN THE CLOISTERS OF CHRIST'S HOSPITAL.
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BOOK THE THIRD.
 II. 
ODE II. ON THE CLOSE OF AUTUMN, AFTER AN EXCURSION THROUGH HERTFORDSHIRE AND ESSEX.
 III. 
ODE III. THE RANSOM.
 IV. 
ODE IV. ON SCIENCE.
 VI. 
ODE VI. TO AN ENTHUSIAST.
 VIII. 
ODE VIII. ON PEACE.
 IX. 
ODE IX. ON CONSIDERING THE UNSETTLED STATE OF EUROPE, AND THE OPPOSITION WHICH HAD BEEN MADE TO ATTEMPTS FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE-TRADE.
 XII. 
ODE XII. WRITTEN ON THE DEATH OF JOHN HOWARD, AT HIS VILLA AT CARDINGTON, IN BEDFORDSHIRE.
 XIII. 
ODE XIII. TO THE NIGHTINGALE.
 XV. 
ODE XV. TO A MINIATURE PAINTER,
 XXI. 
ODE XXI. AN EPITAPH FOR A HUMAN BEING.
 XXII. 
ODE XXII. TO A HUMBLE FRIEND.
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BOOK THE FOURTH.
 II. 
ODE II. AN ENGLISH SAPPHIC, IN PRAISE OF SNUFF AND TOBACCO.
 III. 
ODE III. TO MUSIC.
 IV. 
ODE IV. ON WINE.
 V. 
ODE V. AFTER VISITING DRYBURGH ABBEY, IN BERWICKSHIRE.
 VI. 
ODE VI. THE CHARM OF MUSIC.
 VII. 
ODE VII. HYMN TO CHARITY.
 VIII. 
ODE VIII. THE SAILOR.
 IX. 
ODE IX. THE TRIUMPH OF POETRY.
 X. 
ODE X. A SONG.
 XI. 
ODE XI. ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS, AND THE HAVOC OF WAR.
 XII. 
ODE XII. HYMN TO HEALTH.
 XIII. 
ODE XIII.
 XIV. 
ODE XIV.

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ODE V. AFTER VISITING DRYBURGH ABBEY, IN BERWICKSHIRE.

While June, in rosy vestment gay,
Swells beauteous to the sight,
While yet the cuckoo cheers the day,
Whilst slowly comes the night;
How sweet, on shelter'd bank reclin'd,
To sing (for song can charm the mind)
When noon-tide's feverish heats prevail!
Or near some oak's thick branches laid,
To muse within the silent shade,
And taste meek evening's mellow gale!
204

Ah! Pleasure, whither wouldst thou lead?
O'er hill or daisied dell?
Thro' woodland scene or flowery mead,
Or hermit's moss-grown cell?
To ruddy nymph, to tawny swain,
Go breathe thy soul in rapturous strain,
And ply thy feet in sprightly dance;
Or, if some hermit-haunt delight,
Assist some pious votary's sight,
And wrap him in seraphic trance.
If Fancy, nymph of elfin race,
Thy rural walk attend,
Then hie thee to the circle's space,
Where sportive fairies bend;
And, when the night-winds slowly rise,
When moonlight slumbers thro' the skies,
Start shall their little forms to view;
And they shall sing and dance and play,
Till twinkles light the eye of day,
Then disappear like morning dew.
But, oh! if soul of earthly mould,
Not yet from error pure,
Nor yet for calm delights too cold,
May but thy smiles ensure;
Blest power, disdain not thou his prayer,
—For thou canst with a matron's care,
More sober joys around diffuse—
205

Give him to glow with soul of fire,
Teach him to strike the living lyre,
Tho' humblest votary of the Muse.
His passions, when they restless grow,
Song, like some god, should chain;
And when his bosom melts with woe,
Song should endear the pain;
Where Tweed swift rolls his sounding tide,
Fair Dryburgh's holy walls beside,
Should such a pilgrim bend his feet,
Him would Ascanius bid to share,
Kind hermit host, his hermit fare,
And fair Emilia's smile should greet.
And they should hail a pilgrim's song,
(They love the tuneful race)
And shew him where the bardie throng,
Each holds a hallow'd place.
206

And where amid the valley gay,
The silver Edon loves to stray,
Would shew the village pastor's cot,
Whence he, the bard of modest mien,
First peep'd to catch the living scene,
And he would bless the favour'd spot.
But thou, hoar pile, where bigot Zeal
Was wont to fix her seat,
And Sloth her hideous form conceal
Within the saint's retreat;
Here Wisdom still shall find her cell,
And Love, with her associate, dwell,
The Muse shall raise her temple here;
And while Ascanius gazes round,
Still may he call it holy ground,
Still all his bards as saints revere.
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