Page images
PDF
EPUB

For me, whene'er all-conquering Death shall spread His wings around my unrepining head,

75

I care not; though this face be seen no more
The world will pass as cheerful as before,
Bright as before the day-ftar will appear,
The fields as verdant, and the skies as clear;
Nor ftorms nor comets will my doom declare,
Nor figns on earth, nor portents in the air;
Unknown and filent will depart my breath,
Nor Nature e'er take notice of my death.
Yet fome there are (ere spent my vital days)
Within whose breasts my tomb I wish to raise.
Lov'd in my life, lamented in my end,
Their praise would crown me as their precepts mend;
To them
may these fond lines my name endear, 85
Not from the Poet but the Friend fincere.

89

Ó DE

ON A

DISTANT PROSPECT

OF

ETON COLLEGE.

BY THOMAS GRAY, ESQ.*

"Ανθρωπος" ἱκανὴ πρόφασις εἰς τὸ δυςυχεῖν.

MENANDER

YE diftant fpires, ye antique towers,
That crown the watʼry glade,
Where grateful Science ftill adores

Her HENRY'S + holy Shade;

And ye, that from the stately brow

5

Of WINDSOR's heights th' expanse below

Of grove, of lawn, of mead furvey,

Whose turf, whose shade, whose flowers among
Wanders the hoary Thames along

His filver-winding way.

Ah happy hills, ah pleafing fhade,

Ah fields belov'd in vain,

Born 1716; dyed 1771.

+ King Henry the fixth, founder of the college.

10

Where once my careless childhood stray'd,

A ftranger yet to pain!

I feel the gales, that from ye blow,

A momentary bliss bestow,

As waving fresh their gladfome wing,

My weary foul they feem to footh,

And, redolent of joy and youth,

To breathe a second spring.

Say, Father THAMES, for thou haft feen

Full many a sprightly race

15

20

[blocks in formation]

They hear a voice in every wind,
And fnatch a fearful joy.

Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed,
Lefs pleafing when poffeft;
The tear forgot as soon as shed,
The funfhine of the breaft:
Theirs buxom health of rofy hue;
Wild wit, invention ever-new,
And lively chear of vigour born;
The thoughtless day, the easy night,
The spirits pure, the flumbers light,

[ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Or pineing Love fhall waste their youth,

Or Jealousy with rankling tooth,
That inly gnaws the fecret heart,
And Envy wan, and faded Care,
Grim-vifag'd comfortless Despair,
And Sorrow's piercing dart.

Ambition this shall tempt to rife,
Then whirl the wretch from high,
To bitter Scorn a facrifice,

And grinning Infamy ;

The ftings of Falfhood those shall try,
And hard Unkindness' alter'd eye,

65

79

75

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

This racks the joints, this fires the veins,

85

That every labouring finew strains,

Those in the deeper vitals rage:

Lo, Poverty, to fill the band,
That numbs the foul with icy hand,
And flow-confuming Age.

99

« EelmineJätka »