[Page 34]

ODE.

Written 1739.

By the Same.
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

Title (in Source Edition): ODE. Written 1739.
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.)

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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.

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