A FAREWELL ODE ON QUITTING SCHOOL FOR JESUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
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here graced with many a classic spoilCAM rolls his reverend stream along,I haste to urge the learnéd toilThat sternly chides my love-lorn song:Ah me! too mindful of the days 5Illumed by Passion's orient rays,When Peace, and Cheerfulness and HealthEnriched me with the best of wealth.Ah fair Delights! that o'er my soulOn Memory's wing, like shadows fly! 10Ah Flowers! which Joy from Eden stoleWhile Innocence stood smiling by!--But cease, fond Heart! this bootless moan:Those Hours on rapid Pinions flownShall yet return, by Absence crown'd, 15And scatter livelier roses round.The Sun who ne'er remits his firesOn heedless eyes may pour the day:The Moon, that oft from Heaven retires,Endears her renovated ray. 20What though she leave the sky unblestTo mourn awhile in murky vest?When she relumes her lovely light,We bless the Wanderer of the Night. 1791. FOOTNOTES: [29:2] First published in _Cambridge Intelligencer_, October 11, 1794:included in 1796, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. LINENOTES: Title] Sonnet on Quitting Christ's Hospital MS. O. Absence, A FarewellOde 1796, 1803. HAPPINESS[30:1] On wide or narrow scale shall ManMost happily describe Life's plan?Say shall he bloom and wither there,Where first his infant buds appear;Or upwards dart with soaring force, 5And tempt some more ambitious course?Obedient now to Hope's command,I bid each humble wish expand,And fair and bright Life's prospects seem.While Hope displays her cheering beam, 10And Fancy's vivid colourings stream,While Emulation stands me nighThe Goddess of the eager eye.With foot advanc'd and anxious heartNow for the fancied goal I start:-- 15Ah! why will Reason interveneMe and my promis'd joys between!She stops my course, she chains my speed,While thus her forceful words proceed:--Ah! listen, Youth, ere yet too late, 20What evils on thy course may wait!To bow the head, to bend the knee,A minion of Servility,At low Pride's frequent frowns to sigh,And watch the glance in Folly's eye; 25To toil intense, yet toil in vain,And feel with what a hollow painPale Disappointment hangs her headO'er darling Expectation dead!'The scene is changed and Fortune's gale 30Shall belly out each prosperous sail.Yet sudden wealth full well I knowDid never happiness bestow.That wealth to which we were not bornDooms us to sorrow or to scorn. 35Behold yon flock which long had trodO'er the short grass of Devon's sod,To Lincoln's rank rich meads transferr'd,And in their fate thy own be fear'd;Through every limb contagions fly, 40Deform'd and choked they burst and die.'When Luxury opens wide her arms,And smiling wooes thee to those charms,Whose fascination thousands own,Shall thy brows wear the stoic frown? 45And when her goblet she extendsWhich maddening myriads press around,What power divine thy soul befriendsThat thou should'st dash it to the ground?--No, thou shalt drink, and thou shalt know 50Her transient bliss, her lasting woe,Her maniac joys, that know no measure,And Riot rude and painted Pleasure;--Till (sad reverse!) the Enchantress vileTo frowns converts her magic smile; 55Her train impatient to destroy,Observe her frown with gloomy joy;On thee with harpy fangs they seizeThe hideous offspring of Disease,Swoln Dropsy ignorant of Rest, 60And Fever garb'd in scarlet vest,Consumption driving the quick hearse,And Gout that howls the frequent curse,With Apoplex of heavy headThat surely aims his dart of lead. 65'But say Life's joys unmix'd were givenTo thee some favourite of Heaven:Within, without, tho' all were health--Yet what e'en thus are Fame, Power, Wealth,But sounds that variously express, 70What's thine already--Happiness!'Tis thine the converse deep to holdWith all the famous sons of old;And thine the happy waking dreamWhile Hope pursues some favourite theme, 75As oft when Night o'er Heaven is spread,Round this maternal seat you tread,Where far from splendour, far from riot,In silence wrapt sleeps careless Quiet.'Tis thine with Fancy oft to talk, 80And thine the peaceful evening walk;And what to thee the sweetest are--The setting sun, the Evening Star--The tints, which live along the sky,And Moon that meets thy raptur'd eye, 85Where oft the tear shall grateful start,Dear silent pleasures of the Heart!Ah! Being blest, for Heaven shall lendTo share thy simple joys a friend!Ah! doubly blest, if Love supply 90His influence to complete thy joy,If chance some lovely maid thou findTo read thy visage in thy mind.'One blessing more demands thy care:--Once more to Heaven address the prayer: 95For humble independence prayThe guardian genius of thy way;Whom (sages say) in days of yoreMeek Competence to Wisdom bore,So shall thy little vessel glide 100With a fair breeze adown the tide,And Hope, if e'er thou 'ginst to sorrow,Remind thee of some fair to-morrow,Till Death shall close thy tranquil eyeWhile Faith proclaims "Thou shalt not die!"' 105 1791. FOOTNOTES: [30:1] First published in 1834. The poem was sent to George Coleridge ina letter dated June 22, 1791. An adapted version of ll. 80-105 was sentto Southey, July 13, 1794. LINENOTES: Title] Upon the Author's leaving school and entering into Life. MS. O(c). [6] tempt] dare MS. O, MS. O (c). [10] While] When MS. O, MS. O (c). [Between 11-13]
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