And to repay the other! Why rejoices Thy heart with hollow joy for hollow good? Why cowl thy face beneath the Mourner's hood, Why waste thy sighs, and thy lamenting voices, Image of Image, Ghost of Ghostly Elf, That such a thing as thou feel'st warm or cold? Yet what and whence thy gain, if thou withhold These costless shadows of thy shadowy self? Be sad! be glad! be neither! seek, or shun! Thou hast no reason why! Thou can'st have none Thy being's being is contradiction. THE VISIT OF THE GODS. IMITATED FROM SCHILLER. NEVER, believe me, Appear the Immortals, Never alone : Scarce had I welcomed the Sorrow-beguiler, Terrestrial Hall! How shall I yield you Due entertainment Celestial Quire? Me rather, bright guests! with your wings of upbuoy ance Bear aloft to your homes, to your banquets of joyance, Soul! O give me the Nectar! O fill me the Bowl! Give him the Nectar! Pour out for the Poet! Hebe! pour free? Quicken his eyes with celestial dew, That Styx the detested no more he may view, Forbids me to die! VOL. I. ELEGY, IMITATED FROM ONE OF AKENSIDE'S BLANK VERSE INSCRIPTIONS. NEAR the lone pile with ivy overspread, For there does Edmund rest, the learned swain! Like some tall tree that spreads its branches wide, And loads the west-wind with its soft perfume, His manhood blossomed; till the faithless pride Of fair Matilda sank him to the tomb. But soon did righteous Heaven her guilt pursue! Where'er with wildered step she wandered pale, Still Edmund's image rose to blast her view, Still Edmund's voice accused her in each gale. With keen regret, and conscious guilt's alarms, Go, Traveller! tell the tale with sorrow fraught: Some tearful maid perchance, or blooming youth, May hold it in remembrance; and be taught That Riches cannot pay for Love or Truth. |