Page images
PDF
EPUB

5.

Non vox Aurora croceos fpirantis odores, Non quæ ftramineo de tegmine ftridit hirundo,

Non galli tuba clara, neque hos refonabile cornu, Ex humili ulteriùs poterunt revocare cubili.

6.

Non illis fplendente foco renovabitur ignis, Sedula nec curas urgebit vefpere conjux ; Non patris ad reditum tenero balbutiet ore Certatimve amplexa genu petet ofcula proles,

7.

Illis fæpe feges maturâ ceffit ariftâ,

Illi fæpe graves fregerunt vomere glebas;
Ah! quoties læti fub plauftra egere juvencos!

Ah! quoties duro nemora ingemuere fub ictu!

Nec

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

The breezy call of incenfe-breathing Morn,

The swallow twitt'ring from the ftraw-built shed, The cock's fhrill clarion, or the echoing horn,

No more fhall roufe them from their lowly bed.

6.

For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
Or bufy housewife ply her evening care:
No children run to lifp their fires return,

Or climb his knees the envied kifs to share.

7.

Oft did the harveft to their fickle yield,

Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke How jocund did they drive their team afield! How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy ftroke!

[blocks in formation]

8.

Nec vitam utilibus quæ incumbit provida curis,. Nec fortem ignotam, fecuraque gaudia ruris

Rideat Ambitio, tumidove Superbia faftu

Annales inopum quofcunque audire recufet.

9.

Sceptri grande decus, generofæ ftirpis honores,

Quicquid opes, aut forma dedit, commune fepulchrum

Opprimit, et leti non evitabilis hora.

Ducit laudis iter tantùm ad confinia mortis.

10.

Parcite fic tellure fitis (ita fata volebant)
Si nulla in Memori furgant Infignia Bufto,
Quà longos per templi aditus, laqueataque tecta
Divinas iterare folent gravia organa laudes.

II.

Infcriptæne valent urnæ, fpirantiaque æra, Ad fedes fugientem animam revocare relictas ? Dicite, follicitet cineres fi fama repostos?

Gloria fi gelidas Fatorum mulceat Aures?

Quis

8.

Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,

Their homely joys, and deftiny obfcure; Nor Grandeur hear with a difdainful smile, The fhort and fimple annals of the poor.

9.

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,

And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.

The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

10.

Nor you, ye Proud, impute to Thefe the fault, If Mem'ry o'er their Tomb no Trophies raise, Where thro' the long-drawn isle and fretted vault The pealing anthem fwells the note of praife.

II.

Can ftoried urn or animated buft

Back to its manfion call the fleeting breath? Can Horcur's voice provoke the filent duft,

Or Flatt'ry footh the dull cold ear of Death?

[blocks in formation]

12.

Quis fcit, an hic animus neglectâ in fede quiefcat

Qui prius incaluit cœleftis femine flammæ ?

Quis fcit, an hic fceptri manus haud indigna recumbat, Quæve lyræ poterat infpirâffe furorem?

13.

Annales fed nulla fues His Mufa reclufit,

Dives opum variarum, et longo fertilis ævo:
Pauperies angufta facra compefcuit ignes,

Et vivos animi glaciavit frigore curfus.

14.

Sæpe corufcantes puro fulgore fub antris

Abdidit Oceanus, cæcoque in gurgite gemmas;
Neglectus fæpe, in folis qui nafcitur agris,

Flos rubet, inque auras fruftra difpertit odoren.

15.

Hic aliquis fortè Hampdenus, qui pectore firmo

Obftitit Imperio parvi in fua rura Tyranni,
Miltonus tumulo rudis atque inglorius illo

Dormiat, aut patrii Cromvellus fanguinis infons.

Eloquio

« PreviousContinue »