MUSIC AND LOVE 67
The moon, too, quaffs her paly stream
Of lustre, from the solar beam. lo
Then, hence with all your sober thinking !
Since Nature's holy law is drinking;
I '11 make the laws of nature mine.
And pledge the universe in wine.
MUSIC AND LOVE. ODE XXUX I often wish this languid lyre, This warbler of my soul's desire. Could raise the breath of song sublime, To men of fame in former time. But when the soaring theme I try, s
Along the chords my numbers die. And whisper, with dissolving tone, " Our sighs are given to love alone ! " Indignant at the feeble lay, I tore the panting chords away,^ lo
Attun'd them to a nobler swell. And struck again the breathing shell ; ^ In all the glow of epic fire. To Hercules I wake the lyre ; But still its fainting sighs repeat, is
" The tale of love alone is sweet ! " Then fare thee well, seductive dream, That mad'st me follow Glory's theme. For thou my lyre, and thou my heart, Shall never more in spirit part ; 20
And all that one has felt so well The other shall as sweetly tell !
^ I. e., he tried new strings for his lyre.
^ The sounding board of the early lyres was formed of a tortoise- sheU.
