Salmagundi (Huddesford, 1791)/Ode 1
AMATORY ODES.
ODE I.
Let the sons of Lucre pine
For glittering heaps of golden ore,
To swell th' accumulated store
Contemn the terrors of the mine;
Explore the caverns dark and drear
Mantled around with deadly dew;
Where congregated vapours blue,
Fir'd by the taper glimmering near,
Bid dire explosion the deep realms invade,
And earth-born light'nings gleam athwart th' infernal shade.
For glittering heaps of golden ore,
To swell th' accumulated store
Contemn the terrors of the mine;
Explore the caverns dark and drear
Mantled around with deadly dew;
Where congregated vapours blue,
Fir'd by the taper glimmering near,
Bid dire explosion the deep realms invade,
And earth-born light'nings gleam athwart th' infernal shade.
Pride, on thy vesture's purple fold
Let the sky-tinctured sapphire blaze,
The emerald shed its milder rays,
And rubies blush in circling gold:
Low at thy nod let suppliants bow,
And crested chiefs precedence yield;
Thy hand the rod of empire wield,
And wreaths of triumph grace thy brow.—
A nobler aim let my ambition own,
Be Love my empire, Lesbia's heart my throne!
Let the sky-tinctured sapphire blaze,
The emerald shed its milder rays,
And rubies blush in circling gold:
Low at thy nod let suppliants bow,
And crested chiefs precedence yield;
Thy hand the rod of empire wield,
And wreaths of triumph grace thy brow.—
A nobler aim let my ambition own,
Be Love my empire, Lesbia's heart my throne!
Where into rage the wintry blast
Awakes old Ocean's slumbering wave[errata 1]
Let Commerce urge her busy slave;
And elevate his trembling mast
Above the billowy precipice,
To meet the forked light'ning's flash;
Then down th' advent'rous vessel dash,
Found'ring within the black abyss:
Or let his freight secure the surges sweep,
And of their prey defraud the monsters of the deep:
Awakes old Ocean's slumbering wave[errata 1]
Let Commerce urge her busy slave;
And elevate his trembling mast
Above the billowy precipice,
To meet the forked light'ning's flash;
Then down th' advent'rous vessel dash,
Found'ring within the black abyss:
Or let his freight secure the surges sweep,
And of their prey defraud the monsters of the deep:
My bark the tide of young desire,
O Venus, to thy happy realm
Shall waft, fair Hope direct the helm,
Love's sighs the swelling sails inspire:
To Thee, bright Offspring of the wave,
I'll many an amorous vow prefer:
From storms of hate thy mariner
And blast of chill indiff'rence save!
So to thy pow'r I'll frame the votive lay,
And moor'd in Lesbia's arms confess thy sov'reign sway.
O Venus, to thy happy realm
Shall waft, fair Hope direct the helm,
Love's sighs the swelling sails inspire:
To Thee, bright Offspring of the wave,
I'll many an amorous vow prefer:
From storms of hate thy mariner
And blast of chill indiff'rence save!
So to thy pow'r I'll frame the votive lay,
And moor'd in Lesbia's arms confess thy sov'reign sway.
Amid ensanguin'd fields of War,
Valour, be thy Votary found;
Where crimson banners wave around
The martial clarion, echoing far;
In vain gigantic Terror calls
His spectre shapes, a ghastly band:—
Nor Discord, hurling high his brand,
Nor Danger's horrid front appals;
Nor Death his fierce unconquer'd soul can tame,
Or from his grasp withhold the glorious meed of Fame.
Valour, be thy Votary found;
Where crimson banners wave around
The martial clarion, echoing far;
In vain gigantic Terror calls
His spectre shapes, a ghastly band:—
Nor Discord, hurling high his brand,
Nor Danger's horrid front appals;
Nor Death his fierce unconquer'd soul can tame,
Or from his grasp withhold the glorious meed of Fame.
But let me wander far away
From the loud drum and neighing steed,
Thro' many a pansie-painted mead,
Where Isis' bright-hair'd Naiads stray;
High o'er my head a pendant bow'r
Let the broad elm and branching pine
With intermingling umbrage twine;
There Love's impassion'd song I'll pour,
And summon every wave that dances near,
Bridling his wanton speed, my Lesbia's praise to hear.
From the loud drum and neighing steed,
Thro' many a pansie-painted mead,
Where Isis' bright-hair'd Naiads stray;
High o'er my head a pendant bow'r
Let the broad elm and branching pine
With intermingling umbrage twine;
There Love's impassion'd song I'll pour,
And summon every wave that dances near,
Bridling his wanton speed, my Lesbia's praise to hear.
Where the pale lamp's waining eye
At eve, from out the cloyster'd nook
Casts o'er the gloom[errata 2] a lingering look,
There let the Sage his labours ply;
And many a feat of Champion bold,
And many a legendary rhime
Snatch from the Sepulchre of Time;
And frequent, as the night grows old,
At fear-engender'd forms recoil aghast,
And hear unhallow'd ghosts wail in each hollow blast.
At eve, from out the cloyster'd nook
Casts o'er the gloom[errata 2] a lingering look,
There let the Sage his labours ply;
And many a feat of Champion bold,
And many a legendary rhime
Snatch from the Sepulchre of Time;
And frequent, as the night grows old,
At fear-engender'd forms recoil aghast,
And hear unhallow'd ghosts wail in each hollow blast.
But o'er my haunts with influence bland
Let ev'ning fling her welcome shade:
Then mid the dance, O beauteous maid!
Let me thine un-reluctant hand
Enraptur'd seize:—or let the Lyre,
Obedient to thy soft control,
Bind in harmonious chains my soul,
And ecstasy and bliss inspire;
While to the charmed ear in heav'nly strains,
Enamour'd of thy touch, each trembling chord complains.
Let ev'ning fling her welcome shade:
Then mid the dance, O beauteous maid!
Let me thine un-reluctant hand
Enraptur'd seize:—or let the Lyre,
Obedient to thy soft control,
Bind in harmonious chains my soul,
And ecstasy and bliss inspire;
While to the charmed ear in heav'nly strains,
Enamour'd of thy touch, each trembling chord complains.
Then, Fairest, let my bosom feel
Thy smile's exhilarating pow'r,
Grateful as, mid noon's sultry hour,
The Grot where trickling dews congeal:
And, in the rich grape's purple tide
When Joy and genial Pleasure swim,
Do Thou but kiss its chrystal brim,
And, to thy bard the goblet guide;
So shall my song exalt thy praise above
Hebe, who bids o'erflow the nectar'd cup of Jove.
Thy smile's exhilarating pow'r,
Grateful as, mid noon's sultry hour,
The Grot where trickling dews congeal:
And, in the rich grape's purple tide
When Joy and genial Pleasure swim,
Do Thou but kiss its chrystal brim,
And, to thy bard the goblet guide;
So shall my song exalt thy praise above
Hebe, who bids o'erflow the nectar'd cup of Jove.
Errata