mud-lost sandals hunt May all the curses, which they grunt
In raging moan like goaded hog,
Alight upon thee, damnéd Bog!
MUSIC
Hence, soul-dissolving Harmony
That lead’st th’ oblivious soul astray —
Though thou sphere-descended be —
Hence away! —
Thou mightier Goddess, thou demand’st my lay, 5
Born when earth was seiz’d with cholic;
Or as more sapient sages say,
What time the Legion diabolic
Compell’d their beings to enshrine
In bodies vile of herded swine, 10
Precipitate adown the steep
With hideous rout were plunging in the deep,
And hog and devil mingling grunt and yell
Seiz’d on the ear with horrible obtrusion; —
Then if aright old legendaries tell, 15
Wert thou begot by Discord on Confusion!
What though no name’s sonorous power
Was given thee at thy natal hour! —
Yet oft I feel thy sacred might,
While concords wing their distant flight. 20
Such Power inspires thy holy son
Sable clerk of Tiverton!
And oft where Otter sports his stream,
I hear thy banded offspring scream.
Thou Goddess! thou inspir’st each throat; 25
‘Tis thou who pour’st the scritch-owl note!
Transported hear’st thy children all
Scrape and blow and squeak and squall;
And while old Otter’s steeple rings,
Clappest hoarse thy raven wings! 30
SONNET: ON QUITTING SCHOOL FOR COLLEGE
Farewell parental scenes! a sad farewell!
To you my grateful heart still fondly clings,
Tho’ fluttering round on Fancy’s burnish’d wings
Her tales of future Joy Hope loves to tell.
Adieu, adieu! ye much-lov’d cloisters pale! 5
Ah! would those happy days return again,
When ‘neath your arches, free from every stain,
I heard of guilt and wonder’d at the tale!
Dear haunts! where oft my simple lays I sang,
Listening meanwhile the echoings of my feet, 10
Lingering I quit you, with as great a pang,
As when erewhile, my weeping childhood, torn
By early sorrow from my native seat,
Mingled its tears with hers — my widow’d Parent lorn.
ABSENCE: A FAREWELL ODE ON QUITTING SCHOOL FOR JESUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
Where graced with many a classic spoil
CAM rolls his reverend stream along,
I haste to urge the learnéd toil
That sternly chides my love-lorn song:
Ah me! too mindful of the days 5
Illumed by Passion’s orient rays,
When Peace, and Cheerfulness and Health
Enriched me with the best of wealth.
Ah fair Delights! that o’er my soul
On Memory’s wing, like shadows fly! 10
Ah Flowers! which Joy from Eden stole
While Innocence stood smiling by! —
But cease, fond Heart! this bootless moan:
Those Hours on rapid Pinions flown
Shall yet return, by Absence crown’d, 15
And scatter livelier roses round.
The Sun who ne’er remits his fires
On heedless eyes may pour the day:
The Moon, that oft from Heaven retires,
Endears her renovated ray. 20
What though she leave the sky unblest
To mourn awhile in murky vest?
When she relumes her lovely light,
We bless the Wanderer of the Night.
HAPPINESS
On wide or narrow scale shall Man
Most happily describe Life’s plan?
Say shall he bloom and wither there,
Where first his infant buds appear;
Or upwards dart with soaring force, 5
And tempt some more ambitious course?
Obedient now to Hope’s command,
I bid each humble wish expand,
And fair and bright Life’s prospects seem.
While Hope displays her cheering beam, 10
And Fancy’s vivid colourings stream,
While Emulation stands me nigh
The Goddess of the eager eye.
With foot advanc’d and anxious heart
Now for the fancied goal I start: — 15
Ah! why will Reason intervene
Me and my promis’d joys between!
She
