ODE TO A FRIEND. 1758. W I. HY fo tim❜rous, gentle friend? Pri'thee, banish care and dread; Of harmless pleasure, know no end, II. What can keep thee from the grave, Or rob thee of the paffing hour? III. What should move the pow'r divine, IV. But not in pleasure's Syren-charms, I know that mirth has fad alarms Where wisdom has no part. V. But V. But let paffion's eafy gale, Thy bark with rapture sweep, While powerful reason shall prevail And guide her o'er the deep. VI. Then chearful flow thy tranfient breath, EPISTOLARY EPISTOLARY ODE TO A FRIEND. L' I. IKE as Lybia's burning fand, And restless pines in ev'ry state- Or nobler fame his mind dilate; The first-born mortal upon earth, When round him fmiling Nature play'd, With discontent was void of mirth, Tho' he o'er ev'ry creature fway'd. C II. He who contented spends his days- He roams in fearch of fordid gain ; He's the happy man confeft! III. Liften, dear Strephon to my fong- O leave O leave the ruthless scenes of war, Unfit art thou for rude alarms, Befide thy gentle * Delaware, Come, Strephon, seek more pleasing charms. Here, while o'er the fertile vallies Thou shalt tuneful stray along, I will make repeated fallies, To catch the tranfport of thy fong; Then mutual joy shall swell our foul, Attendant to bright wisdom's ftrain, While we fhall quaff the friendly bowl Far from the noify and the vain. |