IMMORTALITY
:
or
,
the
Consolation
of
HUMAN
LIFE
.
A
MONODY
.
By
THOMAS
DENTON
,
M.
A.
—
Animi
natura
videtur
Atque
animae
claranda
meis
jam
versibus
esse
:
Et
metus
ille
foras
praeceps
Acheruntis
agendus
Funditus
,
humanam
qui
vitam
turbat
ab
imo
,
Omnia
suffundus
mortis
nigrore
.
LUCR.
I.
WHEN
black-brow'd
Night
her
dusky
mantle
spread
,
And
wrapt
in
solemn
gloom
the
sable
sky
;
When
soothing
Sleep
her
opiate
dews
had
shed
,
And
seal'd
in
silken
slumbers
ev'ry
eye
:
My
wakeful
thoughts
admit
no
balmy
rest
,
Nor
the
sweet
bliss
of
soft
oblivion
share
;
But
watchful
woe
distracts
my
aching
breast
,
My
heart
the
subject
of
corroding
care
:
From
haunts
of
men
with
wand'ring
steps
and
slow
I
solitary
steal
,
and
sooth
my
pensive
woe
.
II
.
Yet
no
fell
passion's
rough
discordant
rage
Untun'd
the
music
of
my
tranquil
mind
;
Ambition's
tinsell'd
charms
could
ne'er
engage
,
No
harbour
there
could
sordid
av'rice
find
:
From
lust's
foul
spring
my
grief
disdains
to
flow
,
No
sighs
of
envy
from
my
bosom
break
,
But
soft
compassion
melts
my
soul
to
woe
,
And
social
tears
fast
trickle
down
my
cheek
;
Ah
me
!
when
nature
gives
one
general
groan
,
Each
heart
must
beat
with
woe
,
each
voice
responsive
moan
.
III
.
Where'er
I
cast
my
moist'ned
eyes
around
,
Or
stretch
my
prospect
o'er
the
distant
land
,
There
foul
Corruption's
tainted
steps
are
found
,
And
Death
grim-visag'd
waves
his
iron
hand
.
Tho'
now
soft
Pleasure
gild
the
smiling
scene
,
And
sportive
Joy
call
forth
her
festive
train
,
Sinking
in
night
each
vital
form
is
seen
,
Like
air-blown
bubbles
on
the
wat'ry
plain
;
Vid.
VIRG.
Aen.
lib.
3.
ver.
210.
&
scq.
Fell
Death
,
like
brooding
Harpy
,
the
repast
Will
snatch
with
talons
foul
,
or
sour
its
grateful
taste
.
IV
.
Ye
smiling
glories
of
the
youthful
year
,
That
ope
your
fragrant
bosoms
to
the
day
,
That
clad
in
all
the
pride
of
spring
appear
,
And
steep'd
in
dew
your
silken
leaves
display
:
In
Nature's
richest
robes
tho'
thus
bedight
,
Tho'
her
soft
pencil
trace
your
various
dye
,
Tho'
lures
your
roseate
hue
the
charmed
sight
,
Tho'
odours
sweet
your
nect'rous
breath
supply
,
Soon
on
your
leaves
Time's
cank'rous
tooth
shall
prey
,
Your
dulcet
dews
exhale
,
your
beauteous
bloom
decay
.
V.
Ye
hedge-row
elms
,
beneath
whose
spreading
shade
The
grazing
herds
defy
the
ratt'ling
shower
;
Ye
lofty
oaks
,
in
whose
wide
arms
display'd
The
clam'rous
rook
builds
high
his
airy
bower
;
Stript
by
hoar
Winter's
rough
inclement
rage
,
In
mournful
heaps
your
leafy
honours
lie
,
Ev'n
your
hard
ribs
shall
feel
the
force
of
age
,
And
your
bare
trunks
the
friendly
shade
deny
;
No
more
by
cheerful
vegetation
green
,
Your
sapless
bolls
shall
sink
,
and
quit
th'
evanid
scene
.
VI
.
Ye
feather'd
warblers
of
the
vernal
year
That
careless
sing
,
nor
fear
the
frowns
of
fate
,
Tune
your
sad
notes
to
death
and
winter
drear
!
Ill
suit
these
mirthful
strains
your
transient
state
.
No
more
with
cheerful
song
nor
sprightly
air
Salute
the
blushes
of
the
rising
day
,
With
doleful
ditties
,
drooping
wings
repair
To
the
lone
covert
of
the
nightly
spray
:
Where
love-lorn
Philomela
strains
her
throat
,
Surround
the
budding
thorn
,
and
swell
the
mournful
note
.
VII
.
Come
,
sighing
Elegy
,
with
sweetest
airs
Of
melting
music
teach
my
grief
to
flow
,
I
too
must
mix
my
sad
complaint
with
theirs
,
Our
fates
are
equal
,
equal
be
our
woe
.
Come
,
Melancholy
,
spread
thy
raven
wing
,
And
in
thy
ebon
car
,
by
Fancy
led
,
To
the
dark
charnel
vault
thy
vot'ry
bring
,
The
murky
mansions
of
the
mould'ring
dead
,
Where
dank
dews
breathe
,
and
taint
the
sickly
skies
,
Where
in
sad
loathsome
heaps
all
human
glory
lies
.
VIII
.
Wrapt
in
the
gloom
of
uncreated
night
Secure
we
slept
in
senseless
matter's
arms
,
Nor
pain
could
vex
,
nor
pallid
fear
affright
,
Our
quiet
fancy
felt
no
dream's
alarms
.
Soon
as
to
life
our
animated
clay
Awakes
,
and
conscious
being
opes
our
eyes
,
Care's
fretful
family
at
once
dismay
,
With
ghastly
air
a
thousand
phantoms
rise
,
Sad
Horror
hangs
o'er
all
the
deep'ning
gloom
,
Grief
prompts
the
labour'd
sigh
,
Death
opes
the
marble
tomb
.
IX
.
Yet
life's
strong
love
intoxicates
the
soul
,
And
thirst
of
bliss
inflames
the
fev'rous
mind
,
With
eager
draughts
we
drain
the
pois'nous
bowl
,
And
in
the
dregs
the
cordial
hope
to
find
.
O
heav'n
!
for
this
light
end
were
mortals
made
,
And
plac'd
on
earth
,
with
happiness
in
view
,
To
catch
with
cheated
grasp
the
flitting
shade
,
And
with
vain
toil
the
fancied
form
pursue
,
Then
give
their
short-liv'd
being
to
the
wind
,
As
the
wing'd
arrow
flies
,
and
leaves
no
track
behind
!
X.
Thus
lonely
wand'ring
thro'
the
nightly
shade
Against
the
stern
decrees
of
stubborn
Fate
,
To
mockful
Echo
my
complaints
I
made
,
Of
life's
short
period
,
or
its
toilsome
state
.
'Tis
death-like
silence
all
,
no
sound
I
hear
,
Save
the
hoarse
raven
croaking
from
the
sky
,
Or
scaly
beetle
murm'ring
thro'
the
air
,
Or
screech-owl
screaming
with
ill-o
men'd
cry
;
Save
when
with
brazen
tongue
from
yon
high
tow'r
The
clock
deep-sounding
speaks
,
and
counts
the
passing
hour
.
XI
.
Pale
Cynthia
mounted
on
her
silver
car
O'er
heav'n's
blue
concave
drives
her
nightly
round
:
See
a
torn
abbey
,
wrapt
in
gloom
,
appear
Scatter'd
in
wild
confusion
o'er
the
ground
.
Here
rav'nous
Ruin
lifts
her
wasteful
hands
O'er
bri'ar-grown
grots
and
bramble-shaded
graves
;
Safe
from
her
wrath
one
weeping
marble
stands
,
O'er
which
the
mournful
yew
its
umbrage
waves
;
Ope
,
ope
thy
pond'rous
jaws
,
thou
friendly
tomb
,
Close
the
sad
deathful
scene
,
and
shroud
me
in
thy
womb
!
XII
.
Forth
issuing
lovely
from
the
gloomy
shade
,
Which
stately
pines
in
phalanx
deep
compose
,
Fair
above
mortals
comes
a
smiling
maid
To
sooth
my
sighs
,
and
cheer
my
heart-felt
woes
.
Here
nurs'd
by
Contemplation
,
matron
sage
,
Where
with
mute
Solitude
she
loves
to
dwell
,
In
truth's
fair
lore
she
form'd
her
early
age
,
And
trim'd
the
midnight
lamp
in
lonely
cell
,
Here
learn'd
clear
reason's
heav'n-sprung
light
to
raise
O'er
passion's
low-born
mists
,
or
pleasure's
spurious
blaze
.
XIII
.
Her
azure
mantle
flows
with
easy
grace
,
Nor
fashion's
folds
constrain
,
nor
custom's
tye
;
An
optic
tube
she
bears
,
each
sphere
to
trace
That
rolls
its
rapid
orbit
round
the
sky
:
Yet
not
to
heav'n
alone
her
view's
confin'd
;
A
clear
reflecting
plane
she
holds
,
to
show
The
various
movements
of
the
reas'ning
mind
,
How
strange
ideas
link
,
and
habits
grow
,
Passion's
fierce
impulse
,
will's
free
power
to
scan
,
To
paint
the
featur'd
soul
,
and
mark
th'
internal
man
.
XIV
.
Whence
these
sad
strains
,
said
she
,
of
plaintive
grief
,
Which
pierce
the
sleep-clos'd
ear
of
peaceful
rest
?
Oft
has
the
sick'ning
mind
here
found
relief
,
Here
quell'd
the
throbbing
tumults
of
the
breast
:
Lift
up
thy
loaden
eyes
to
yon
fair
cloud
,
Where
moon-sprung
A
rainbow
form'd
by
the
rays
of
the
moon
at
night
:
an
object
often
visible
,
tho'
from
its
languid
colours
not
often
ob
serv'd
.
Iris
blends
her
beauteous
dyes
:
I
lift
them
soon
,
and
as
I
gazing
stood
,
The
fleeting
phantom
in
a
moment
flies
;
Where
beam'd
the
gilded
arch
of
gaudy
hue
,
Frowns
the
dark
lou'ring
cloud
all
gloomy
to
the
view
.
XV.
Life's
emblem
fit
,
said
I
,
that
roscid
bow
!
The
gay
illusive
pageant
of
an
hour
To
real
semblance
tricks
her
air
shew
,
Then
sinks
in
night's
dull
arms
,
and
is
no
more
!
Ah
!
fool
,
said
she
,
tho'
now
to
fancy's
sight
The
violet
pale
,
the
blushing
red
decays
,
Tho'
now
no
painted
cloud
reflect
the
light
,
Nor
drops
prismatic
break
the
falling
rays
,
Yet
still
the
colours
live
,
tho'
none
appear
,
Glow
in
the
darting
beam
that
gilds
yon
crystal
sphere
.
XVI
.
Then
let
not
Fancy
with
her
vagrant
blaze
Mislead
in
trackless
paths
of
wild
deceit
;
On
Reason's
steady
lamp
still
ardent
gaze
;
Led
by
her
sober
light
to
Truth's
retreat
.
Tho'
wond'ring
Ign'rance
sees
each
form
decay
,
The
breathless
bird
,
bare
trunk
,
and
shrivel'd
flow'r
:
New
forms
successive
catch
the
vital
ray
,
Sing
their
wild
notes
,
or
smile
th'
allotted
hour
,
And
search
creation's
ample
circuit
round
,
Tho'
modes
of
being
change
,
all
life's
immortal
found
.
XVII
.
See
the
slow
reptile
grov'ling
o'er
the
green
,
That
trails
thro'
slimy
paths
its
cumbrous
load
,
Start
in
new
beauty
from
the
lowly
scene
,
And
wing
with
flutt'ring
pride
th'
aetherial
road
;
Burst
their
shell-prisons
,
see
the
feather'd
kind
,
Where
in
dark
durance
pent
awhile
they
lie
,
Dispread
their
painted
plumage
to
the
wind
,
Brush
the
brisk
air
,
swift
shooting
thro'
the
sky
,
Hail
with
their
choral
hymns
the
new-born
day
,
Distend
their
joy-swoln
breasts
,
and
carol
the
sweet
lay
.
XVIII
.
See
man
by
varied
periods
fixt
by
fate
Ascend
perfection's
scale
by
slow
degree
;
The
plant-like
foetus
quits
its
senseless
taste
,
And
helpless
hangs
sweet-smiling
on
the
knee
;
Soon
outward
objects
steal
into
the
brain
,
Next
prattling
childhood
lisps
with
mimic
air
,
Then
mem'ry
links
her
fleet
ideal
train
,
And
sober
reason
rises
to
compare
,
The
full-grown
breast
some
manly
passion
warms
,
It
pants
for
glory's
meed
,
or
beats
to
love's
alarms
.
XIX
.
Then
say
,
since
nature's
high
behest
appears
That
living
forms
should
change
of
being
prove
,
In
which
new
joy
the
novel
scene
endears
,
New
objects
rise
to
please
,
new
wings
to
move
;
Since
man
too
,
taught
by
sage
experience
,
knows
His
frame
revolving
treads
life's
varying
stage
,
That
the
man-plant
first
vegetating
grows
,
Then
sense
directs
,
then
reason
rules
in
age
;
Say
,
is
it
strange
,
should
death's
all-dreaded
hour
Waft
to
some
unknown
scenes
,
or
wake
some-untried
pow'r
?
XX
.
The
wise
Creator
wrapt
in
fleshly
veil
The
ray
divine
,
the
pure
aetherial
mate
;
Tho'
worn
by
age
the
brittle
fabric
fail
,
The
smiling
soul
survives
the
frowns
of
fate
:
Each
circling
year
,
each
quick-revolving
day
Touches
with
mould'ring
tooth
thy
flitting
frame
,
With
furtive
slight
repairs
th'
unseen
decay
;
For
ever
changing
,
yet
in
change
the
same
,
Oft
hast
thou
dropt
unhurt
thy
mortal
part
,
Dare
the
grim
terror
then
,
nor
dread
his
guiltless
dart
.
XXI
.
The
twinkling
eye
,
whose
various-humour'd
round
Takes
in
soft
net
th'
inverted
form
behind
,
The
list'ning
ears
,
that
catch
the
waving
sound
,
Are
but
mere
organs
of
the
feeling
mind
:
External
matter
thus
can
lend
its
aid
,
And
distant
shapes
with
foreign
pow'r
supply
;
Thus
the
long
tube
by
Galilaeo
made
Brings
home
the
wonders
of
the
peopled
sky
:
The
pow'r
percipient
then
feels
no
decay
,
Tho'
blind
the
tube
,
and
darkness
blot
the
visual
ray
.
XXII
.
When
lock'd
in
short
suspence
by
sleep's
soft
pow'r
In
temporary
death
the
senses
lie
,
When
solemn
silence
reigns
at
midnight
hour
,
Deaf
the
dull
ear
,
and
clos'd
the
curtain'd
eye
;
Objects
of
sense
,
each
conscious
sense
asleep
,
With
lively
image
strike
the
wakeful
soul
,
Some
frowning
rock
that
threats
the
foaming
deep
,
Or
wood-hung
vale
,
where
streams
meand'ring
roll
,
Some
long-lost
friend's
returning
voice
you
hear
,
Clasp
the
life-pictur'd
shade
,
and
drop
the
pleasing
tear
.
XXIII
.
Each
outward
organ
,
as
ideas
rise
,
Gives
easy
entrance
to
the
motley
train
;
Reflection
calm
,
with
retrospective
eyes
Surveys
her
treasures
in
the
formful
brain
;
Tho'
Death
relentless
shed
his
baleful
dew
,
In
Lethe
dip
each
form-conveying
pow'r
,
Unhurt
Reflection
may
her
themes
pursue
,
Smile
at
the
ruin
,
safe
amidst
her
store
;
Without
one
sense's
aid
in
life's
low
vale
,
Fancy
can
furnish
joys
,
and
reason
lift
her
scale
.
XXIV
.
Thus
the
lone
lover
in
the
pensive
shade
In
day-dreams
rapt
of
soft
ecstatic
bliss
,
Pursues
in
thought
the
visionary
maid
,
Feasts
on
the
fancy'd
smile
,
and
favour'd
kiss
:
Thus
the
young
poet
at
the
close
of
day
Led
by
the
magic
of
some
fairy
song
Thro'
the
dun
umbrage
winds
his
heedless
way
,
Nor
hears
the
babbling
brook
that
brawls
along
:
Thus
deathless
Newton
deaf
to
nature's
cries
Would
measure
Time
and
Space
,
and
travel
'round
the
skies
.
XXV
.
When
just
expiring
hangs
life's
trembling
light
,
And
fell
disease
strikes
deep
the
deadly
dart
,
Reason
and
mem'ry
burn
with
ardour
bright
,
And
gen'rous
passions
warm
the
throbbing
heart
;
Oft
will
the
vig'rous
soul
in
life's
last
stage
With
keenest
relish
taste
pure
mental
joys
:
Since
the
fierce
efforts
of
distemper's
rage
Nor
'bates
her
vigour
,
nor
her
pow'rs
destroys
,
Say
,
shall
her
lustre
death
itself
impair
?
When
in
high
noon
she
rides
,
then
sets
in
dark
despair
?
XXVI
.
Tho'
through
the
heart
no
purple
tide
should
flow
,
No
quiv'ring
nerve
should
vibrate
to
the
brain
,
The
mental
pow'rs
no
mean
dependence
know
;
Thought
may
survive
,
and
each
fair
passion
reign
;
As
when
Lucina
ends
the
pangful
strife
,
Lifts
the
young
babe
,
and
lights
her
lambent
flame
,
Some
pow'rs
new-waking
hail
the
dawning
life
,
Some
unsuspended
live
,
unchang'd
,
the
same
;
So
from
our
dust
fresh
faculties
may
bloom
,
Some
posthumous
survive
,
and
triumph
o'er
the
tomb
.
XXVII
.
This
fibrous
frame
by
nature's
kindly
law
,
Which
gives
each
joy
to
keen
sensation
here
,
O'er
purer
scenes
of
bliss
the
veil
may
draw
,
And
cloud
reflection's
more
exalted
sphere
.
When
Death's
cold
hand
with
all-dissolving
pow'r
Shall
the
close
tie
with
friendly
stroke
unbind
,
Alike
our
mortal
as
our
natal
hour
May
to
new
being
raise
the
waking
mind
:
On
death's
new
genial
day
the
soul
may
rise
,
Born
to
some
higher
life
,
and
hail
some
brighter
skies
.
XXVIII
.
The
moss-grown
tree
,
that
shrinks
with
rolling
years
,
The
drooping
flow'rs
that
die
so
soon
away
,
Let
not
thy
heart
alarm
with
boding
fears
,
Nor
thy
own
ruin
date
from
their
decay
:
The
blushing
rose
that
breathes
the
balmy
dew
,
No
pleasing
transports
of
perception
knows
,
The
rev'rend
oak
,
that
circling
springs
renew
,
Thinks
not
,
nor
by
long
age
experienc'd
grows
;
Thy
fate
and
theirs
confess
no
kindred
tie
:
Tho'
their
frail
forms
may
fade
,
shall
sense
and
reason
die
?
XXIX
.
Nor
let
life's
ills
,
that
in
dire
circle
rage
,
Steal
from
thy
heaving
breast
those
labour'd
sighs
;
These
,
the
kind
tutors
of
thy
infant
age
,
Train
the
young
pupil
for
the
future
skies
:
Unschool'd
in
early
prime
,
in
riper
years
Wretched
and
scorn'd
still
struts
the
bearded
boy
;
The
tingling
rod
bedew'd
with
briny
tears
Shoots
forth
in
graceful
fruits
of
manly
joy
:
The
painful
cares
that
vex
the
toilsome
spring
Shall
plenteous
crops
of
bliss
in
life's
last
harvest
bring
.
XXX
.
She
ceas'd
,
and
vanish'd
into
sightless
wind
—
O'er
my
torn
breast
alternate
passions
sway
,
Now
Doubt
desponding
damps
the
wav'ring
mind
,
Now
Hope
reviving
sheds
her
cheerful
ray
.
Soon
from
the
skies
in
heav'nly
white
array'd
,
Faith
to
my
sight
reveal'd
,
fair
Cherub
!
stood
,
With
life
replete
the
volume
she
display'd
,
Seal'd
with
the
ruddy
stains
of
crimson
blood
;
Each
fear
now
starts
away
,
as
spectres
fly
When
the
sun's
orient
beam
first
gilds
the
purple
sky
.
XXXI
.
Mean
while
the
faithful
herald
of
the
day
The
village
cock
crows
loud
with
trumpet
shrill
,
The
warbling
lark
soars
high
,
and
morning
grey
Lifts
her
glad
forehead
o'er
the
cloud-wrapt
hill
:
Nature's
wild
music
fills
the
vocal
vale
;
The
bleating
flocks
that
bite
the
dewy
ground
,
The
lowing
herds
that
graze
the
woodland
dale
,
And
cavern'd
echo
,
swell
the
cheerful
sound
;
Homeward
I
bend
with
clear
unclouded
mind
,
Mix
with
the
busy
world
,
and
leave
each
care
behind
.