Thomas Gray

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
A youth to Fortune and Fame unknown.

The generous spark extinct revive,
Teach me to love and to forgive,
Exact my own defects to scan,
What others are, to feel, and to know myself a Man.

- Hymn to Adversity

What female heart can gold despise? What cat's averse to fish?

Glance their many-twinkling feet.

From toil he wins his spirits light, From busy day the peaceful night; Rich, from the very want of wealth, In heaven's best treasures, peace and health.

On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
some pious drops the closing eye requires;
even from the tomb the voice of nature cries,
even in our ashes live their wonted fires.

Ye distant spires, ye antique towers, That crown the wat'ry glade.

Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.

The Curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Where his glowing eye−balls turn, Thousand banners round him burn. Where he points his purple spear, Hasty, hasty Rout is there, Marking with indignant eye Fear to stop and shame to fly. There Confusion, Terror's child, Conflict fierce and Ruin wild, Agony that pants for breath, Despair and honourable Death.

Ah, happy hills, ah, pleasing shade,
Ah, fields belov'd in vain,
Where once my careless childhood stray'd,
A stranger yet to pain!
I feel the gales, that from ye blow,
A momentary bliss bestow,
As waving fresh their gladsome wing,
My weary soul they seem to soothe,
And, redolent of joy and youth,
To breathe a second spring.

The verse adorn again Fierce War, and faithful Love, And Truth severe, by fairy Fiction drest.

Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayed, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.

No farther seek his merits to disclose, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode, (There they alike in trembling hope repose,) The bosom of his Father and his God.

When love could teach a monarch to be wise, And gospel-light first dawn'd from Bullen's eyes.