THE SESSIONS OF PARNASSUS.
227
Attend!" cried Phœbus, "and I will impart:
In youth you flattered me with song and lute,
Courted my sisters with impassioned suit;
Half-won, then jilted, first for vulgar prose,
And last for thorny office, spurned the rose;
Ever earth-plodding, though full-winged for air.
Bethink you, Sir! if 't is not hard to bear?"
Replied the bard: "My lord! 't is soon confessed;
I've had my school-boy fancies, like the rest;
But riper years, and themes of deeper truth
Chased, as they should, the follies of my youth."
Here a deep murmur rose; nor only this;
Among the muses something like a hiss;
So sharp a fling to rouse the god was sure.
"Would that thy manhood's follies were as pure!
The games of wealth and power are noble joys!
While song, great gods! is well enough for boys!
Your worldly wisdom, Sir, is but half-wise.
Then, know you not that feeling, at the rise,
Like mountain-stream, flows purest from its spring?
And early loves are of Heaven's whispering?
Aye I the song-bias that the young heart cheers
Betrays its kindred to harmonious spheres."
In youth you flattered me with song and lute,
Courted my sisters with impassioned suit;
Half-won, then jilted, first for vulgar prose,
And last for thorny office, spurned the rose;
Ever earth-plodding, though full-winged for air.
Bethink you, Sir! if 't is not hard to bear?"
Replied the bard: "My lord! 't is soon confessed;
I've had my school-boy fancies, like the rest;
But riper years, and themes of deeper truth
Chased, as they should, the follies of my youth."
Here a deep murmur rose; nor only this;
Among the muses something like a hiss;
So sharp a fling to rouse the god was sure.
"Would that thy manhood's follies were as pure!
The games of wealth and power are noble joys!
While song, great gods! is well enough for boys!
Your worldly wisdom, Sir, is but half-wise.
Then, know you not that feeling, at the rise,
Like mountain-stream, flows purest from its spring?
And early loves are of Heaven's whispering?
Aye I the song-bias that the young heart cheers
Betrays its kindred to harmonious spheres."
"Pardon, my lord! I had no thought to wound
Your party-feelings here on your own ground;
Where such majorities are on your side
To 'take the stump' were rash," the bard replied;
"I would but say—what might be left unsaid—
That by the favor of the nation's head
I rose, you know, to honors in the state;
And those who once have mated with the great
Should guard their dignity, and keep them free
From light amusements, graceful though they be.
In this, 'gainst Poesy I take no part;
Which, in its way, is quite a pretty art."
Your party-feelings here on your own ground;
Where such majorities are on your side
To 'take the stump' were rash," the bard replied;
"I would but say—what might be left unsaid—
That by the favor of the nation's head
I rose, you know, to honors in the state;
And those who once have mated with the great
Should guard their dignity, and keep them free
From light amusements, graceful though they be.
In this, 'gainst Poesy I take no part;
Which, in its way, is quite a pretty art."
Here groans tumultuous through the court are stirred,
While over all Apollo's voice is heard.
Scornful, and radiant in his heavenly ire,
He stood sublime! and poured his words of fire:
While over all Apollo's voice is heard.
Scornful, and radiant in his heavenly ire,
He stood sublime! and poured his words of fire:
