[Page 34]
ODE.
Written 1739.
Urit spes animi credula mutui. HOR.
1 'TWAS not by beauty's aid alone.
2 That love usurp'd his airy throne,
3 His boasted power display'd:
4 'Tis kindness that secures his aim,
5 'Tis hope that feeds the kindling flame,
6 Which beauty first convey'd.
7 In Clara's eyes, the lightnings view;
8 Her lips with all the rose's hue
9 Have all its sweets combin'd;
10 Yet vain the blush, and faint the fire,
11 'Till lips at once, and eyes conspire
12 To prove the charmer kind —
[Page 35]
13 Tho' wit might gild the tempting snare,
14 With softest accent, sweetest air,
15 By Envy's self admir'd;
16 If Lesbia's wit betray'd her scorn,
17 In vain might every grace adorn,
18 What every Muse inspir'd.
19 Thus airy Strephon turn'd his lyre —
20 He scorn'd the pangs of wild desire,
21 Which love-sick swains endure:
22 Resolv'd to brave the keenest dart;
23 Since frowns could never wound his heart,
24 And smiles — must ever cure.
25 But ah! how false these maxims prove,
26 How frail security from love,
27 Experience hourly shows!
28 Love can imagin'd smiles supply,
29 On every charming lip and eye
30 Eternal sweets bestows.
31 In vain we trust the Fair-one's eyes;
32 In vain the sage explores the skies,
33 To learn from stars his fate:
34 'Till led by fancy wide astray,
35 He finds no planet mark his way;
36 Convinc'd and wise — too late.
37 As partial to their words we prove;
38 Then boldly join the lists of love,
39 With towering hopes supply'd:
40 So heroes, taught by doubtful shrines,
41 Mistook their Deity's designs;
42 Then took the field — and dy'd.
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About this text
Author: William Shenstone
Themes:
love; beauty
Genres:
ode
References:
DMI 27229
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Source edition
Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. V. London: printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley, 1763 [1st ed. 1758], pp. 34-35. 6v.: music; 8⁰. (ESTC T131163; OTA K104099.005) (Page images digitized by the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive from a copy in the archive's library.)
Editorial principles
The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by William Shenstone
- ANACREONTIC, 1738. ()
- ANSWER. ()
- A BALLAD. ()
- The Beau to the Virtuosos; alluding to a Proposal for the Publication of a Set of BUTTERFLIES. ()
- CANDOUR. ()
- The CEREMONIAL. ()
- CLOE to LYSANDER. ()
- The DYING KID. ()
- The EVER-GREEN. ()
- The EXTENT of COOKERY. ()
- In a shady Valley, near a running Water. ()
- Inscription near a Sheep-cote. 1745. ()
- An irregular ODE after SICKNESS, 1749. ()
- LYSANDER to CLOE. ()
- NANCY of the VALE. A BALLAD. ()
- ODE to a Young Lady, Somewhat too sollicitous about her Manner of Expression. ()
- ODE to HEALTH, 1730. ()
- ODE to INDOLENCE, 1750. ()
- ODE to MEMORY. 1748. ()
- On a ROOT-HOUSE. ()
- On a small Building in the Gothick Taste. ()
- A Pastoral BALLAD, in Four Parts. Written 1743. ()
- The PRICE of an EQUIPAGE. ()
- The Princess ELIZABETH: A Ballad, alluding to a Story recorded of her, when she was a Prisoner at Woodstock, 1554. ()
- The Progress of ADVICE. A common Case. ()
- The Rape of the TRAP, a BALLAD; written at College, 1736. ()
- RURAL ELEGANCE: An ODE to the late Duchess of SOMERSET. Written 1750. ()
- THE SCHOOL-MISTRESS. A POEM, In Imitation of Spenser. ()
- A SIMILE. ()
- SLENDER's GHOST. ()
- SONG I. ()
- SONG II. The LANDSKIP. ()
- SONG III. ()
- SONG IV. The SKY-LARK. ()
- SONG V. ()
- SONG VI. The Attribute of VENUS. ()
- [Song] I. ()
- [Song] II. DAPHNE'S Visit. ()
- [Song] III. The ROSE-BUD. ()
- [Song] IV. Written in a Collection of Bacchanalian Songs. ()
- [Song] V. Imitated from the FRENCH. ()
- To a LADY of QUALITY, Fitting up her LIBRARY, 1738. ()
- To the Memory of an agreeable LADY bury'd in Marriage to a Person undeserving her. ()
- UPON A VISIT to the same in Winter, 1748. ()
- Upon RIDDLES. ()
- VERSES to a FRIEND. ()
- VERSES written towards the close of the Year 1748, to WILLIAM LYTTELTON, Esq; ()
- Written at an INN on a particular Occasion. ()