CHIRON to ACHILLES, A POEM.

CHIRON to ACHILLES , A POEM . By Hildebrand Jacob , Esq. Res est severa voluptas . (trans.) "Pleasure is a serious business". OLD CHIRON to his pupil thus began , When he beheld him rip'ning into man . " Accomplish'd youth ! well worthy of my pains , " You now are free , and guide yourself the reins : " Yet hear , Achilles , hear , before we part , " A few short precepts from a faithful heart . " What tho' the gods a Nestor's age deny ! " Let management a longer life supply , " And learn , at least , to live , before you die . " A little tract , well till'd , more profit yields " Than realms of wild , uncultivated fields . " 'Tis not from length of years our pleasures flow , " Nor to the gods alone our bliss we owe . " Our happiness , and pain depend on us : " Man's his own good , or evil genius . " Great ills by art we lighten , or remove , " And art our meanest pleasures may improve : " Much to ourselves is due , tho' much to Jove . " Think not , young prince , your elevated state , " Birth , honours , or the empty name of great , " Can fix your joys ; they're ill secur'd , unless " You know yourself to form your happiness , " Which in the shepherd's humble hut is found , " While palaces with discord still resound . " Fortune to industry is ever kind , " And , tho' by the blind vulgar painted blind , " Is still more equal than the crowd suppose , " Who judge of happiness by outward shows ; " She smiles on all conditions , each may be " A man of pleasure in his own degree . " Yet few with art their happiness pursue , " Tho' all mankind have happiness in view , " And ev'ry sense seems made by nature's skill " For giving pleasure and avoiding ill . " Nature our common mother has been kind , " And for a race of joy her sons design'd , " Who long to reach the goal , yet lazy , lag behind , " Or wholly blind , or doubtful how t' advance , " They leave the work of industry to chance . " And of those few who with more active strife " Pursue this great , important end of life , " Some , too impatient , know not how to wait ; " Or aim at things beyond their human state : " These last thro' too much delicacy fall , " And by refining rob themselves of all . " Shun then , Achilles , shun the faults of such , " Who still propose too little , or too much . " Stretch not your hopes too far , nor yet despair , " But above all , of indolence beware . " Attend to what you do , or life will seem " But a mere vision , or fantastick dream , " Pass'd in ideas of delight , at best : " While real pleasure's lost in doubtful rest . " In short , learn when , and how to bear ; in vain " He pleasure seeks , who is afraid of pain ; " Pleasure's a serious thing , and cheaply bought " By labour , patience , management , and thought . " But you , aspiring youth , by nature seem " Addicted to an opposite extreme ; " Impetuous , and restless , soon inflam'd , " And , like a generous courser , hardly tam'd ; " In all things violent : but , O ! disdain , " Brave prince , to let usurping passion reign , " In one rash moment sacrificing more " Than years of sad repentance may restore . " As Thracian winds the Euxine sea molest , " So wrath , and envy , from an human breast " Drive Halcyon peace , and banish kindly rest . " And no security for joy is found , " But in a mind that's tractable and sound . " Suppress the first emotions of your ire , " And smother in its birth the kindling fire . " Ere anger yet possesses all your soul , " Ere yet your bosom heaves , and eyeballs roll , " Think on the useful precepts , I have taught , " And meet the rising heat with wholsome thought . " Or seek the sacred Muses with your lyre , " Who with sweet peace to lonely shades retire ; " Gods , and the sons of gods , the heroes , sing , " While hills and valleys with their praises ring ; " These learn to imitate , and those adore , " And sweetly to yourself , yourself restore ; " Musick , and verse , and solitude controul " Impetuous fury , and compose the soul . " For this , I early taught you how to sing , " And form'd your fingers to the trembling string ; " For 'tis not all sweet pleasure's path to show : " The art of consolation man should know : " Our joys are short , and broken ; and in vain " To constant bliss would human race attain : " Be oft contented to be free from pain . " There is a deity ordain'd by fate , " To damp our joys immoderately great , " That none on earth from sorrow should be free , " But ev'n our blessings taste of misery . " If fortune gives , what rarely we obtain , " An equal share of pleasure , and of pain , " Our portion is o'er-paid , the rest you'll find " But fond ideas of the wanton mind ; " Which now vain scenes of godlike pleasure shows , " And now creates imaginary woes . " When sad , your ills examine and compare , " Judge of your own by what another's are . " Consider greater wretches , and the fates " Of mighty heroes , and of mighty states : " Thus real evils in their proper light " Appear , the false thus vanish out of sight . " Nor aim at pleasures difficult to gain , " Choose rather what you may with ease obtain . " Who scorns to trifle , is by pride abus'd : " I pity him who ne'er can be amus'd ; " But slighting pleasures moderate and small , " Must live in rapture , or not live at all , " Great pleasures still are near ally'd to pain : " Who quits the peaceful shore , and ploughs the main , " Big waves and mighty tempests must sustain . " Let not such fond ambition to be blest , " The humbler pleasures in your power molest ; " Yet cherish hope ; for without hope there's none : " Taste hope ; but be not fed with that alone . " Some their whole lives in expectation spend , " As life were not begun , or ne'er would end ; " Fondly from day to day themselves deceive , " Not living , but intending still to live ; " While they neglect the joys they might possess , " For empty dreams of future happiness . " Let nature in your pleasures be your guide , " Nor suffer art her genuine charms to hide : " Her beauties with unwearied eyes we see ; " The truth of beauty is simplicity . " Live not by imitation , servile state ! " Nor on the fashion for your pleasures wait . " Man , otherwise so selfish , or so proud , " Submits his taste to the fantastick crowd , " And lives not for himself ; do you pursue " Your own desires , and to yourself be true . " As bees extract their sweets from ev'ry flow'r , " So you your joys from all things in your pow'r , " With industry and management produce ; " The meanest trifles are sometimes of use . " Yet know well what you do , and when 'tis done , " Nor at all hours to every pleasure run ; " But mix with art your pleasures , and your toils ; " For pleasures have their seasons , and their soils . " Thus when the earliest dawn of eastern light " Proclaims the finish'd empire of the night , " Haste to the field , Achilles , nor disdain " To chace the foaming monster o'er the plain , " Or teach the untam'd steed to feel the rein ; " Or let your car and arms your nerves prepare , " Or for Olympick games or future war : " Then , whether arts or glory fire your mind , " Will thoughts more generous rise , or more refin'd ; " Aurora to the Muses still is kind . " At noon , a simple short repast be made ; " A shorter slumber in the cooling shade ; " What's gay and light th' unbended mind employs , " Or sports , or past delights , or future joys . " But when the ev'ning-star begins to rise , " When Phoebus' fainting steeds forsake the skies , " Still cheerful at the well-spread board be found , " Amidst bright friends , and with fresh garlands crown'd , " While wine , and Thais with her voice and lyre , " Banish old sorrows , and new joys inspire . " Thus when from toils of empire you are free , " Nor camp , nor council claim your liberty , " The morn to labour and the Muses give ; " At noon with temperance and quiet live ; " Ceres' and Bacchus' gifts at ev'ning prove ; " Divide the night with Somnus and with Love . " Thus , thus , Pelides , drive your cares away , " Nor fear the evil , till the evil day . " What tho' on Simois' or Scamander's shore , " Far off from home the Greeks your death deplore ? " No matter where , or when ; it once must be , " And nothing can revoke the firm decree . " Tho' Thetis' son , tho' third from mighty Jove , " Eternal monarch of the realms above , " Nor Jove , nor Thetis , can your days recal , " Or for an hour defer you destin'd fall . " Mean while a looser rein to pleasure give : " Time flies in haste , be you in haste to live : " Seize on the precious minutes , as they fleet ; " Your life , however short , will be compleat , " If at the fatal moment you can say , " I've liv'd , and made the most of ev'ry day ! " One precept more I fain would recommend , " And then old Chiron's tedious lessons end . " Learn , gen'rous prince , what's little understood , " The godlike happiness of doing good . " How glorious to defend , and to bestow ! " From nobler springs can human pleasure flow ? " A solid good which nothing can destroy , " The best prerogative the great enjoy . " For this , remember , monarchs first were made , " For this , young prince , be lov'd , and be obey'd , " At once your self , and mighty nations bless , " And make humanity your happiness . " But now Aurora ushers in the day , " And fond , expecting Peleus chides your stay . " Go then , brave youth , where'er the Fates may call ; " Live with design , and fearless wait thy fall , " Whatever space of life the gods decree , " Thy name is still immortal ; for I see " More than another Peleus rise in thee . " Thy fame the Homer . prince of sacred bards shall fire , " Thy deeds the By Alexander , who had Homer's Iliad always with him , proposing Achilles for his example . conquest of the world inspire .