Monody on the Death of Chatterton

1. 1Cold penury repress'd his noble rage,
2. 2And froze the genial current of his soul.

1. 3Now prompts the Muse poetic lays,
2. 4And high my bosom beats with love of Praise!
3. 5But, Chatterton! methinks I hear thy name,
4. 6For cold my Fancy grows, and dead each Hope of Fame.

1. 7When Want and cold Neglect had chill'd thy soul,
2. 8Athirst for Death I see thee drench the bowl!
3. 9Thy corpse of many a livid hue
4. 10On the bare ground I view,
5. 11Whilst various passions all my mind engage;
6. 12Now is my breast distended with a sigh,
7. 13And now a flash of Rage
8. 14Darts through the tear, that glistens in my eye.

1. 15Is this the land of liberal Hearts!
2. 16Is this the land, where Genius ne'er in vain
3. 17Pour'd forth her soul-enchanting strain?
4. 18Ah me! yet Butler 'gainst the bigot foe
5. 19Well-skill'd to aim keen Humour's dart,
6. 20Yet Butler felt Want's poignant sting;
7. 21And Otway, Master of the Tragic art,
8. 22Whom Pity's self had taught to sing,
9. 23Sank beneath a load of Woe;
10. 24This ever can the generous Briton hear,
11. 25And starts not in his eye th' indignant Tear?

1. 26Elate of Heart and confident of Fame,
2. 27From vales where Avon sports, the Minstrel came,
3. 28Gay as the Poet hastes along
4. 29He meditates the future song,
5. 30How Ælla battled with his country's foes,
6. 31And whilst Fancy in the air
7. 32Paints him many a vision fair
8. 33His eyes dance rapture and his bosom glows.
9. 34With generous joy he views th' ideal gold:
10. 35He listens to many a Widow's prayers,
11. 36And many an Orphan's thanks he hears;
12. 37He soothes to peace the care-worn breast,
13. 38He bids the Debtor's eyes know rest,
14. 39And Liberty and Bliss behold:
15. 40And now he punishes the heart of steel,
16. 41And her own iron rod he makes
17. 42Oppression feel.

1. 43Fated to heave sad Disappointment's sigh,
2. 44To feel the Hope now rais'd, and now deprest,
3. 45To feel the burnings of an injur'd breast,
4. 46From all thy Fate's deep sorrow keen
5. 47In vain, O Youth, I turn th' affrighted eye;
6. 48For powerful Fancy evernigh
7. 49The hateful picture forces on my sight.
8. 50There, Death of every dear delight,
9. 51Frowns Poverty of Giant mien!
10. 52In vain I seek the charms of youthful grace,
11. 53Thy sunken eye, thy haggard cheeks it shews,
12. 54The quick emotions struggling in the Face
13. 55Faint index of thy mental Throes,
14. 56When each strong Passion spurn'd controll,
15. 57And not a Friend was nigh to calm thy stormy soul.

1. 58Such was the sad and gloomy hour
2. 59When anguish'd Care of sullen brow
3. 60Prepared the Poison's death-cold power.
4. 61Already to thy lips was rais'd the bowl,
5. 62When filial Pity stood thee by,
6. 63Thy fixéd eyes she bade thee roll
7. 64On scenes that well might melt thy soul--
8. 65Thy native cot she held to view,
9. 66Thy native cot, where Peace ere long
10. 67Had listen'd to thy evening song;
11. 68Thy sister's shrieks she bade thee hear,
12. 69And mark thy mother's thrilling tear,
13. 70She made thee feel her deep-drawn sigh,
14. 71And all her silent agony of Woe.

1. 72And from thy Fate shall such distress ensue?
2. 73Ah! dash the poison'd chalice from thy hand!
3. 74And thou had'st dash'd it at her soft command;
4. 75But that Despair and Indignation rose,
5. 76And told again the story of thy Woes,
6. 77Told the keen insult of th' unfeeling Heart,
7. 78The dread dependence on the low-born mind,
8. 79Told every Woe, for which thy breast might smart,
9. 80Neglect and grinning scorn and Want combin'd--
10. 81Recoiling back, thou sent'st the friend of Pain
11. 82To roll a tide of Death thro' every freezing vein.

1. 83O Spirit blest!
2. 84Whether th' eternal Throne around,
3. 85Amidst the blaze of Cherubim,
4. 86Thou pourest forth the grateful hymn,
5. 87Or, soaring through the blest Domain,
6. 88Enraptur'st Angels with thy strain,--
7. 89Grant me, like thee, the lyre to sound,
8. 90Like thee, with fire divine to glow--
9. 91But ah! when rage the Waves of Woe,
10. 92Grant me with firmer breast t'oppose their hate,
11. 93And soar beyond the storms with upright eye elate!