High on a mountain's lofty brow, 'Mid clouds and storms, has glory fix'd her seat; Within the sun-gilt vale beneath, More moderate Hope with sweet Contentment dwells; To better genius ever blind, That points to each in varied life his share, Our native powers we scorn to know; With stedfast error still the wrong pursue; Instruct our forward ills to grow; While sad successes but our pain renew. In vain heaven tempers life with sweet, With flowers the way, that leads us home, bestrews, If dupes to passion, and deceit, We drink the bitter, and the rugged choose. Few can on Grandeur's stage appear, Each lofty part with true applause sustain, Where rocks unnumber'd lurk beneath the main. Then happiest he, whose timely hand To cool Discretion has the helm resign'd; Enjoys the calm, in sight of land, From changing tides secure, and trustless wind. AND wilt thou, Romeo, still maintain That Beauty holds a boundless reign? Soft power, by all confest! See'st thou the coward and the brave, The free-born Briton and the slave, With equal rapture blest? The Gods, indulgent to mankind, Mark but the ruthless Indian's soul, By Beauty, Fancy's loveliest child, Behold the powerful charm assuage To feed the loose desire! But wouldst thou feel a purer flame Than ev'n the warmest wish can frame, By much too fine to cloy; Far, far beyond that aching breast, With which the village hind's opprest, Who idly terms it joy ? Has heaven, indulgent to thy make, Canst thou with wild Othello glow Tell me, can Pindar's lofty strain, See'st thou the warmth, the grace divine, That breathes thro' mild Correggio's line, By heaven's peculiar care? Does Guido wrap thee in delight? Can Titian's colours charm thy sight? Or Julio's godlike air? Say, does thy heart with rapture spring, Or dost thou languish into pain Subdues the ravish'd ear? |