Happiness

1. 1On wide or narrow scale shall Man
2. 2Most happily describe Life's plan?
3. 3Say shall he bloom and wither there,
4. 4Where first his infant buds appear;
5. 5Or upwards dart with soaring force,
6. 6And tempt some more ambitious course?
7. 7Obedient now to Hope's command,
8. 8I bid each humble wish expand,
9. 9And fair and bright Life's prospects seem.
10. 10While Hope displays her cheering beam,
11. 11And Fancy's vivid colourings stream,
12. 12While Emulation stands me nigh
13. 13The Goddess of the eager eye.
14. 14With foot advanc'd and anxious heart
15. 15Now for the fancied goal I start:--
16. 16Ah! why will Reason intervene
17. 17Me and my promis'd joys between!
18. 18She stops my course, she chains my speed,
19. 19While thus her forceful words proceed:--
20. 20Ah! listen, Youth, ere yet too late,
21. 21What evils on thy course may wait!
22. 22To bow the head, to bend the knee,
23. 23A minion of Servility,
24. 24At low Pride's frequent frowns to sigh,
25. 25And watch the glance in Folly's eye;
26. 26To toil intense, yet toil in vain,
27. 27And feel with what a hollow pain
28. 28Pale Dissapointment hangs her head
29. 29O'er darling Expectation dead!
30. 30'The scene is changed and Fortune's gale
31. 31Shall belly out each prosperous sail.
32. 32Yet sudden wealth full well I know
33. 33Did never happiness bestow.
34. 34That wealth to which we were not born
35. 35Dooms us to sorrow or to scorn.
36. 36Behold yon flock which long had trod
37. 37O'er the short grass of Devon's sod,
38. 38To Lincoln's rank rich meads transferr'd,
39. 39And in their fate thy own be fear'd;
40. 40Through every limb contagions fly,
41. 41Deform'd and choked they burst and die.
42. 42'When Luxury opens wide her arms,
43. 43And smiling wooes thee to those charms,
44. 44Whose fascination thousands own,
45. 45Shall thy brows wear the stoic frown?
46. 46And when her goblet she extends
47. 47Which maddening myriads press around,
48. 48What power divine thy soul befriends
49. 49That thou should'st dash it to the ground?--
50. 50No, thou shalt drink, and thou shalt know
51. 51Her transient bliss, her lasting woe,
52. 52Her maniac joys, that know no measure,
53. 53And Riot rude and painted Pleasure;--
54. 54Till (sad reverse!) the Enchantress vile
55. 55To frowns converts her magic smile;
56. 56Her train impatient to destroy,
57. 57Observe her frown with gloomy joy;
58. 58On thee with harpy fangs they seize
59. 59The hideous offspring of Disease,
60. 60Swoln Dropsy ignorant of Rest,
61. 61And Fever garb'd in scarlet vest,
62. 62Consumption driving the quick hearse,
63. 63And Gout that howls the frequent curse,
64. 64With Apoplex of heavy head
65. 65That surely aims his dart of lead.
66. 66'But say Life's joys unmix'd were given
67. 67To thee some favourite of Heaven:
68. 68Within, without, tho' all were health--
69. 69Yet what e'en thus are Fame, Power, Wealth,
70. 70But sounds that variously express,
71. 71What's thine already--Happiness!
72. 72'Tis thine the converse deep to hold
73. 73With all the famous sons of old;
74. 74And thine the happy waking dream
75. 75While Hope pursues some favourite theme,
76. 76As oft when Night o'er Heaven is spread,
77. 77Round this maternal seat you tread,
78. 78Where far from splendour, far from riot,
79. 79In silence wrapt sleeps careless Quiet.
80. 80'Tis thine with Fancy oft to talk,
81. 81And thine the peaceful evening walk;
82. 82And what to thee the sweetest are--
83. 83The setting sun, the Evening Star--
84. 84The tints, which live along the sky,
85. 85And Moon that meets thy raptur'd eye,
86. 86Where oft the tear shall grateful start,
87. 87Dear silent pleasures of the Heart!
88. 88Ah! Being blest, for Heaven shall lend
89. 89To share thy simple joys a friend!
90. 90Ah! doubly blest, if Love supply
91. 91His influence to complete thy joy,
92. 92If chance some lovely maid thou find
93. 93To read thy visage in thy mind.
94. 94'One blessing more demands thy care:--
95. 95Once more to Heaven address the prayer:
96. 96For humble independence pray
97. 97The guardian genius of thy way;
98. 98Whom (sages say) in days of yore
99. 99Meek Competence to Wisdom bore,
100. 100So shall thy little vessel glide
101. 101With a fair breeze adown the tide,
102. 102And Hope, if e'er thou 'ginst to sorrow,
103. 103Remind thee of some fair to-morrow,
104. 104Till Death shall close thy tranquil eye
105. 105While Faith proclaims "Thou shalt not die!"'