The Poetical Works of Mr William Collins

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ODE TO PITY. O THOU ! the friend of man assign'd, With balmy hands his wounds to bind) And charm his frantic woe: When first Distress, with dagger keen, Broke forth to waste his destin'd scene, His wild unsated foe ! By Pella's bard, a magic name, By all the griefs his thought could frame, Receive my humble rite: Long, Pity, let the nations view Thy sky-worn robes of tenderest blue, And eyes of dewy light! But wherefore need I wander wide To old lissus' 'distant side, Deserted stream and mute? Wild Arun too has heard thy strains-, And Echo, 'midst my native plains, Been sooth'd by Pity's lute. There first the wren thy myrtles shed On gentlest Otway's infant head, To him thy cell was shown; And while he sung the female heart, With youth's soft notes unspoil'd by art, Thy turtles mix'd their own. A river in Suscex. Come, Pity ! come; by Fancy's aid, Ev'n now my thoughts, relenting maid, Thy temple's pride design: Its southern site, its truth complete, Shall raise a wild enthusiast heat In all who view the shrine. There Picture's toil shall well relate, How chance, or hard involving fate, O'er mortal bliss prevail: The buskin'd Muse shall near her stand, And sighing prompt her tender hand, With each disastrous tale. There let me oft, retir'd by day, In dreams of passion melt away. Allow'd with thee to dwell: There waste the mournful lamp of night, Till, Virgin, thou again delight To hear a British shell! chapter{Section 4ODE TO FEAR. J. HOU, to whom the world unknown With all its shadowy shapes is shown; Who seest appall'd th' unreal scene, AVhile Fancy lifts the veil between: Ah Fear ! ah, frantic Fear! I see, I see thee near. I know thy hurried step, thy haggard eye ! Like thee I start, li...