The poetical works of William Nicholson With a memoir by Malcolm M'L. Harper ... Fourth edition |
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ON YOUTHFUL HOPE. |
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 | The poetical works of William Nicholson |  |
139
ON YOUTHFUL HOPE.
Oh! Hope, thou cheat'st the young and gay,
Wi' fondest expectation;
For pleasin' Fancy paints the way
Without investigation.
Wi' fondest expectation;
For pleasin' Fancy paints the way
Without investigation.
Alas! thou little ken'st the care
O' thorny life's employment;
Thy fairy figures promise fair,
But tine in the enjoyment.
O' thorny life's employment;
Thy fairy figures promise fair,
But tine in the enjoyment.
Yet when I think on days that's by,
How happy ye ha'e made me,
I fin' my heart aft heave the sigh,
That e'er ye should ha'e fled me.
How happy ye ha'e made me,
I fin' my heart aft heave the sigh,
That e'er ye should ha'e fled me.
What gars ye, waverin', smilin' Hope,
And fickle Fancy, lea'e me?
For Reason, wi' his boasted prop,
But little comfort gie's me.
And fickle Fancy, lea'e me?
For Reason, wi' his boasted prop,
But little comfort gie's me.
He's but a paughty sullen guide,
His paths are no aye pleasin';
And then the heart-strings downa bide
Gin e'er a body lea'es him:
His paths are no aye pleasin';
And then the heart-strings downa bide
Gin e'er a body lea'es him:
And wardly Wisdom, wi' her wiles,
Keeps aye a body waukin';
She clogs the mind wi' care and toils,
For either thought or talkin'.
Keeps aye a body waukin';
She clogs the mind wi' care and toils,
For either thought or talkin'.
140
Come, Fancy wi' thy magic skill,
And wrap me in Elysium;
Though ye're the elder sister still,
Ye never fail to please ane.
And wrap me in Elysium;
Though ye're the elder sister still,
Ye never fail to please ane.
But cankered Care's ta'en up the min',
Without an invitation,—
Will keep his haud, till made to tine,
By Time his eerie station.
Without an invitation,—
Will keep his haud, till made to tine,
By Time his eerie station.
What art thou, restless, woefu' wight,
That wring'st the heart unceasin'?
That wounds the mind, and wrecks the sight,
Wi' thoughts and views unpleasin'?—
That wring'st the heart unceasin'?
That wounds the mind, and wrecks the sight,
Wi' thoughts and views unpleasin'?—
That's ever waukin', aye at wark,
Although we canna see thee;
Gropin' for something in the dark,
The warld canna gie thee?
Although we canna see thee;
Gropin' for something in the dark,
The warld canna gie thee?
O Hope, come wi' thy shinin' power,
Anchor my thoughts, and right me,
Afore the dark and dreary hour
Of dread despair benight me!
Anchor my thoughts, and right me,
Afore the dark and dreary hour
Of dread despair benight me!
| The poetical works of William Nicholson | |