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[Page [81]][Page 82]
HUMAN PLEASURE OR PAIN.
1 WHEN clouds and rain deform the sky,
2 And light'nings glare around,
3 Amidst the dreary, cheerless scene,
4 Some comfort may be found.
5 There will, at some far-distant spot,
6 A streak of light appear,
7 Or, when the sullen vapours break,
8 The ether will be clear.
9 And if the sun illumes the east,
10 And sheds his gladsome ray,
11 Some boding mist, or passing cloud
12 Will threat the rising day.
13 The heart rejoicing in the view,
14 And dancing with delight,
15 Oft feels the touch of palsied fear,
16 And sinks at thought of night.
17 So Hope's bright torch more clearly shines,
18 Amidst surrounding gloom,
19 And, beldame Fortune vainly throws
20 Her mantle o'er the tomb.
March 15, 1797.
Source edition
Betham, Mary Matilda, 1776-1852. Elegies and Other Small Poems, by Matilda Betham. Ipswich: Printed by W. Burrell, and sold by Longman, Paternoster-Row, and Jermyn and Forster, Ipswich, 1797, pp. [81]-82. (ESTC T143264)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by (Mary) Matilda Betham
- ARTHUR and ALBINA. ()
- [CANTATA DELLO STESSO.] TRANSLATION. ()
- [CANTATA. [DELL] METASTAISO.] TRANSLATION. ()
- CEN'LIN, PRINCE OF MERCIA. ()
- THE COMPLAINT OF FANCY. To A. R. C. ()
- EDITHA ()
- FRAGMENT. ()
- FRAGMENT. ()
- THE FRATERNAL DUEL. ()
- IN A LETTER to A.R.C. ON HER WISHING TO BE CALLED ANNA. ()
- IN MEMORY OF Mr. AGOSTINO ISOLA, OF CAMBRIDGE, Who died on the 5th of June, 1797. ()
- INVITATION, To J. B. C. ()
- [LA FORTUNA. DELLO STESSO.] TRANSLATION. ()
- THE LONELY WALK To W. S. B. ()
- ON A FAN ()
- ON THE EVE OF DEPARTURE From O — ()
- THE OUTLAW ()
- PHILEMON. ()
- RHAPSODY ()
- [SONETTO. DI GIOVANNI DELLA CASA.] SONNET, TO SLEEP. TRANSLATION ()
- THE TERRORS OF GUILT ()
- TO M. I. ()
- TO M. I. ()
- TO SIMPLICITY. ()
- TO THE NUNS OF BODNEY. ()
- Written April the 18th, 1796. ()
- Written in London, on the 19th of March 1796. ()
- WRITTEN IN ZIMMERMANN's SOLITUDE. ()
- WRITTEN ON WHITSUN-MONDAY 1795. ()