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91

SKETCH

OF HIS OWN CHARACTER.*

Too poor for a bribe, and too proud to importune;
He had not the method of making a fortune :
Could love and could hate, so was thought some-
what odd;

NO VERY GREAT WIT, HE BELIEV'D IN A GOD.
A post or a pension he did not desire,

But left Church and State to Charles Townshend and Squire.t

*This was written in 1761, and found in one of Mr. Gray's pocket-books.

+ At that time Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and afterwards Bishop of St. David's.

POEMATA.

HYMENEAL.

ON THE MARRIAGE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES.*

IGNARE nostrûm mentes, et inertia corda,
Dum curas regum, et sortem miseramur iniquam,
Quæ solio affixit, vetuitque calescere flammâ
Dulci, quæ dono divum, gratissima serpit
Viscera per, mollesque animis lene implicat æstus;
Nec teneros sensus, Veneris nec præmia nôrunt,
Eloquiumve oculi, aut facunda silentia linguæ :

Scilicit ignorant lacrymas, sævosque dolores,
Dura rudimenta, et violentiæ exordia flammæ ;
Scilicit ignorant, quæ flumine tinxit amaro
Tela Venus, cæcique armamentaria Divi,
Irasque, insidiasque, et tacitum sub pectore vulnus;
Namque sub ingressu, primoque in limine Amoris
Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curæ ;
Intus habent dulces Risus, et Gratiæ sedem,
Et roseis resupina toris, roseo ore Voluptas:
Regibus huc faciles aditus; communia spernunt
Ostia, jamque expers duris custodibus istis
Panditur accessus, penetraliaque intima Templi.

* Printed in the Cambridge collection.

Tuque Oh! Angliacis, Princeps, spes optima

regnis,

Ne tantum, ne finge metum ; quid imagine captus Hæres, et mentem pictura pascis inani?

Umbram miraris: nec longum tempus, et ipsa Ibit in amplexus, thalamosque ornabit ovantes. Ille tamen tabulis inhians longum haurit amorem, Affatu fruitur tacito, auscultatque tacentem Immemor artificis calami, risumque, ruboremque Aspicit in fucis, pictæque in virginis ore:

Tanta Venus potuit; tantus tenet error amantes.

Nascere, magna Dies, qua sese AUGUSTA Bri

tanno

Committat Pelago, patriamque relinquat amœnam
Cujus in adventum jam nunc tria regna secundos
Atolli in plausus, dulcique accensa furore
Incipiunt agitare modos, et carmina dicunt;
Ipse animo sedenim juvenis comitatur euntem
Explorat ventos, atque auribus aëra captat,
Atque auras, atque astra vocat crudelia; pectus
Intentum exultat, surgitque arrecta cupido;
Incusat spes ægra fretum, solitoque videtur
Latior effundi pontus, fructusque morantes.

Nascere, Lux major, qua sese Augusta Britanno
Committat juveni totam, propriamque dicabit ;
At citius (precor) Oh' cedas melioribus astris :
Nox finem pompæ, finemque imponere curis
Possit, et in thalamos furtim deducere nuptam ;
Sufficiat requiemque viris, et amantibus umbras:
Adsit Hymen, et subridens cum matre Cupido
Accedant, sternantque toros, ignemque ministrent;
Ilicet haud pictæ incandescit imagine formæ
Ulterius juvenis, verumque agnoscit amorem.

Sculptile sicut ebur, faciemque arsisse venustam Pygmaliona canunt: ante hanc suspiria ducit, Alloquiturque amens, flammamque et vulnera

narrat :

Implorata Venus jussit cum vivere signum, Fœminæam inspirans animam; quæ gaudia surgunt, Audiit ut primæ nascentia murmura linguæ, Luctari in vitam, et paulatim volvere ocellos Sedulus, aspexitque novâ splendescere flammâ ; Corripit amplexu vivam, jamque oscula jungit Acria confestim, recipitque rapitque; prioris Immemor ardoris, Nymphæque oblitus eburnæ. THO. GRAY, Pet. Coll.

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Sæpe enim curis vagor expeditâ

Mente; dum, blandam meditans Camænam,

Vix malo rori, meminive seræ

Cedere nocti;

• Mr. Mason considered this as the first original production of Mr. Gray's Muse; because verses imposed, either by schoolmasters or tutors, ought not to be taken into the consideration.

Et, pedes quò me rapiunt, in omni
Colle Parnassum videor videre
Fertilem sylvæ, gelidamque in omni

Fonte Aganippen.

Risit et Ver me, facilesque Nymphæ
Nare captantem, nec ineleganti,
Manè quicquid de violis eundo

Surripit aura:

Me reclinatum teneram per herbam;
Quà leves cursus aqua cunque ducit,
Et moras dulci strepitu lapillo

Nectit in omni.

Hæ novo nostrum ferè pectus anno
Simplices curæ tenuere, cœlum
Quamdiù sudum explicuit Favonî

Purior hora:

Otia et campos nec adhuc relinquo,
Nec magis Phobo, Clytie fidelis ;
(Ingruant venti licet, et senescat

Mollior æstas.)

Namque, seu, lætos hominum labores
Prataque et montes recreante curru,
Purpurâ tractus oriens Eoos

Vestit, et auro;

Sedulus servo veneratus orbem
Prodigum splendoris: amœniori
Sive dilectam meditatur igne

Pingere Calpen;

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