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Horace in London

Consisting of imitations of the first two books of the odes of Horace. By the authors of the rejected addresses, or the new theatrum poetarum [Horace and James Smith]
Smith, Horace (1779-1849)

collapse sectionI. 
BOOK I.
 I. 
ODE I. To John Bull, Esq.
 II. 
ODE II. HURLY BURLY!
 III. 
ODE III. THE BARONET'S YACHT.
 IV. 
ODE IV. BRIGHTON.
 V. 
ODE V. THE JILT.
 VI. 
ODE VI. WALTER SCOTT.
 VII. 
ODE VII. THE OUSTED TREASURER.
 VIII. 
ODE VIII. To HUNTINGDON, the Preacher.
 IX. 
ODE IX. WINTER.
 X. 
ODE X. TRIBUTARY STANZAS to GRIMALDI THE CLOWN.
 XI. 
ODE XI. FORTUNE TELLING.
 XII. 
ODE XII. To Emanuel Swedenborg.
 XIII. 
ODE XIII. THE JEALOUS LOVER.
 XIV. 
ODE XIV. To Mr. KEMBLE,
 XV. 
ODE XV. THE PARTHENON.
 XVI. 
ODE XVI. The EDINBURGH REVIEWERS.
 XVII. 
ODE XVII. THE WELCH COTTAGE.
 XVIII. 
ODE XVIII. MERRY AND WISE.
 XIX. 
ODE XIX. PLEASING PETULANCE.
 XX. 
ODE XX. THE BARD'S BANQUET.
 XXII. 
ODE XXII. THE BAILIFF.
 XXIII. 
ODE XXIII. CUPID'S INVITATION.
 XXIV. 
ODE XXIV. HORNE TOOKE's EPITAPH.
 XXV. 
ODE XXV. MY GODWIN!
 XXVI. 
ODE XXVI. THE STRAW BONNET.
 XXVII. 
ODE XXVII. THE BUMPER TOAST.
 XXVIII. 
ODE XXVIII. LUCRETIUS AND DR. BUSBY.
 XXIX. 
ODE XXIX. The TERMAGANT.
 XXX. 
ODE XXX. PRIVATE BOXES.
 XXXI. 
ODE XXXI. TO APOLLO.
 XXXII. 
ODE XXXII. To the COMIC MUSE.
 XXXIII. 
ODE XXXIII. CROSS PURPOSES.
 XXXIV. 
ODE XXXIV. CŒLEBS IN SEARCH OF A WIFE.
 XXXV. 
ODE XXXV.
 XXXVI. 
ODE XXXVI. THE GAOL DELIVERY.
 XXXVII. 
ODE XXXVII. LOB'S POUND.
 XXXVIII. 
ODE XXXVIII. THE BILL OF FARE.
expand sectionII. 
BOOK II.

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68

ODE XVIII. MERRY AND WISE.

Nullam, Vare, sacrâ vite prius severis arborem.

To Lord Wellington.
O let not your tumbrils in Portugal's vallies
Empurple the dust with the blood of the vine,
But spare it that we in convivial sallies,
May bumper thy prowess in goblets of wine.
Embolden'd by Bacchus we vault o'er the rav'lin,
Or snatch, rosy Venus, thy Paphian prize,
Now led by the gleam of the Gaul's flashing jav'lin,
And now by the blaze of voluptuous eyes.
But though the god's banner unfurling its flushes,
With crimson suffuses his votaries' cheeks,
O let us not tinge them with penitent blushes,
By arrogant insults or perilous freaks.
69

Invited by Theseus in good humoured clatter,
The Centaurs assembled, half man and half beast,
How quickly the former was lost in the latter,
When lewd inebriety darken'd the feast!
Reflect that the laws of punctilio are cruel,
And oft to the flash of ungovern'd excess,
Succeeds the chill awe of the death-dealing duel,
The flash of the pistol—the pang of distress!
No, care-killing god, though I revel in gladness,
And brim the gay goblet with sparkling champagne,
I'll not stain thy altar with victims of madness,
Nor sacrifice reason to lengthen thy reign.
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