UFT we enhance our ills by discontent,
And give them bulk, beyond what nature meant.
A parent, brother, triend leceased, to cry-
"He's dead indeed, but he was born to die "-
Such temperate grief is suited to the size
And burthen of the loss; is just and wise.
But to exclaim-"Ah! wherefore was I born,
"Thus to be left, for ever thus forlorn ?"
Who thus laments his loss, invites distress,
And magnifies a woe that might be less,
Through dull despondence to his lot resign'd,
And leaving reason's remedy behind.
I SLEPT, when Venus enter'd: to my bed
A Cupid in her beauteous hand she led,
A bashful-seeming boy, and thus she said:
Shepherd, receive my little one! I bring
An untaught love, whom thou must teach to sing."
She said, and left him. I suspecting nought,
Many a sweet strain my subtle pupil taught,
How reed to reed Pan first with osier bound,
How Pallas form'd the pipe of softest sound,
How Hermes gave the lute, and how the quire
Of Phoebus owe to Phoebus' self the lyre.
Such were my themes; my themes nought heeded he,
But ditties sang of am'rous sort to me,
The pangs that mortals and immortals
prove
From Venus' influence, and the darts of love.
Thus was the teacher by the pupil taught;
His lessons I retain'd, and mine forgot.
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF OWEN.
IN IGNORANTEM ARROGANTEM LINUM.
CAPTIVUM, Line, te tenet ignorantia duplex.
Scis nihil, et nescis te quoque scire nihil.
ON ONE IGNORANT AND ARROGANT.
THOU mayst of double ign'rance boast,
Who know'st not that thou nothing know'st.
Ur nulli nocuisse velis, imitare columbam:
Serpentem, ut possit nemo nocere tibi.
PRUDENT SIMPLICITY.
THAT thou mayst injure no man, dove-like be,
And serpent-like, that none may injure thee!
Est male nunc ? Utinam in pejus sors omnia vertat Succedunt summis optima sæpe malis.
I WISH thy lot, now bad, still worse, my friend; For when at worst, they say, things always mend.
OMNIA me dum junior essem, scire putabam:
Quo scio plus, hoc me nunc scìo scire minus.
WHEN little more than boy in age,
I deem'd myself almost a sage;
But now seem worthier to be styled,
For ignorance-almost a child.
MAJORUM nunquam, Aule, legis monumenta tuorum : Mirum est, posteritas si tua scripta legat.
RETALIATION.
THE works of ancient bards divine,
Aulus, thou scorn'st to read;
And should posterity read thine,
It would be strange indeed!
SOLE oriente, tui reditûs a morte memento!
Sis memor occasûs, sole cadente, tui!
CONTEMPLATE, when the sun declines,
Thy death, with deep reflection!
And when again he rising shines,
Thy day of resurrection!
TRANSLATIONS FROM THE FABLES OF GAY.
[These translations were composed in January, 1800, scarcely three months before the death of the Poet. While he was engaged on the first fable - -"The Hare and many Friends" — he exclaimed, "O that I could recall the days when I could repeat all this fable by heart, when I used to be called upon to do so for the amusement of company!" Hayley was led by the freedom and spirit of these translations to print not only those which were left finished, but even a fragment of two verses, being the commencement of another fable.]
Lusus amicitia est, uni nisi dedita, ceu fit,
Simplice ni nexus fœdere, lusus amor.
Incerto genitore puer, non sæpe paternæ
Tutamen novit, deliciasque domûs:
Quique sibi fidos fore multos sperat, amicus
Mirum est huic misero si ferat ullus opem.
Comis erat, mitisque, et nolle et velle paratus
Cum quovis, Gaii more modoque, Lepus.
Ille, quot in sylvis, et quot spatiantur in agris
Quadrupedes, nôrat conciliare sibi;
Et quisque innocuo, invitoque lacessere quenquam
Labra tenus saltem fidus amicus erat.
Ortum sub lucis dum pressa cubilia linquit,
Rorantes herbas, pabula sueta, petens,
Venatorum audit clangores ponè sequentum,
Fulmineumque sonum territus erro fugit.
Corda pavor pulsat, sursum sedet, erigit aures,
Respicit, et sentit jam prope adesse necem.
Utque canes fallat latè circumvagus, illuc,
Unde abiit, mirâ calliditate redit;
Viribus at fractis tandem se projicit ultro
In mediâ miserum semianimemque viâ.
Vix ibi stratus, equi sonitum pedis audit, et, oh spe
Quam lætâ adventu cor agitatur equi!
Dorsum (inquit) mihi, chare, tuum concede, tuoque
Auxilio nares fallere, vimque canum.
Me meus, ut nosti, pes prodit-fidus amicus
Fert quodcunque lubens, nec grave sentit, onus.
Belle miselle lepuscule, (equus respondet) amara
Omnia quæ tibi sunt, sunt et amara mihi.
Verum age-sume animos-multi, me pone, bonique
Adveniunt, quorum sie citò salvus ope.
Proximus armenti dominus bos solicitatus
Auxilium his verbis se dare posse negat.
Quando quadrupedum, quot vivunt, nullus amicum
Me nescire potest usque fuisse tibi,
Libertate æquus, quam cedit amicus amico,
Utar, et absque metu ne tibi displiceam;
Hinc me mandat amor. Juxta istum messis acervum
Me mea, præ cunctis chara, juvenca manet;
Et quis non ultro quæcunque negotia linquit,
Pareat ut dominæ, cum vocat ipsa, suæ ?
Neu me crudelem dicas-discedo-sed hircus,
Cujus ope effugias integer, hircus adest.
Febrem (ait hircus) habes. Huc, sicca ut lumina
languent!
Utque caput, collo deficiente, jacet!
Hirsutum mihi tergum; et forsan læserit ægrum,
Vellere eris melius fultus, ovisque venit.
Me mihi fecit onus natura, ovis inquit, anhelans
Sustineo lanæ pondera tanta meæ ;
Me nec velocem nec fortem jacto, solentque
Nos etiam sævi dilacerare canes.
Ultimus accedit vitulus, vitulumque precatur
Ut periturum alias ocyus eripiat.
Remne ego, respondet vitulus, suscepero tantam,
Non depulsus adhuc ubere, natus heri ?
Te, quem maturi canibus validique relinquunt,
Incolumem potero reddere
parvus ego? Præterea tollens quem illi aversantur, amicis Forte parum videar consuluisse meis.
Ignoscas oro. Fidissima dissociantur
Corda, et tale tibi sat liquet esse meum,
Ecce autem ad calces canis est! te quanta perempto Tristitia est nobis ingruitura!-Vale!
ICTA fenestra Euri flatu stridebat, avarus
Ex somno trepidus surgit, opumque memor.
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