The peripatetic or, Sketches of the heart, of nature and society; In a series of politico-sentimental journals, in verse and prose, of the eccentric excursions of Sylvanus Theophrastus; Supposed to be written by himself [by John Thelwall] |
 | [I]. |
[“Then give me, Nymph! the unbought smile] |
| II. |
| III. |
 | The peripatetic |  |
108
[“Then give me, Nymph! the unbought smile]
“Then give me, Nymph! the unbought smile,
More sweet than Grandeur ever knew,
Which gilds the heart, and cheers the toil
Of those who Wisdom's path pursue.
More sweet than Grandeur ever knew,
Which gilds the heart, and cheers the toil
Of those who Wisdom's path pursue.
Yes, Pleasure! yes—by Wisdom's side
Thou shed'st thy brightest, purest ray,
While envious clouds innoxious glide,
Nor interrupt thy genial day:
Nor wilt thou, from thy modest throne,
With chilling scorn, disdain to bend
To suitors who, to Wealth unknown,
In homely weeds thy train attend.
Thou shed'st thy brightest, purest ray,
While envious clouds innoxious glide,
Nor interrupt thy genial day:
Nor wilt thou, from thy modest throne,
With chilling scorn, disdain to bend
To suitors who, to Wealth unknown,
In homely weeds thy train attend.
No:—They, the slaves of empty State,
Who wooe thee, Nymph, in gilt array,
Aloof in anti-chambers wait,
Nor e'er thy radiant form survey;
Who wooe thee, Nymph, in gilt array,
Aloof in anti-chambers wait,
Nor e'er thy radiant form survey;
109
While they, with philosophic air,
Who noise, nor shew, nor fashion heed,
Within, thy partial favours share—
To Virtue's sons alone decreed.
Who noise, nor shew, nor fashion heed,
Within, thy partial favours share—
To Virtue's sons alone decreed.
Then give me, Nymph! the unbought smile,
More sweet than Grandeur even knew,
Which gilds the heart, and cheers the toil
Of those who Wisdom's path pursue.”
More sweet than Grandeur even knew,
Which gilds the heart, and cheers the toil
Of those who Wisdom's path pursue.”
| The peripatetic | |