Bulchevy's Book of English Verse Part 83

Mark Akenside. 1721-1770

462. The Complaint

AWAY! away!

Tempt me no more, insidious Love: Thy soothing sway Long did my youthful bosom prove: At length thy treason is discern'd, At length some dear-bought caution earn'd: Away! nor hope my riper age to move.

I know, I see Her merit. Needs it now be shown, Alas! to me?

How often, to myself unknown, The graceful, gentle, virtuous maid Have I admired! How often said-- What joy to call a heart like hers one's own!

But, flattering G.o.d, O squanderer of content and ease In thy abode Will care's rude lesson learn to please?

O say, deceiver, hast thou won Proud Fortune to attend thy throne, Or placed thy friends above her stern decrees?

Mark Akenside. 1721-1770

463. The Nightingale

TO-NIGHT retired, the queen of heaven With young Endymion stays; And now to Hesper it is given Awhile to rule the vacant sky, Till she shall to her lamp supply A stream of brighter rays.

Propitious send thy golden ray, Thou purest light above!

Let no false flame seduce to stray Where gulf or steep lie hid for harm; But lead where music's healing charm May soothe afflicted love.

To them, by many a grateful song In happier seasons vow'd, These lawns, Olympia's haunts, belong: Oft by yon silver stream we walk'd, Or fix'd, while Philomela talk'd, Beneath yon copses stood.

Nor seldom, where the beechen boughs That roofless tower invade, We came, while her enchanting Muse The radiant moon above us held: Till, by a clamorous owl compell'd, She fled the solemn shade.

But hark! I hear her liquid tone!

Now Hesper guide my feet!

Down the red marl with moss o'ergrown, Through yon wild thicket next the plain, Whose hawthorns choke the winding lane Which leads to her retreat.

See the green s.p.a.ce: on either hand Enlarged it spreads around: See, in the midst she takes her stand, Where one old oak his awful shade Extends o'er half the level mead, Enclosed in woods profound.

Hark! how through many a melting note She now prolongs her lays: How sweetly down the void they float!

The breeze their magic path attends; The stars s.h.i.+ne out; the forest bends; The wakeful heifers graze.

Whoe'er thou art whom chance may bring To this sequester'd spot, If then the plaintive Siren sing, O softly tread beneath her bower And think of Heaven's disposing power, Of man's uncertain lot.

O think, o'er all this mortal stage What mournful scenes arise: What ruin waits on kingly rage; How often virtue dwells with woe; How many griefs from knowledge flow; How swiftly pleasure flies!

O sacred bird! let me at eve, Thus wandering all alone, Thy tender counsel oft receive, Bear witness to thy pensive airs, And pity Nature's common cares, Till I forget my own.

Tobias George Smollett. 1721-1771

464. To Leven Water

PURE stream, in whose transparent wave My youthful limbs I wont to lave; No torrents stain thy limpid source, No rocks impede thy dimpling course Devolving from thy parent lake A charming maze thy waters make By bowers of birch and groves of pine And edges flower'd with eglantine.

Still on thy banks so gaily green May numerous herds and flocks be seen, And la.s.ses chanting o'er the pail, And shepherds piping in the dale, And ancient faith that knows no guile, And industry embrown'd with toil, And hearts resolved and hands prepared The blessings they enjoy to guard.

Christopher Smart. 1722-1770

465. Song to David

SUBLIME--invention ever young, Of vast conception, tow'ring tongue To G.o.d th' eternal theme; Notes from yon exaltations caught, Unrivall'd royalty of thought O'er meaner strains supreme.

His muse, bright angel of his verse, Gives balm for all the thorns that pierce, For all the pangs that rage; Blest light still gaining on the gloom, The more than Michal of his bloom, Th' Abis.h.a.g of his age.

He sang of G.o.d--the mighty source Of all things--the stupendous force On which all strength depends; From whose right arm, beneath whose eyes, All period, power, and enterprise Commences, reigns, and ends.

Tell them, I AM, Jehovah said To Moses; while earth heard in dread, And, smitten to the heart, At once above, beneath, around, All Nature, without voice or sound, Replied, O LORD, THOU ART.

The world, the cl.u.s.tering spheres, He made; The glorious light, the soothing shade, Dale, champaign, grove, and hill; The mult.i.tudinous abyss, Where Secrecy remains in bliss, And Wisdom hides her skill.

The pillars of the Lord are seven, Which stand from earth to topmost heaven; His Wisdom drew the plan; His Word accomplish'd the design, From brightest gem to deepest mine; From Christ enthroned, to Man.

For Adoration all the ranks Of Angels yield eternal thanks, And David in the midst; With G.o.d's good poor, which, last and least In man's esteem, Thou to Thy feast, O blessed Bridegroom, bidd'st!

For Adoration, David's Psalms Lift up the heart to deeds of alms; And he, who kneels and chants, Prevails his pa.s.sions to control, Finds meat and medicine to the soul, Which for translation pants.

For Adoration, in the dome Of Christ, the sparrows find a home, And on His olives perch: The swallow also dwells with thee, O man of G.o.d's humility, Within his Saviour's church.

Sweet is the dew that falls betimes, And drops upon the leafy limes; Sweet Hermon's fragrant air: Sweet is the lily's silver bell, And sweet the wakeful tapers' smell That watch for early prayer.

Sweet the young nurse, with love intense, Which smiles o'er sleeping innocence; Sweet, when the lost arrive: Sweet the musician's ardour beats, While his vague mind's in quest of sweets, The choicest flowers to hive.

Strong is the horse upon his speed; Strong in pursuit the rapid glede, Which makes at once his game: Strong the tall ostrich on the ground; Strong through the turbulent profound Shoots Xiphias to his aim.

Strong is the lion--like a coal His eyeball,--like a bastion's mole His chest against the foes: Strong, the gier-eagle on his sail; Strong against tide th' enormous whale Emerges as he goes.

But stronger still, in earth and air, And in the sea, the man of prayer, And far beneath the tide: And in the seat to faith a.s.sign'd, Where ask is have, where seek is find, Where knock is open wide.

Precious the penitential tear; And precious is the sigh sincere, Acceptable to G.o.d: And precious are the winning flowers, In gladsome Israel's feast of bowers Bound on the hallow'd sod.

Glorious the sun in mid career; Glorious th' a.s.sembled fires appear; Glorious the comet's train: Glorious the trumpet and alarm; Glorious the Almighty's stretched-out arm; Glorious th' enraptured main:

Glorious the northern lights astream; Glorious the song, when G.o.d 's the theme; Glorious the thunder's roar: Glorious Hosanna from the den; Glorious the catholic Amen; Glorious the martyr's gore:

Glorious--more glorious--is the crown Of Him that brought salvation down, By meekness call'd thy Son: Thou that stupendous truth believed;-- And now the matchless deed 's achieved, Determined, dared, and done!

glede] kite. Xiphias] sword-fish.

Jane Elliot. 1727-1805

466. A Lament for Flodden

I'VE heard them lilting at our ewe-milking, La.s.ses a' lilting before dawn o' day; But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning-- The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away.