Miscellaneous Poems | Page 8

griefs he found;?Envy his name: --his fascinating eye?From the light bosom drew the sudden sigh;?Unsocial he, but with malignant mind,?He dwelt with man, that he might curse mankind;?Like the first foe, he sought th' abode of Joy?Grieved to behold, but eager to destroy;?Round blooming beauty, like the wasp, he flew,?Soil'd the fresh sweet, and changed the rosy hue;?The wise, the good, with anxious heart he saw,?And here a failing found, and there a flaw;?Discord in families 'twas his to move,?Distrust in friendship, jealousy in love;?He told the poor, what joys the great possess'd;?The great, what calm content the cottage bless'd:?To part the learned and the rich he tried,?Till their slow friendship perish'd in their pride.?Such was the fiend, and so secure of prey,?That only Misery pass'd unstung away.
Soon as he heard the fairy-babe was born,?Scornful he smiled, but felt no more than scorn:?For why, when Fortune placed her state so low,?In useless spite his lofty malice show??Why, in a mischief of the meaner kind,?Exhaust the vigour of a ranc'rous mind;?But, soon as Fame the fairy-gifts proclaim'd,?Quick-rising wrath his ready soul inflamed?To swear, by vows that e'en the wicked tie,?The nymph should weep her varied destiny;?That every gift, that now appear'd to shine?In her fair face, and make her smiles divine,?Should all the poison of his magic prove,?And they should scorn her, whom she sought for love.
His spell prepared, in form an ancient dame,?A fiend in spirit, to the cot he came;?There gain'd admittance, and the infant press'd?(Muttering his wicked magic) to his breast;?And thus he said: --"Of all the powers who wait?On Jove's decrees, and do the work of fate,?Was I, alone, despised or worthless, found,?Weak to protect, or impotent to wound??See then thy foe, regret the friendship lost,?And learn my skill, but learn it at your cost.
"Know, then, O child! devote to fates severe,?The good shall hate thy name, the wise shall fear;?Wit shall deride, and no protecting friend?Thy shame shall cover, or thy name defend.?Thy gentle sex, who, more than ours, should spare?A humble foe, will greater scorn declare;?The base alone thy advocates shall be,?Or boast alliance with a wretch like thee."
He spake, and vanish'd, other prey to find,?And waste in slow disease the conquer'd mind.
Awed by the elfin's threats, and fill'd with dread?The parents wept, and sought their infant's bed;?Despair alone the father's soul possess'd;?But hope rose gently in the mother's breast;?For well she knew that neither grief nor joy?Pain'd without hope, or pleased without alloy;?And while these hopes and fears her heart divide,?A cheerful vision bade the fears subside.
She saw descending to the world below?An ancient form, with solemn pace and slow.?"Daughter, no more be sad" (the phantom cried),?"Success is seldom to the wise denied;?In idle wishes fools supinely stay,?Be there a will, and wisdom finds a way:?Why art thou grieved? Be rather glad, that he?Who hates the happy, aims his darts at thee,?But aims in vain; thy favour'd daughter lies?Serenely blest, and shall to joy arise.?For, grant that curses on her name shall wait,?(So Envy wills, and such the voice of Fate,)?Yet if that name be prudently suppress'd,?She shall be courted, favour'd, and caress'd.
"For what are names? and where agree mankind,?In those to persons or to acts assign'd??Brave, learn'd, or wise, if some their favourites call,?Have they the titles or the praise from all??Not so, but others will the brave disdain?As rash, and deem the sons of wisdom vain;?The self-same mind shall scorn or kindness move,?And the same deed attract contempt and love.
"So all the powers who move the human soul,?With all the passions who the will control,?Have various names--One giv'n by Truth Divine,?(As Simulation thus was fixed for mine,)?The rest by man, who now, as wisdom's prize?My secret counsels, now as art despise;?One hour, as just, those counsels they embrace,?And spurn, the next, as pitiful and base.?Thee, too, my child, those fools as Cunning fly,?Who on thy counsel and thy craft rely;?That worthy craft in others they condemn,?But 'tis their prudence, while conducting them.
"Be FLATTERY, then, thy happy infant's name,?Let Honour scorn her and let Wit defame;?Let all be true that Envy dooms, yet all,?Not on herself, but on her name, shall fall;?While she thy fortune and her own shall raise,?And decent Truth be call'd, and loved as, modest Praise.
"O happy child! the glorious day shall shine,?When every ear shall to thy speech incline,?Thy words alluring and thy voice divine:?The sullen pedant and the sprightly wit,?To hear thy soothing eloquence shall sit;?And both, abjuring Flattery, will agree?That Truth inspires, and they must honour thee.
"Envy himself shall to thy accents bend,?Force a faint smile, and sullenly attend,?When thou shalt call him Virtue's jealous friend,?Whose bosom glows with generous rage to find?How fools and knaves are flatter'd by mankind.
"The sage retired, who spends alone his days,?And flies th' obstreperous voice of public praise;?The vain, the vulgar