THE TULIP AND MYRTLE. John Langhorne Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T116245 1137 K093079.004 Pearch, G. A collection of poems in four volumes. By several hands. Vol. IV. [The second edition]. London printed for G. Pearch 1770 pp. 173-176. 4v. ; 8⁰.

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THE TULIP AND MYRTLE . BY THE SAME . TWAS on the border of a stream A gaily-painted Tulip stood , And , gilded by the morning beam , Survey'd her beauties in the flood . And sure , more lovely to behold , Might nothing meet the wistful eye , Than crimson fading into gold , In streaks of fairest symmetry . The beauteous flower , with pride elate , Ah me ! that Pride with Beauty dwells ? Vainly affects superior state , And thus in empty fancy swells : " O lustre of unrivall'd bloom ! " Fair painting of a hand divine , " Superior far to mortal doom , " The hues of Heaven alone are mine ! " Away , ye worthless , formless race ! " Ye weeds , that boast the name of flowers ! " No more my native bed disgrace , " Unmeet for tribes so mean as yours ! " Shall the bright daughter of the sun " Associate with the shrubs of earth ? " Ye slaves , your sovereign's presence shun ! " Respect her beauties and her birth . " And thou , dull , sullen ever-green ! " Shalt thou my shining sphere invade ? " My noon-day beauties beam unseen , " Obscur'd beneath thy dusky shade ! " " Deluded flower ! " the Myrtle cries , " Shall we thy moment's bloom adore ? " The meanest shrub that you despise , " The meanest flower has merit more . " That daisy , in its simple bloom ; " Shall last along the changing year ; " Blush on the snow of winter's gloom , And bid the smiling spring appear . " The violet , that , those banks beneath , " Hides from thy scorn its modest head , " Shall fill the air with fragrant breath , " When thou art in thy dusty bed . " Ev'n I , who boast no golden shade , " Am of no shining tints possest , " When low thy lucld form is laid , " Shall bloom on many a lovely breast . " And he , whose kind and fostering care " To thee , to me , our beings gave , " Shall near his breast my flowrets wear , " And walk regardless o'er thy grave . " Deluded flower ! the friendly screen " That hides thee from the noon-tide ray , " And mocks thy passion to be seen , " Prolongs thy transitory day . " But kindly deeds with scorn repaid , " No more by Virtue need be done : " I now withdraw my dusky shade , " And yield thee to thy darling sun . " Fierce on the flower the scorching beam With all its weight of glory fell ; The flower exulting caught the gleam , And lent its leaves a bolder swell . Expanded by the searching fire , The curling leaves the breast disclos'd ; The mantling bloom was painted higher , And every latent charm expos'd . But when the sun was sliding low , And evening came with dews so cold ; The wanton beauty ceas'd to blow , And sought her bending leaves to fold . Those leaves , alas ! no more will close ; Relax'd , exhausted , sickening , pale ; They left her to a parent's woes , And fled before the rising gale .