With keenest relish taste pure mental joys: Since the fierce efforts of distemper's rage Nor 'bates her vigour, nor her pow'rs destroys, Say, shall her lustre death itself impair, When in high noon she rides, then sets in dark despair? 250 c Though through the heart no purple tide should flow, Lifts the young babe, and lights her lambent flame, Some unsuspended live, unchang'd, the same; So from our dust fresh faculties may bloom, Some posthumous survive, and triumph o'er the tomb. 26. This fibrous frame by nature's kindly law, Which gives each joy to keen sensation here, O'er purer scenes of bliss the veil may draw, And cloud reflection's more exalted sphere. When Death's cold hand with all dissolving power Shall the close tie with friendly stroke unbind, Alike our mortal as our natal hour May to new being raise the waking mind: On death's new genial day the soul may rise, Born to some higher life, and hail some brighter skies. σ σ The moss-grown tree, that shrinks with rolling years.] Nor thy own ruin date from their decay: Nor let life's ills, that in dire circle rage, Steal from thy heaving breast those labor'd sighs; Wretched and scorn'd still struts the bearded boy: She ceas'd, and vanish'd into sightless wind- Soon from the skies in heav'nly white array'd, Faith to my sight reveal'd, fair Cherub! stood, With life replete the volume, she display'd, Seal'd with the ruddy stains of crimson blood; Each fear now starts away, as spectres fly When the sun's orient beam first gilds the purple sky. 30 Mean while the faithful herald of the day, The village cock, crows loud with trumpet shrill, The warbling lark soars high, and, morning grey, Lifts her glad forehead o'er the cloud-wrapt hill: Nature's wild music fills the vocal vale; The bleating flocks that bite the dewy ground, The lowing herds that graze the woodland dale, And cavern'd echo, swell the cheerful sound; Homeward I bend with clear unclouded mind, Mix with the busy world, and leave each care be- 3/0 hind. NOTES ON ELEGIES LOCAL, SYMPATHETIC, AND FUNEREAL ; AND MONODIES. ELEGY I. Page 3. FIRST a celestial form— Tempest. 4. Another form succeeded to my view; -] Ariel in the A two-legg'd brute which Nature made in spleen,] Caliban in the Tempest. ib. The flow'ry margin of a silent stream, O'er-arch'd by oaks with ivy mantled round, And gilt by silver CYNTHIA's maiden beam.] Fairy-land from the Midsummer Night's Dream. Where three swart sisters of the weird band 5. Were mutt'ring curses to the troublous wind.] The witches in Macbeth. 6. Now a dire yell of spirits underground] Ghosts in Macbeth, Richard III. &c. |