And call forth fresh delight to Fancy's view, How have I trembled, when, at Tancred's stroke, Its gushing blood the gaping cypress pour'd! 194 When each live plant with mortal accents spoke, And the wild blast upheaved the vanish'd sword! How have I sat, when piped the pensive wind, To hear his harp by British Fairfax strung! Prevailing poet! whose undoubting mind Believed the magic wonders which he sung! 200 Hence, at each sound, imagination glows! Hence, at each picture, vivid life starts here! Hence his warm lay with softest sweetness flows! Melting it flows, pure, murmuring, strong, and clear, And fills the impassion'd heart, and wins the harmonious ear! 205 VARIATIONS. Ver. 193. How have I trembled, when, at Tancred's side, 201. Hence, sure to charm, his early numbers flow, Though faithful, sweet; though strong, of simple Hence, with each theme, he bids the bosom glow, While his warm lays an easy passage find, Pour'd through each inmost nerve, and lull the harmonious ear. 204. Melting it flows, pure, numerous, strong, and clear, XIII. All hail, ye scenes that o'er my soul prevail! broom; Or, o'er your stretching heaths, by Fancy led; Meantime, ye powers that on the plains which bore VARIATION. Ver. 220. Where'er he dwell, on hill, or lowly muir, P Three rivers in Scotland. ¶ Valleys. Ben Jonson paid a visit on foot, in 1619, to the Scotch poet Drummond, at his seat of Hawthornden, within four miles of Edinburgh. Barrow, it seems, was at the Edinburgh University, which is in the county of Lothian. AN EPISTLE, ADDRESSED TO SIR THOMAS HANMER, ON HIS EDITION OF SHAKESPEARE'Ss works. SIR, WHILE, born to bring the Muse's happier days name. Hard was the lot those injured strains endured, Unown'd by Science, and by years obscured: 10 VARIATIONS. Ver. 1. While, own'd by you, with smiles the Muse surveys Secure, and happy in her sylvan shade : Excuse her fears, who scarce a verse bestows, 9. Long slighted Fancy with a mother's care Wept o'er his works, and felt the last despair: 5 Fair Fancy wept; and echoing sighs confess'd 15 19 Each rising art by just gradation moves, Toil builds on toil, and age on age improves : The Muse alone unequal dealt her rage, And graced with noblest pomp her earliest stage. Preserved through time, the speaking scenes impart Each changeful wish of Phædra's tortured heart; VARIATION. And "Oh!" she cried, "shall Science still resign Or paint the curse that mark'd the Theban's reign, With kind concern our pitying eyes o'erflow, 25 30 To Rome removed, with wit secure to please, The comic Sisters kept their native ease: With jealous fear, declining Greece beheld Her own Menander's art almost excell'd; But every Muse essay'd to raise in vain Some labour'd rival of her tragic strain: Ilissus' laurels, though transferr'd with toil, Droop'd their fair leaves, nor knew the unfriendly soil. As Arts expired, resistless Dulness rose; 35 Goths, Priests, or Vandals,-all were Learning's foes. VARIATIONS. Ver. 25. Line after line our pitying eyes o'erflow, 27. To Rome removed, with equal power to please, Their wanton lyres the bards of Provence strung, a The Edipus of Sophocles. |