The lowing herds on richer soil be fed,
And peaceful. Slumbers bless the downy bed.
No more shall Vice and Affluence be join’d,
Or high Ambition touch the youthful mind;
No more the Proud shall shun the rural cot,
Or costly Wealth disdain the peasant’s lot;
No more the Miser shall his store Survey,
Or Sacred Truth to Falshood homage pay;
No more shall Art a welcome refuge find,
Or Baseness, sordid Baseness, taint the mind.
Say, gentle Muse, shall I my theme prolong,
Or art thou sated with my woe-fraught song?
Say, shall my verse, in these degenerate days,
(When Vice triumphant reigns) e’er merit praise?
Say, is there aught in my untutor’d page,
Indulgent Muse, that can thy smiles engage?
My boding bosom bids me learn to trust,
Whate’er the Critic Says, — the Tale is just:
And tho’ no pompous Language decks the strain,
Tho’ the rude verse is unadorn’d and plain,
Tho’ no harmonious Cadence grace the line,
Nor in each page Superior Graces shine,
Soft Pity shall o’er Satire’s voice prevail,
And mild Compassion shall applaud the Tale.
CELADON AND LYDIA.
A TALE.
SECLUDED from the world’s ignoble strife,
By storms unruffled, and unknown to Care,
Fair Lydia pass’d a solitary life,
Stranger to Poverty and Sad Despair.
One peaceful tenor of serene repose
Her bosom own’d, from pain and trouble free,
She never sought Ambition’s gilded woes,
Content to follow Nature’s soft decree.
Foe to Deceit, — Truth only was her guide,
From Virtue’s laws she never learnt to rove,
Each shepherd’s wonder, and the village pride,
No Swain beheld her and forbore to love.
Her form was fresher than the new-born flower,
No borrow’d artifice her charms conceal’d,
Unconscious of her beauty’s matchless power,
She knew no wish that might not be reveal’d!
Young Celadon, the pride of * * * * * * plain,
Whose untaught bosom scorn’d deceit or art,
For blooming Lydia own’d a faithful flame,
And prov’d the feelings of a gen’rous heart.
Each shar’d the grief or joy the other prov’d,
Their hearts were one, their wishes were the Same,
In calm Serenity they meekly mov’d,
Nor barter’d Sweet Content for glitt’ring Fame.
But Fate, unfriendly to their matchless truth,
With envious eye beheld their Soft repose,
Repell’d the transports of their early youth,
And plung’d them in a sea of endless woes.
By the green margin of a neighbouring wood,
Adorn’d on every side with verdant fields,
Near their kind cot, a stately mansion stood,
Replete with every gem that Nature yields.
Its fair Inhabitant’s benignant hand
Thro’ the wide country largely Spread her fame,
Her virtues echo’d thro’ the distant land,
And every voice proclaim’d Celinda’s name.
Each shepherd strove the wealthy maid to please,
With all that Art or Nature could invent;
Thoughtless that Gold could never purchase ease,
Or gay Magnificence ensure content.
Ambition Celadon’s Soft bosom fires,
He pants for Luxury and all its woes,
No longer meek Humility admires,
But Lydia’s artless love and peace foregoes.
To please Celinda now he tunes his lays,
And weaves the garland of ambrosial flow’rs;
At her fair shrine he constant tribute pays,
To her alone devotes the fleeting hours.
But who can paint the pangs in Lydia’s breast,
Where every racking conflict was combin’d,
Her tender bosom was no more at rest,
And Melancholy prey’d upon her mind.
No more, she cherishes Sleep’s balmy hour,
No more she feels the joys of soft repose;
She breathes her anguish in the roseate bow’r,
And to the murmuring stream reveals her woes.
Oft by the moon’s pale lustre was she seen,.
In pensive mood, upon the dewy lawn,
Or wand ring lonely in the midnight scene,
Or prostrate low beneath the silver thorns
Pale was her cheek (once like the rose’s hue);
Her eyes no more could boast her wonted pow’r,
The trickling tear set like the pearly dew,
When op’ning morn reveals the May-born flow’r.
But Celadon, unmindful of her pain;
Unmindful of that form he once ador’d,
Heard her with calm indifference complain,
Nor would one tender gleam of peace afford.
‘Till by the silver moon’s pale trembling light,
She sought a neighbouring current’s limpid tide,
When all was wrapt in solitary night,
And cheering Hope her golden ray denied:
All pensive on the margin as she stood,
Contending passions tear her woe-fraught breast,
With tear-full eye she gazes on the flood,
With longing eagerness she pants for rest.
“Farewell,” she cried, “farewell, ungrateful youth!
“Thy plighted constancy and form divine
“I soon shall quit; thy broken vows of truth,
“And all thy once-lov’d beauties, now resign.
“May all thy moments glide in soft repose,
“And may each hour Some new-born pleasure prove,
“Unmindful of Sad Lydia’s poignant woes,
“Unmindful of her fond, her artless love!
“And may Celinda ever keep that heart,
“Which I so dearly priz’d, (ah, luckless maid!)
“And may she never feel that killing Smart,
“Which rends the breast, by broken vows betray’d.”
The love-taught notes Sweet Echo Soon conveys
To an adjacent Hermit’s lonely cell,
Where Heaven-born Peace her constant tribute pays,
And Solitude Serene delights to dwell.
The aged Sire directs his weary feet
To the dark Spot where hopeless Lydia stood,
And bids her follow to his calm retreat,
Secure retirement for the just and good.
There hid obscure, a few long tedious days
She bid the world and all its cares adieu;
At length, by Grief oppress’d, she gladly pays
That awful tribute which to Nature’s due.
Hard by his cell he laid her faded form,
And bath’d the turf with many a tender tear,
Renew’d the pious talk each op’ning morn,
And deck’d with fairest: flow’rs her Sable bier.
But Heaven (for ever to the injur’d just)
To Celadon reveal’d its mighty power,
Humbled his bosom to its native dust,
And shorten’d Luxury’s uncertain hour.
Chill Penury, and yellow pining Care,
Blasted his hopes, in one ill-fated day,
Reduc’d him to a Slate of black despair,
And banish’d from his breast Hope’s cheering ray:
For when, Celinda heard the Swains relate,
In mournful strains, and sighs of heart-felt grief,
Of Lydia’s constant love, and hapless fate,
Her generous confidence, and fond belief;
“No more
,” she cried, “shall Celadon receive
“One partial glance from these deluded eyes,
“For the hard wretch deserves not e’en to live,
“Who to distress the pitying tear denies.”
In the recesses of a cavern deep,
Clad in a pious Hermit’s fable vest,
Unseen she liv’d, in Solitude to weep,
And breathe the anguish of his tortur’d breast.
Of late he wander’d from his dreary cave,
In the lone moments of departing day,
And o’er his once-lov’d Lydia’s rustic grave,
In mournful numbers, sigh’d his Soul away.
Remember, that Benevolence is due,
E’en to the meanest animal that lives;
Heaven’s Sure to recompense the generous few,
Who to the wretched mild Compassion gives.
‘Till the warm stream which animates my heart
Shall stop its current, and forbear to flow,
Teach me, ye powers, soft pity to impart,
And sooth the tumults of oppressive woe!
THE END
Poems, 1791
CONTENTS
DEDICATION.
SUBSCRIBERS.
ODE TO THE MUSE.
ODE TO REFLECTION.
ODE TO ENVY.
ODE TO HEALTH.
ODE TO VANITY.
ODE TO MELANCHOLY.
ODE TO DESPAIR.
ODE TO THE NIGHTINGALE.
SECOND ODE TO THE NIGHTINGALE.
ODE ON ADVERSITY.
ODE TO BEAUTY.
ODE TO ELOQUENCE.
ODE TO THE MOON.
ODE TO MEDITATION.
ODE TO DELLA CRUSCA.
ODE TO VALOUR.
INSCRIBED TO COLONEL BANASTRE TARLETON.
LINES TO HIM WHO WILL UNDERSTAND THEM.
ELEGY On the DEATH OF LADY MIDDLETON.
ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF RICHARD BOYLE, ESQ. *
ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF DAVID GARRICK, ESQ.
MONODY TO THE MEMORY OF CHATTERTON.
ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF WERTER.
CUPID SLEEPING.
TO SIMPLICITY.
ABSENCE.
THE FADED BOUQUET.
LINES INSCRIBED TO P. DE LOUTHERBOURG, ESQ. R. A.
LINES ON HEARING IT DECLARED TAHT NO WOMEN WERE SO HANDSOME AS THE ENGLISH.
STANZAS TO A FRIEND.
RINALDO TO LAURA MARIA.
TO RINALDO.
TO THE MUSE OF POETRY.
THE ADIEU TO LOVE.
STANZAS TO FLORA.
TO CESARIO.
ECHO TO HIM WHO COMPLAINS.
STANZAS.
LINES WRITTEN ON THE SEA-COAST.
STANZAS WRITTEN UNDER AN OAK IN WINDSOR FOREST, BEARING THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTION.
STANZAS TO THE ROSE.
TO THE MYRTLE.
STANZAS INSCRIBED TO LADY WILLIAM RUSSELL.
MORNING.
LIFE.
LINES TO THE MEMORY OF RICHARD BOYLE, ESQ. SON OF MRS. WALSINGHAM.
STANZAS TO LOVE.
OBERON TO THE QUEEN OF THE FAIRIES.
LINES WRITTEN BY THE SIDE OF A RIVER.
TO LEONARDO.
THE BEE AND THE BUTTERFLY.
STANZAS TO TIME.
CANZONET.
THE REPLY TO TIME.
STANZAS.
PASTORAL STANZAS.
PASTORAL STANZAS.
THE ORIGIN OF CUPID.
SONNET INSCRIBED TO HER GRACE THE DUTCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE.
SONNET TO AMICUS. †
SONNET TO THE MEMORY OF MISS MARIA LINLEY.
SONNET TO EVENING.
SONNET TO INGRATITUDE.
SONNET.
SONNET TO MY BELOVED DAUGHTER.
SONNET.
SONNET. THE MARINER.
SONNET.
SONNET. THE PEASANT.
SONNET WRITTEN AMONG THE RUINS OF AN ANCIENT CASTLE IN GERMANY, IN THE YEAR 1786.
SONNET. THE TEAR.
SONNET. THE SNOW DROP.
SONNET.
PETRARCH TO LAURA.
AINSI VA LE MONDE.
SIR RAYMOND OF THE CASTLE.
LEWIN AND GYNNETH.
DEDICATION.
MANY of the following poems having been honoured with public and repeated marks of attention from some of the most accomplished writers of the present age, when published in The Oracle, under the Signatures of LAURA, LAURA MARIA, OBERON, &c. &c. the Author was induced to acknowledge, and arrange them in their present form. The illustrious, and distinguished names that appear in the list of Subscribers will prove lasting testimonies of the liberal sentiments of a polished nation:— MRS. ROBINSON has the particular gratification of knowing that the efforts of her pen were warmly, and honourably patronized under FEIGNED Signatures: had she avowed them at an earlier period the pleasure she now feels would have been considerably diminished, in the idea that the partiality of friends had procured the sanction her Poems have been favoured with from the candid and enlightened — TO WHOM THEY ARE DEDICATED WITH THE MOST PROFOUND RESPECT.
SUBSCRIBERS.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
GEORGE PRINCE OF WALES.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
FREDERICK DUKE OF YORK.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
WILLIAM HENRY DUKE OF CLARENCE.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
WILLIAM DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.
HIS SERENE HIGHNESS
THE DUKE OF ORLEANS.
HIS SERENE HIGHNESS
PRINCE FERDINAND DUKE OF WURTEMBERG.
A
Her Grace the Dutchess of Ancaster.
The Countess of Abergavenny.
Right Honourable Lord Audley.
The Right Honorable William Henry Addington, Speaker of the House of Commons.
Sir Willoughby Aston, Bart.
Right Honourable Lady Jane Aston.
Honorable Mrs. Aston.
Henry Hervey Aston, Esq.
Sir Charles Asgill, Bart.
William Addington, Esq.
John Allen, Esq. Trinity College, Cambridge.
Robert Ahmuty, Esq. ditto.
William Ahmuty, Esq. ditto
John Ahmuty, Esq. ditto.
— Arnold, Esq. ditto.
Stephen Thurston Adey, Esq.
Miles Peter Andrews, Esq.
J. L. Ash, Esq.
Edward Addison, Esq.
B
Her Grace the Dutchess of Bedford.
His Grace the Duke of Bedford.
Her Grace the Dutchess of Buccleugh.
Right Honourable Lady Charlotte Bertie.
Earl of Buckingham.
Countess of Buckingham.
Earl of Bredalbane.
Earl of Berkley.
Earl of Barrymore.
Right Honourable Lord Edward Bentinck.
Lady Edward Bentinck.
Right Honourable Lord Beauchamp.
Right Honourable Lady Beauchamp.
Right Honourable Lord Boston.
Lord Viscount Belgrave.
Lord Viscount Bieulieu.
Lord Viscount Bulkley.
Honourable H. Barry.
Honourable A Barry.
Sir Charles Bampfield, Bart.
Sir Henry Bridgman, Bart.
Lady Bridgman.
Sir Patrick Blake, Bart.
Sir George Beaumont, Bart.
Sir Francis Basset, Bart.
Lady Basset.
Right Honourable General John Burgoyne.
Sir Charles Bunbury, Bart.
Sir Peter Burrell, Bart.
Lady Broughton.
Honourable Mrs. Bouverie.
Honourable Mr. Bligh.
Henry Bunbury, Esq.
Mrs. Bunbury.
Mrs. Broadhead.
Orlando Bridgeman, Esq.
Colonel Bellew.
Andrew Berkeley Drummond, Esq. Charing Cross.
J. Birch, Esq. Liverpool.
T. Bolton, Esq. ditto.
Miss Backhouse, ditto.
Gilbert Blane, Esq. M. D.
T. Broughton, Esq. Grays Inn.
Wilson Bradylle, Esq. M. P.
Mrs. Bradylle.
Alexander Blair, Esq.
Joseph Buckworth, Esq. Trinity-College, Cambridge.
A. Burnaby, Esq. Pembroke-Hall, Cambridge.
— Blakeley, Esq. Trinity-Hall, ditto.
Robert Brice, Esq. St. John’s College, ditto.
Edward Barlow.
Charles Bonner, Esq.
Mrs. Billington.
Mr. T. Billington, Esq.
C
Earl of Carlisle.
Countess of Carlisle.
Earl of Chesterfield.
Countess of Chesterfield.
Earl Cholmondeley.
Earl of Cavan.
Earl of Courtown.
Earl of Clermont.
Right Honourable Lord Craven.
Right Honourable Lord Chichester.
Right Honourable Lord Clive.
Right Honourable Lady Clive.
Honourable Captain Charles Carpenter.
Honourable Hugh Seymour Conway.
Lady Horatia Conway.
Sir Lionel Copley, Bart.
Honourable Mrs. Cawthorne,
J. F. Cawthorne, Esq. M. P.
John Crewe, Esq. M. P.
Mrs. Crewe.
John Conyers, Esq.
J. B. Church, Esq. M. P.
Mrs. Church.
William Churchill, Esq.
John Calcraft, Esq.
George Colman, Esq.
Hervey Coombe, Esq.
— Concannon, Esq. Albemarle-Street.
Mrs. Concannon.
Mrs. Colman.
Henry Clay, Esq. Liverpool.
William Cubbin, Esq. ditto.
T. C. Clemens, Esq ditto..
Edgar Corrie, Esq. ditto.
Mrs. Crosse, Adlington-House, Lancashire.
Miss Crossley.
Mrs. Cologan, Kew.
Richard Cumberland, Esq.
Richard Cumberland, Esq. jun.
John Cross, Esq. Trinity College, Cambridge;
K. Courtney, Esq. Trinity Hall, do.
G. Cole, Esq. St. John’s College, do.
Mrs. Collyer.
R. Calcraft, Esq. Conduit-street.
Thomas Coutts, Esq. Strand.
Richard Cosway, Esq. R. A.
Lieut. Colonel Cradock.
Mrs. Castle, Spring Gardens.
Mrs. Crouch.
D
His Grace the Duke of Devonshire.
Her Grace the Dutchess of Devonshire.
His Grace the Duke of Dorset.
Her Grace the Dutchess of Dorset.
The Earl of Derby.
Lord Viscount Duncannon.
Lady Viscountess Duncannon.
Right Honourable Lord Delaval.
Right Honourable Lord Viscount Downe
Collected Poetical Works of Mary Robinson Page 7