A PRAYER FOR INDIFFERENCE. Frances Greville (née Macartney) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T124631 1073 K099398.000 Mendez, Moses. A collection of the most esteemed pieces of poetry: that have appeared for several years. With variety of originals, by the late Moses Mendez, Esq; and other contributors to Dodsley's collection. To which this is intended as a supplement. London printed for Richardson and Urquhart 1767 pp. 96-99. [8],320p. ; 8⁰.

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A PRAYER FOR INDIFFERENCE . By MRS. GREVILLE . OFT I've implor'd the Gods in vain , And pray'd till I've been weary ; For once I'll try my wish to gain Of Oberon the fairy . Sweet airy being , wanton sprite , That lurk'st in woods unseen ; And oft by Cynthia's silver light Tripst gaily o'er the green ! If e'er thy pitying heart was mov'd , As ancient stories tell , And for th' Athenian maid , who lov'd , Thou sought'st a wondrous spell ; Oh ! deign once more t' exert thy power ; Haply some herb or tree , Sov'reign as juice of western flower , Conceals a balm for me . I ask no kind return of love , No tempting charm to please : Far from the heart those gifts remove , That sighs for peace and ease . Nor peace nor ease the heart can know , Which , like the needle true , Turns at the touch of joy or woe , But , turning , trembles too . Far as distress the soul can wound , 'Tis pain in each degree : 'Tis bliss but to a certain bound ; Beyond is agony . Take then this treacherous sense of mine , Which dooms me still to smart ; Which pleasure can to pain refine , To pain new pangs impart . Oh , haste to shed the sacred balm ! My shatter'd nerves new-string ; And for my guest , serenely calm , The nymph , Indifference bring . At her approach , see Hope , see Fear , See Expectation fly ; And Disappointment in the rear , That blasts the promis'd joy . The tear , which pity taught to flow , The eye shall then disown : The heart that melts for other's woe , Shall then scarce feel its own . The wounds which now each moment bleed , Each moment then shall close , And tranquil days shall still succeed To nights of calm repose . O , fairy elf ! but grant me this , This one kind comfort send ; And so may never-fading bliss Thy flow'ry paths attend ! So may the glow-worm's glimm'ring light Thy tiny footsteps lead To some new region of delight , Unknown to mortal tread . And be thy acorn goblet fill'd With heav'ns ambrosial dew ; From sweetest , freshest flow'rs distill'd , That shed fresh sweets for you . And what of life remains for me , I'll pass in sober ease ; Half-pleas'd , contented will I be , Content but half to please .