4. And moody Madness laughing wild. Stanza 8. 1. 9. IMITATION. Madness laughing in her ireful mood. Dryden's Palamon and Arcite. G. ODE IV. 1. This Ode was first published, with the three foregoing, in Dodsley's Miscellany, under the title of an Hymn to Adversity, which title is here dropped for the sake of uniformity in the page. It is unquestionably as truly lyrical as any of his other Odes. 2. Exact my own defects to scan. Stanza 6. 1. 7. The many hard consonants, which occur in this line, hurt the ear; Mr. Gray perceived it himself, but did not alter it, as the words themselves were those which best conveyed his idea, and therefore he did not choose to sacrifice sense to sound. HAD Mr. Gray compleated the fine lyrical fragment, which I have inserted in the fourth section of the Memoirs, I should have introduced it into the text of his Poems, as the fifth and last of his monostrophic Odes. In order to fulfil the promise which I there made to my reader, I shall now reprint the piece with my own additions to it. I have already made my apology for the attempt; and therefore shall only add, that although (as is usually done on such occasions) I print my supplemental lines in the italic character, yet I am well aware that their inferiority would but too easily distinguish them without any typographical assistance. ODE ON THE PLEASURE ARISING FROM VICISSITUDE. Now the golden Morn aloft Waves her dew-bespangled wing, Till April starts, and calls around The sleeping fragrance from the ground; And lightly o'er the living scene Scatters his freshest, tenderest green. New-born flocks, in rustic dance, Frisking ply their feeble feet; Forgetful of their wintry trance, But chief, the Sky-Lark warbles high And, lessening from the dazzled sight, Rise, my Soul! on wings of fire, Warm let the lyric transport flow, Warm, as the ray that bids it glow; And animates the vernal grove With health, with harmony, and love. Saw the snowy whirlwind fly; Mute was the music of the air, The herd stood drooping by: Smiles on past Misfortune's brow * And o'er the cheek of Sorrow throw While Hope prolongs our happier hour, Gilds with a gleam of distant day. Still, where rosy Pleasure leads, Behind the steps that Misery treads The hues of bliss more brightly glow, And blended form, with artful strife, See the Wretch, that long has tost At length repair his vigour lost, The common sun, the air, the skies, Humble Quiet builds her cell, Near the source whence Pleasure flows; She eyes the clear * crystalline well, And tastes it as it goes. While far below the madding Croud Mark where Indolence, and Pride, Mark Ambition's march sublime Up to Power's meridian height; While pale-ey'd Envy sees him climb, And sickens at the sight. Phantoms of Danger, Death, and Dread, Float hourly round Ambition's head; *So Milton accents the word: On the crystalline sky, in sapphire thron'd. P. L. Book vi, v. 772. |