"But write thy best and top; and in each line "Sir Formal's oratory will be thine. "Sir Formal, though unsought, attends thy quill "And does thy northern dedications fill. "Nor let false friends seduce thy mind to fame 160 "Let father Flecknoe fire thy mind with praise "And uncle Ogleby thy envy raise. 165 "Thou art my blood, where Jonson has no part; 170 175 By which one way to dulness 'tis inclined, "Which makes thy writings lean on one side still, "And, in all changes, that way bends thy will. 18ο "Nor let thy mountain belly make pretence 185 "Thy tragic Muse gives smiles, thy comic sleep. "With whate'er gall thou sett'st thy self to write, "Thy inoffensive satyrs never bite; "Leave writing plays, and choose for thy command "Some peacefull province in Acrostick land. "There thou may'st wings display and altars raise, 195 200 For Bruce and Longville had a trap prepared, 205 What passion cannot Musick raise and quell? His list'ning brethren stood around, To worship that celestial sound; Less than a god they thought there cou'd not dwell That spoke so sweetly, and so well. What passion cannot Music raise and quell? 20 The soft complaining flute In dying notes discovers The woes of hopeless lovers, Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute. 5. Sharp violins proclaim Their jealous pangs and desperation, Fury, frantick indignation, Depth of pains and height of passion, For the fair, disdainful dame. 6. But oh! what art can teach, What human voice can reach The sacred organs praise? Notes inspiring holy love, Notes that wing their heav'nly ways 7. Orpheus cou'd lead the savage race, Sequacious of the lyre; But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder high'r: D Aloft in awful state The godlike hero sate On his imperial throne; His valiant peers were plac'd around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound; (So shou'd desert in arms be crown'd.) The lovely Thais, by his side, Sate like a blooming Eastern bride, In flow'r of youth and beauty's pride. None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair. 2. Timotheus, plac'd on high Amid the tuneful quire, With flying fingers touch'd the lyre; 5 ΙΟ 15 20 The song began from Jove, A dragon's fiery form bely'd the god; And while he sought her snowy breast; Then round her slender waste he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sov'raign of the world. A present deity, they shout around; A present deity, the vaulted roofs rebound. The monarch hears, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres. 3. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung, The jolly god in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets, beat the drums; Flush'd with a purple grace He shews his honest face; Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes. Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain ; Bacchus blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier's pleasure; Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain, 4. Sooth'd with the sound the king grew vain ; Fought all his battails o'er again; And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain. The master saw the madness rise, His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; |