Yet know its title* flatters you, not me ; Yours be the praise to make my title gool; Though sovereign is the medicine I prescribe, 1390 1395 But hope, ere long, my midnight dream will wake To close, Lorenzo! spite of all my pains, 1405 Still seems it strange that thou shouldst live for ever? Is it less strange that thou shouldst live at all? Who gave beginning can exclude an end. 1410 Deny thou art; then doubt if thou shalt be. A miracle with miracles enclosed Is man! and starts his faith at what is strange? 1415 That cause uncaused! all other won lers cease: Nothing is marvellous for him to do: Deny him-all is mystery besides ; Millions of mysterie.! each darker far 1420 That that thy wisdom would, unwisely shun. If weak thy faith, why choose the harder side? We nothing know but what is marvellous; 1425 What most surprises in the sacred page, To faith and virtue why so backward, man? From hence; the present strongly strikes us all; 1430 The future, faintly can we, then, be men? : If men, Lorenzo! the reverse is right. She plans, provides, expatiates, triumphs, there : 1435 There builds her blessings! there expects her praise; And nothing asks of Fortune or of men. And what is Reason? be she thus defined; 1440 Reason is upright stature in the soul. Oh! be a man,—and strive to be a god. 'For what?' (thou say'st) to damp the joys of life? No; to give heart and substance to thy joys. That tyrant, Hope, mark how she domineers; 1445 Though bearing crowns, to spring at distant game, If hope precarious, and of things, when gain'd, 1455 This hope is earth's most estimable prize; This is man's portion, while no more than man: 1460 Passions of prouder name befriends us less. Hope, like a cordial, innocent though strong, A joy attemper'd! a chastised delight! 1465 Like the fair summer evening, mild and sweet! 1470 'Tis man's full cup, his paradise below! A bless'd hereafter, then, or hoped or gain'd, Is all,-our whole of happiness! full proof I chose no trivial or inglorious theme. And know, ye foes to song! (well meaning men, 1475 Let the grave listen,—and be graver still * The poetic parts of it. 1480 NIGHT VIII. Virtue's Apology: OR, THE MAN OF THE WORLD ANSWERED. IN WHICH ARE CONSIDERED, THE LOVE OF THIS LIFE; THE AMBITION AND AND has all Nature, then, espoused my part? All, all, Lorenzo !-make immortal bless'd. Unbless'd immortals!-what can shock us more? 5 And yet Lorenzo still affects the world; There stows his treasure; thence his title draws, Man of the world! (for such wouldst thou be call'd And art thou proud of that inglorious style? Proud of reproach? for a reproach it was, 10 In ancient days, and Christian,-in an age When men were men, and not ashamed of Heaven,Fired their ambition, as it crown'd their joy! Sprinkled with dews from the Castalian font, Fain would I rebaptize thee, and confer 15 A purer spirit, and a nobler name. Thy fond attachments, fatal and inflamed, Point out my path, and dictate to my song. To thee the world how fair! how strongly strikes Ambitior. and gay Pleasure stronger still! 20 Thy triple bane! the triple bolt, that lays Common the theme; not so the song, if she 25 My song invokes, Urania' deigns to smile. shine Unnumber'd guns (for all things, as they are, 30 To swallow Time's ambitions; as the vast 35 High titles, high descent, attainments high, If unattain❜d our highest? O Lorenzo ! What lofty thoughts, these elements above, 40 What towering hopes, what sallies from the Sun, What grand surveys of destiny divine, And pompous presage of unfathom'd fate, A world where lust of pleasure, grandeur, gold, 45 50 Three demons that divide its realms between them, 55 Man's restless heart, their sport, their flying ball; 60 |