CONSTANTIA

PRINTED BY JAMES ORAM, No. 102, WATER-¿TREAT,

1802.

то

GEORGE COLMAN, Esq.
To live beneath the golden star of love,

With happier fancy, passions more refin'd;
Each softning charm of tenderness to prove,

And all the finer movements of the mind.—
From gifts like these, say what the boasted gain
Of those who exquisitely feel or know?
-The skill from pleasure to extract it's pain,
And open all the avenues of woe..

Yet shall we, COLMAN, at these gifts repine?-
Implore cold apathy to steel the heart?
Would you that sensibility resign?

And with those powers of genius would you part?
Ah no! my friend; nor deem the verse divine,

That weakness wrote in Petrarch's gentle strain!
When once he own'd, at love's unfavouring shrine,
"A thousand pleasures were not worth one pain.
The dreams of fancy soothe the pensive heart;
For fancy's urn can new delight dispense:
The powers of genius purer joys impart ;
For genius brightens all the springs of sense.
O charm of every muse-ennobl'd mind,

Far, far above the groveling crowd to rise!-
Leave the low train of trifling cares behind,
Assert it's birthright and affect the skies.

O right divine, the pride of power to scorn;
On fortune's little vanity look down!
With nobler gifts, to fairer honours born,
Than fear, or folly fancies in a crown!

As yon

As far each boon that nature's hand bestows The worthless glare of fortune's train exceeds, fair orb, whose beam eternal glows, Outshines the transient meteor that it feeds. To nature, COLMAN, let thy incense rise, For, much indebted, much hast thou to pay; For taste refin'd, for wit correctly wise,

And keen discernment's soul-pervading ray.
To catch the manners from the various face,
To paint the nice diversities of mind,
The living lines of character to trace,

She

thee gave

powers,

and she the task assign'd,

Seize, seize the pen! the sacred hour departs!

Nor, led by kindness, longer lend thine ear: The tender tale of two ingenuous hearts Would rob thee of a moment and a tear.

LONDON,

Nov. 10, 1764.

J. LANGHORNE