Never teased, and never teasing,
O, for ever pleased and pleasing!
Hither, British Muse of mine,
Hither all the Grecian Nine,
With the lovely Graces three,
And your promised nurseling see:
Figure on her waxen mind
Images of life refined;
Make it, as a garden gay,
Every bud of thought display,
Till, improving year by year,
The whole culture shall appear,
Voice, and speech, and action, rising,
All to human sense surprising.
Is the silken web so thin
As the texture of her skin?
Can the lily and the rose
Such unsullied hue disclose?
Are the violets so blue
As her veins exposed to view?
Do the stars, in wintry sky,
Twinkle brighter than her eye?
Has the morning lark a throat
Sounding sweeter than her note?
Who e'er knew the like before thee?
They who knew the nymph that bore thee.
From thy pastime and thy toys,
From thy harmless cares and joys,
Give me now a moment's time:
When thou shalt attain thy prime,
And thy bosom feel desire,
Love the likeness of thy sire,
One ordain'd, through life, to prove
Still thy glory, still thy love.
Like thy sister, and like thee,
Let thy nurtured daughters be:
Semblance of the fair who bore thee,
Trace the pattern set before thee.
Where the Liffy meets the main,
Has thy sister heard my strain :
From the Liffy to the Thames,
Minstrel echoes sing their names,
Wafting to the willing ear
Many a cadence sweet to hear,
Smooth as gently breathing gales
O'er the ocean and the vales,
While the vessel calmly glides
O'er the level glassy tides,
While the summer flowers are springing,
And the new-fledged birds are singing.
Epigrams and short Poems.
TOASTS OF THE HANOVER CLUB. THE reigning fair on polish'd crystal shine, Enrich our glasses, and improve our wine. The favourite names we to our lips apply, Indulge our thoughts, and drink with ecstasy. While these, the chosen beauties of our isle, Propitious on the cause of freedom smile, The rash Pretender's hopes we may despise, And trust Britannia's safety to their eyes.
BAD DANCERS TO GOOD MUSIC. How ill the motion with the music suits! So Orpheus fiddled, and so danced the brutes.
GEORGE came to the crown without striking a blow: Ah, quoth the Pretender, would I could do so!
1 This epigram is claimed by Mr. Jeffreys, and is printed in his works.
IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION,
WHAT IS THOUGHT?
THE hermit's solace in his cell,
The fire that warms the poet's brain,
The lover's heaven or his hell,
The madman's sport, the wise man's pain,
MR. ADDISON, ON CATO.
THE mind to virtue is by verse subdued,
And the true poet is a public good:
This Britain feels, while, by your lines inspired,
Her free-born sons to glorious thoughts are fired.
In Rome had you espoused the vanquish'd cause,
Inflamed her senate and upheld her laws,
Your manly scenes had liberty restored,
And given the just success to Cato's sword;
O'er Cæsar's arms your genius had prevail'd,
And the Muse triumph'd where the patriot fail'd.
In search of Wisdom far from Wit I fly,
Wit is a harlot beauteous to the eye,
In whose bewitching arms our early time
We waste, and vigour of our youthful prime:
But when reflection comes with riper years,
And manhood with a thoughtful brow appears,
We cast the mistress off to take a wife,
And, wed to Wisdom, lead a happy life.
THE FOLLOWING EPITAPH ON THE MONUMENT OF MY KINSWOMAN WAS WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF HER HUSBAND.
WITHIN the burial-vault near this Marble, lieth the body of PENELOPE, youngest daughter (and coheir with her sister ELIZABETH) to ROBERT PHILIPS of Newton-Regis, in the county of Warwick, Esquire. She died in her six-andthirtieth year, on the 25th day of January, 1726.
LET THIS INSCRIPTION
(Appealing yet to testimonies manifold)
Recall to every surviving witness,
And, for ensample, record to posterity,
Her endowments,
Whether owing to the indulgency of Nature,
Or to the assiduous lessons of education,
Or to the silent admonitions of reflection.
To her parents, husband, children,
In no care, no duty, no affection,
Was she wanting,
Receiving, deserving, winning,
From them respectively,
Equal endearments.
Of countenance and of disposition,
Open, cheerful, modest;
Of behaviour, humble, courteous, easy;
Of speech, affable, free, discreet;
In civilities, punctual, sincere, and elegant;
Prone to offices of kindness and good-will;
To enmity a stranger;
Forward, earnest, impatient,
To succour the distressed,
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