Dorinda Verfes fent to a young Lady with the new edition of Shakespeare Verfes on Mrs. Crewe Rhapfody on Tafte" Fitzpatrick 217 Carlisle 221 Fox 223 Carlisle 215 Elegy written in the Garden of a Friend Elegy written in a Country Church Yard Elegy on Captain Cook Death of Alico Monody to the Memory of Lady Lyttleton Mafon 227 Gray 231 Seward 237 Edwards 249 XXX THE MINSTREL; O R, THE PROGRESS OF GENIUS. A THE FIRST BOOK.. H! who can tell how hard it is to climb The steep where Fame's proud temple shinesafar! Ah! who can tell how many a foul fublime Has felt the influence of malignant ftar, And wag d with Fortune an eternal war! In life's low vale remote has pined alone, II. And yet, the languor of inglorious days, Him who ne'er liften'd to the voice of praife, Health, competence, and peace. Nor higher aim Had HE, whofe fimple tale thefe artlefs lines pro elaim. B III. This fapient age difclaims all claffic lore; Elfe I fhould here in cunning phrafe difplay, How forth THE MINSTREL fared in days of yore, Right glad of heart, though homely in array; His waving locks and beard all hoary grey : And, from his bending fhoulder, decent hung His harp, the fole companion of his way, Which to the whiftling wind refponfive rung: And ever as he went fome merry lay he fung. IV. Fret not yourfelves, ye filken fons of pride, That a poor wanderer fhould infpire my fhrain, The mufes fortune's fickle fmile deride, Nor ever bow the knee in Mammon's fane; Ttheir delights are with the village train, Whom nature's laws engage, and nature's charms They hate the fenfual, and scorn the vain ; The parafite their influence never warms, Nor him whofe fordid foul the love of wealth alarms. V. Though richeft hues the peacock's plumes adorn, To please a tyrant, ftrain the little bill, But fing what heaven infpires, and wander where they will. VI. Liberal, not lavish, is kind nature's hand; If bleak and barren Scotia's hills arife; There plague and poifon, luft and rapine grow Here peaceful are the vales, and pure the kies, And freedom fires the foul, and fparkles in the eyes. VII. Then grieve not, thou to whom the indulgent Muse Nor blame the partial Fates, if they refufe VIII. Cant thou forego the pure etherial foul IX. O how canft thou renounce the boundless store O how can't thou renounce, and hope to be forgiven! X. Thefe charms fhall work thy foul's eternal health, And love, and gentlenefs, and joy impart. But these thou must renounce, if luft of wealth The troublous day, and long diftrefsful dream.Return, my roving Mufe, resume thy purposed theme. XI. There liv'd in Gothic days, as legends tell, But he, I ween, was of the north countrie: XII. The shepherd-fwain of whom I mention made, And he, though oft with duft and fweet befprent, Did guide and guard their wanderings wherfoe'er they went. There is hardly an ancient Ballad, or Romance, wherein a Minstrel or Harper appears, but he is characterfed, by way of eminence, to have been "Of the North countrie." It is probable that under this. appellation were formerly comprehended all the provinces to the North, of the Trent. See Percy's Effay on the English Minstrels. |