XV. But ye, whom yet wife Liberty inspires, Their own fell efforts on her foes repay; Your wealth, your arts, your fame, be her's alone : Still gird your fwords to combat on her fide; Still frame your laws her generous teft to abide; Protect her from yourfelves, ere yet the flood Hath spread that selfish fierceness through your blood, Snatch from fantastic demagogues her caufe: O fons of Alfred, were for you affign'd: O DE X. TO THE MUS E. I. UEEN of my fongs, harmonious maid, Q Ah why haft thou withdrawn thy aid ? Ah why forfaken thus my breaft With inaufpicious damps opprefs'd? Where Where is the dread prophetic heat, With which my bofom wont to beat? Where all the bright myfterious dreams. Of haunted groves and tuneful streams, That woo'd my genius to divineft themes? II. Say, goddess, can the feftal board, To win thee back with fome celeftial ftraine III. O powerful ftrain! O facred foul! His numbers every fenfe control: ODE O DE XI. ON LOV E. To a FRIEND. I. No, foolish youth-To virtuous fame If now thy early hopes be vow'd, If true ambition's nobler flame Command thy footsteps from the croud, Lean not to Love's inchanting fnare ; His fongs, his words, his looks beware, Nor join his votaries, the young and fair. II. By thought, by dangers, and by toils, The flowery pomp of ease adorn : III. Yet thou haft read in tuneful lays, And heard from many a zealous breast, Each finer fenfe, each comelier art, And footh and polish man's ungentle heart. IV. If then, from love's deceit fecure, V. Attend, while that harmonious tongue And touch'd by chafte Minerva's hands, O Delia, win my thoughts to thine; VI. Yet, conscious of the dangerous charm, Nor oft provoke the lovely harm, Alas, I read thy downcaft eyes; And thy tongue falters; and thy color flies. VII. So foon again to meet the fair? In vain with friendship's flattering name Thy paflion veils its inward fhame ; Friendship, the treacherous fuel of thy flame! VIII. Once I remember, new to love, IX. Thus frequent pafs'd the cloudlefs day, While I exulted to furvey One generous woman's real mind: Till friendship foon my languid breast Each night with unknown cares poffefs'd, Dash'd my coy flumbers, or my dreams diftrefs'd. Fool that I was! X. And now, even now While thus I preach the Stoic ftrain, Unless I fhun Olympia's view, An hour unfays it all again. O friend!-when love directs her eyes To pierce where every paffion lies, Where is the firm, the cautious, or the wife? ODE |