THE
COMPLAINT
OF
FANCY
.
To
A.
R.
C.
AS
,
musing
,
late
I
sat
reclin'd
,
And
waking
dreams
absorb'd
my
mind
,
A
damsel
came
,
of
various
dyes
,
Like
painted
Iris
from
the
skies
;
A
purfled
saffron
was
her
vest
,
And
sweet
gum-cistus
form'd
her
crest
;
In
many
a
playful
ring
,
her
hair
Flew
light
and
flossy
in
the
air
;
The
mantle
,
blue
and
gold
,
she
wore
,
A
rose
of
opals
held
before
,
While
,
graceful
in
her
fairy
hand
,
Appear'd
a
crimson-tufted
wand
,
Whose
shade
on
every
object
threw
A
glowing
tint
of
roseate
hue
.
"
Whence
art
thou
,
blooming
nymph
?
"
I
cried
,
And
thus
a
tuneful
voice
replied
:
"
Men
call
me
Fancy
;
at
my
shrine
"
Myriads
confess
my
power
divine
;
"
There
painters
bend
the
willing
knee
,
"
And
laurell'd
poets
sue
to
me
:
"
For
mine
is
every
vivid
ray
,
"
Which
partial
Nature
gave
the
day
;
"
And
,
to
the
music
of
my
song
,
"
A
thousand
nameless
charms
belong
.
"
The
friend
of
Happiness
,
I
dwell
"
Belov'd
alike
in
court
or
cell
;
"
Where
Glory
lifts
her
ardent
eye
,
"
With
hasty
,
kindred
zeal
I
fly
,
"
In
sun-beams
place
the
hero's
form
,
"
And
bid
his
arm
command
the
storm
;
"
On
swelling
clouds
an
altar
raise
,
"
And
fan
the
tow'ring
flame
of
praise
.
"
Oft
,
from
the
lorn
enthusiast's
lyre
,
"
My
fingers
strike
etherial
fire
,
"
And
give
to
sounds
of
piercing
woe
,
"
Extatic
rapture's
fervent
glow
.
"
Oft
sooth
the
maniac's
throbbing
vein
,
"
And
grace
her
simple
,
wilder'd
strain
;
"
The
tribe
of
Pain
in
fetters
keep
,
"
Lull
wounded
Memory
to
sleep
,
"
And
,
in
the
mind
of
gloomy
Care
,
"
Bid
Thought
an
angel's
semblance
wear
.
"
Dear
to
each
blest
aërial
pow'r
,
"
E'en
Wisdom
calls
me
to
her
bow'r
;
"
My
songs
her
leisure
hours
beguile
,
"
And
teach
her
holy
lip
to
smile
.
"
And
,
when
the
Muse
,
with
thoughtful
care
,
"
Has
woven
chaplets
for
her
hair
,
"
I
let
her
,
with
her
myrtles
,
twine
,
"
Full
many
a
fragrant
rose
of
mine
.
"
Then
why
,
since
all
the
wise
and
gay
,
"
To
me
a
grateful
homage
pay
,
"
Since
I
to
all
my
hand
extend
,
"
And
,
liberal
,
every
heart
befriend
,
"
Does
Nancy
from
the
croud
retire
,
"
And
rend
my
blossoms
from
her
lyre
?
"
Though
every
string
the
loss
bewail
,
"
And
tones
of
mellow
sweetness
fail
,
"
Which
us'd
to
charm
the
pensive
ear
,
"
When
list'ning
Friendship
bent
to
hear
.
"
Tell
her
I
wish
not
to
intrude
"
Upon
her
sacred
solitude
,
"
Nor
cast
my
undulating
chain
,
"
Around
her
glowing
heart
again
;
"
No
!
every
claim
I
now
resign
,
"
Yet
let
some
small
regard
be
mine
;
"
Let
one
,
who
nurs'd
her
infant
years
,
"
And
wip'd
away
some
bitter
tears
,
"
Still
animate
the
scenes
around
,
"
And
make
her
tread
on
fairy
ground
;
"
Give
playful
sweetness
to
each
lay
,
"
And
decorate
the
passing
day
.
"
Tell
her
,
if
now
she
scorns
my
strain
;
"
She
may
invoke
my
name
in
vain
;
"
In
vain
my
proffered
aid
implore
,
"
Contemn'd
,
I
hardly
pardon
more
.
"
She
said
,
and
springing
from
the
earth
,
Attending
found
her
suitor
Mirth
,
Who
caught
her
hand
,
with
lively
air
,
And
plac'd
her
in
his
silver
chair
,
Which
through
the
yielding
ether
flew
,
And
quickly
bore
them
from
my
view
.