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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]

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ODE IX. THE YOUNG WIDOW.
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136

ODE IX. THE YOUNG WIDOW.

Non semper imbres nubibus hispidos.

Not for ever bleak November,
Chills the gayly dancing hours;
Rolling time, dear girl, remember,
Decks the bright parterre with flowers.
Ice the Serpentine may cover,
Oaks their leafless boughs display;
What care I? the winter over,
Soon shall follow laughing May.
Why should'st thou, all joy denying,
Still in tears thy 'kerchief steep?
Pale Aurora hears thy sighing,
Setting Phœbus sees thee weep.

137

Clad in bombazeen and cam'let,
Gertrude wept a monarch dead:
See her soon, forgetting Hamlet,
Take his brother to her bed.
Dido torn from poor Sichæus,
Thus repining sought relief:
“Anna! don't you think Æneas
“Might contrive to heal my grief?”
Thy good man in sleep reposes;
Soon thou wilt another choose:
Widow's weeds all turn to roses,
When a comely suitor woos.
Give the hours to joyous greeting,
Vulgar sorrows far above;
Youth and beauty, O how fleeting!
O how fleeting, woman's love!
Let us sing the song you relish,
Who at Brighton bears the bell,
Walking Barclay, racing Mellish,
Fun, and vive la bagatelle!

138

Tears from Pluto's dark dominion
Cannot now thy husband keep;
If they could, 'tis my opinion
Those bright eyes would cease to weep!