The Poetical Works of Beattie, Blair, and Falconer Part 9

Even Fancy trembles, in her sprightliest mood: For there each eyeball gleams with l.u.s.t of gore, Nestles each murderous and each monstrous brood, Plague lurks in every shade, and steams from every flood.

51

"'Twas from Philosophy man learn'd to tame The soil, by plenty to intemperance fed.

Lo! from the echoing axe and thundering flame, Poison and plague and yelling rage are fled.

The waters, bursting from their slimy bed, Bring health and melody to every vale: And, from the breezy main, and mountain's head, Ceres and Flora, to the sunny dale, To fan their glowing charms, invite the fluttering gale.

52

"What dire necessities on every hand Our art, our strength, our fort.i.tude require!

Of foes intestine what a numerous band Against this little throb of life conspire!

Yet Science can elude their fatal ire A while, and turn aside Death's levell'd dart, Soothe the sharp pang, allay the fever's fire, And brace the nerves once more, and cheer the heart, And yet a few soft nights and balmy days impart.

53

"Nor less to regulate man's moral frame Science exerts her all-composing sway.

Flutters thy breast with fear, or pants for fame, Or pines, to indolence and spleen a prey, Or avarice, a fiend more fierce than they?

Flee to the shade of Academus' grove; Where cares molest not, discord melts away In harmony, and the pure pa.s.sions prove How sweet the words of Truth, breathed from the lips of Love.

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"What cannot Art and Industry perform, When Science plans the progress of their toil?

They smile at penury, disease, and storm; And oceans from their mighty mounds recoil.

When tyrants scourge, or demagogues embroil A land, or when the rabble's headlong rage Order transforms to anarchy and spoil, Deep-versed in man the philosophic sage Prepares with lenient hand their frenzy to a.s.suage.

55

"'Tis he alone, whose comprehensive mind, From situation, temper, soil, and clime Explored, a nation's various powers can bind, And various orders in one Form sublime Of policy, that 'midst the wrecks of time, Secure shall lift its head on high, nor fear The a.s.sault of foreign or domestic crime, While public faith, and public love sincere, And industry and law, maintain their sway severe."

56

Enraptured by the hermit's strain, the youth Proceeds the path of Science to explore.

And now, expanded to the beams of truth, New energies, and charms unknown before, His mind discloses: Fancy now no more Wantons on fickle pinion through the skies; But, fix'd in aim, and conscious of her power, Aloft from cause to cause exults to rise, Creation's blended stores arranging as she flies.

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Nor love of novelty alone inspires, Their laws and nice dependencies to scan; For, mindful of the aids that life requires, And of the services man owes to man, He meditates new arts on Nature's plan; The cold desponding breast of sloth to warm, The flame of industry and genius fan, And emulation's n.o.ble rage alarm, And the long hours of toil and solitude to charm.

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But she, who set on fire his infant heart, And all his dreams, and all his wanderings shared And bless'd, the Muse, and her celestial art, Still claim the enthusiast's fond and first regard.

From Nature's beauties, variously compared And variously combined, he learns to frame Those forms of bright perfection, [6] which the bard, While boundless hopes and boundless views inflame, Enamour'd, consecrates to never-dying fame.

59

Of late, with c.u.mbersome, though pompous show, Edwin would oft his flowery rhyme deface, Through ardour to adorn; but Nature now To his experienced eye a modest grace Presents, where ornament the second place Holds, to intrinsic worth and just design Subservient still. Simplicity apace Tempers his rage: he owns her charm divine, And clears the ambiguous phrase, and lops the unwieldy line.

60

Fain would I sing (much yet unsung remains) What sweet delirium o'er his bosom stole, When the great shepherd of the Mantuan plains [7]

His deep majestic melody 'gan roll: Fain would I sing what transport storm'd his soul, How the red current throbb'd his veins along, When, like Pelides, bold beyond control, Without art graceful, without effort strong, Homer raised high to heaven the loud, the impetuous song.

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And how his lyre, though rude her first essays, Now skill'd to soothe, to triumph, to complain, Warbling at will through each harmonious maze, Was taught to modulate the artful strain, I fain would sing:--But ah! I strive in vain.

Sighs from a breaking heart my voice confound.

With trembling step, to join yon weeping train, I haste, where gleams funereal glare around, And, mix'd with shrieks of woe, the knells of death resound.

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Adieu, ye lays that Fancy's flowers adorn, The soft amus.e.m.e.nt of the vacant mind!

He sleeps in dust, and all the Muses mourn, He, whom each virtue fired, each grace refined, Friend, teacher, pattern, darling of mankind!

He sleeps in dust. [8] Ah, how shall I pursue My theme? To heart-consuming grief resign'd, Here on his recent grave I fix my view, And pour my bitter tears. Ye flowery lays, adieu!

63

Art thou, my GREGORY, for ever fled?

And am I left to unavailing woe?

When fortune's storms a.s.sail this weary head, Where cares long since have shed untimely snow, Ah, now for comfort whither shall I go?

No more thy soothing voice my anguish cheers: Thy placid eyes with smiles no longer glow, My hopes to cherish, and allay my fears.

'Tis meet that I should mourn: flow forth afresh, my tears.

[Footnote 1: See Plato's 'Timaeus.']

[Footnote 2: 'How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank.'

(Shakspeare.)]

[Footnote 3: 'Cheronean sage:' Plutarch.]

[Footnote 4: The influence of the philosophic spirit, in humanizing the mind, and preparing it for intellectual exertion and delicate pleasure;--in exploring, by the help of geometry, the system of the universe;--in banishing superst.i.tion; in promoting navigation, agriculture, medicine, and moral and political science.]

[Footnote 5: 'To explore:' this, from Thomson, who says in his 'Summer'--

'Which even imagination fears to tread.']