Part 27 (1/2)

”But how to smile; to stem the tide Of nature in our veins; Is it not hard to weep in joy?

What then to smile in pains?”

Victorious joy! which breaks the clouds, And struggles through a storm; Proclaims the mind as great, as good And bids it doubly charm:

If doubly charming in our s.e.x, A s.e.x, by nature, bold; What then in yours? 'tis diamond there Triumphant o'er our gold.

And should not this complaint repress, And check the rising sigh?

Yet farther opiate to your pain I labour to supply.

Since spirits greatly damp'd distort Ideas of delight, Look through the medium of a friend, To set your notions right:

As tears the sight, grief dims the soul; Its object dark appears; True friends.h.i.+p, like a rising sun, The soul's horizon clears.

A friend's an optic to the mind With sorrow clouded o'er; And gives it strength of sight to see Redress unseen before.

Reason is somewhat rough in man; Extremely smooth and fair, When she, to grace her manly strength, a.s.sumes a female air:

A friend(51) you have, and I the same, Whose prudent, soft address Will bring to life those healing thoughts Which died in your distress;

That friend, the spirit of my theme Extracting for your ease, Will leave to me the dreg, in thoughts Too common; such as these:

Let those lament to whom full bowls Of sparkling joys are given; That triple bane inebriates life, Imbitters death, and hazards heaven:

Woe to the soul at perfect ease!

'Tis brewing perfect pains; Lull'd reason sleeps, the pulse is king; Despotic body reigns;

Have you(52) ne'er pitied joy's gay scenes, And deem'd their glory dark?

Alas! poor envy! she's stone-blind, And quite mistakes her mark:

Her mark lies hid in sorrow's shades, But sorrow well subdu'd; And in proud fortune's frown defied By meek, unborrow'd good.

By resignation; all in that A double friend may find, A wing to heaven, and, while on earth, The pillow of mankind:

On pillows void of down, for rest Our restless hopes we place; When hopes of heaven lie warm at heart, Our hearts repose in peace:

The peace, which resignation yields, Who feel alone can guess; 'Tis disbeliev'd by murmuring minds, They must conclude it less:

The loss, or gain, of that alone Have we to hope or fear; That fate controls, and can invert The seasons of the year:

O! the dark days, the year around, Of an impatient mind!

Thro' clouds, and storms, a summer breaks, To s.h.i.+ne on the resign'd:

While man by that of every grace, And virtue, is possess'd; Foul vice her pandaemonium builds In the rebellious breast;

By resignation we defeat The worst that can annoy; And suffer, with far more repose, Than worldlings can enjoy.

From small experience this I speak; O! grant to those I love Experience fuller far, ye powers, Who form our fates above!