ADDRESS
TO
TWO
CANDLES
.
"
No
subject
so
mean
,
that
Poetry
cannot
elevate
,
and
render
interesting
.
"
ANON.
At
a
Cottage
on
an
eminence
,
ANNA
MATILDA
had
ordered
the
Candles
to
be
removed
from
the
Window
,
but
the
Night
was
dark
;
and
recollecting
the
situation
,
she
replaced
,
and
thus
addressed
them
:
—
BURN
—
lucid
tapers
!
fiercer
burn
!
Refine
each
ray
to
purer
light
,
Pervade
the
circumambient
air
And
pierce
the
closest
robe
of
Night
!
Why
faintly
glow
your
spiral
fires
,
Whilst
Charity
invokes
your
beams
?
Why
,
inauspicious
to
my
prayer
,
—
Still
faint
and
fainter
are
your
gleams
?
Oh
think
,
that
on
the
distant
heath
,
Whose
canopy's
a
sombre
sky
,
Some
weary
traveller
may
roam
—
No
hut
,
no
guide
,
no
shelter
nigh
!
Perhaps
,
an
aged
parent
tries
To
find
amidst
the
thick'ning
shades
Her
doubtful
path
;
—
perhaps
a
child
Bemoans
,
forlorn
,
in
yonder
glades
.
Your
honest
light
they
need
not
dread
,
No
ignis
false
instructs
your
ray
To
guide
amiss
their
trembling
feet
,
Or
lure
them
from
th'
intended
way
.
No
vapour
gross
your
fulgence
feeds
;
From
snowy
wax
your
flame
is
drawn
,
By
virgin
bees
extracted
pure
From
ev'ry
sweet
that
decks
the
lawn
.
The
rose
,
the
violet
,
and
the
thyme
That
scent
the
Morning's
dewy
shower
,
Combin'd
their
aromatic
gifts
,
And
form'd
ye
for
the
present
hour
.
Then
,
gentle
tapers
!
brisker
burn
,
Dart
with
new
vigour
thro'
the
night
;
Tinge
ev'ry
ray
with
brighter
hues
,
And
pour
them
on
the
wand'rer's
sight
!