That horologe machinery divine. his children, play, Like numerous wings, around him, as he flies; Or rather, as unequal plumes they shape 213 His ample piniors, swift as darted flame, To gain his goal, to reach his ancient rest, And join anew Eternity, his sire ; In his immutability to nest, 219 When worlds, that count his circles now, unhinged (Fate the loud signai sounding) headlong rush To timeless night and chaos, whence they rose. Why spur the speedy' why with levities New-wing thy short, short day's too rapid flight? Know'st thou or what thou dost, or what is done ? 225 Man flies from Time, and Time from man: too soon, In sad divorce, this double flight must end; And then where are we? where, Lorenzo ! then, Tły sports, thy pomps ? I grant thee in a state Not unambitious; in the ruffled shroud, 230 Thy Parian tomb's triumphant arch beneath. Has Death his fopperies ? then well may Life Put on her plume, and in her rainbow shine. Ye well array'd ! ye lilies of our land! Yo lilies male! who neither toil nor spin, 235 (As sister-lilies might) if not so wise As Solomon, more sumptuous to the sight! Ye delicate! who nothing can support, Yourselves most insupportable ! for whom The winter-rose must blow, the Sun put on 240 A brighter beam in Leo; silky-soft, Favonious! breathe still softer, or be chid ; And other worlds send odours, sauce, and song, And robes, and notions, framed in foreign looms ! O ye Lorenzos of our age! who deem 845 One moment unamused a misery Not inade for feeble man! who call alond For every bauble drivel'c o'er by sense ; For rattles and conceits of every cast; For change of follies and relays of joy, 250 To drag your patient through the tedious length Of a short winter's day- say, sages! say, Wit's oracles! say, dreamers of gay dreams : How will you weather an eternal night, Where such expedients fail ? 255 O treacherous Conscience! while she seems to sleep On rose and myrtle, lull'd with siren song ; While she seems, nodding o'er her charge, to drop On headlong Appetite the slacken'd rein, And give us up to license, unrecallid, 260 Unmark’d: see, from behind her secret stand, The sly informer minutes every fault, And her dread diary with horror fills. Not the gross act alone employs her pen; She reconnoitres Fancy's airy band. 265 A watchful foe! the formidable spv Listening, o'erhears the whisper. of our camp, Our dawning purposes of heart explores, And steals our embryos of iniquity. As all-rapacious usurers conceal 270 Their doomsday-book from all-consuming heirs, Thus, with indulgence most severe, she treats Us spendthrifts of inestimable time, Unnoted, notes cach moment misapplied ; In leaves more durable than leaves of brass 275 Writes our whole history, v'hich Death shall read In every pale delinquent's private ear, And judgment publish , publish to more worlds Than this, and endless age in Lorenzo! such that sleeper in thy breast ; 280 Such is her slumber, and her vengeance such For slighted counsel; such thy future peace; And think'st thou still thou canst be wise too soons But why on time so lavish is my song? On this great theme ind Nature keeps a school 285 To teach her sons herself. Each night we die : Each morn are born anew : each day a lifo' groans resound. And shall we kill each day? If trifling kills, 295 310 Lorenzo-O for yesterdays to come! Such is the language of the man awake, His ardour such for what oppresses thee. And is his ardour vain, Lorenzo ? No; That more than miracle the gods indulge. 315 To-day is yesterday return'd; return'd Full power'd to cancel, expiate, raise, adorn, And reinstate us on the rock of peace. Let it not share its predecessoi's fate, Nor, like its elder sisters, die a fool. 820 Shall it evaporate in fume, fly oft Fuliginous, and stain us deeper si:11 ? Shall we be poorer for the plenty pour'd ? More wretched for the clemencies of Heaven: 324 Wheia shall I find himAngels ! tell me where : You know him: he is near you; point him out. 330 330 To reach the distant skies, and triumphi thero On thrones, which shall not mourn their masters changed; Though we from eart!), ethercal they that fell Suchi veneration due, O man to man ! Who venerate themselves tne world despise. 305 For what, gay friend ! is this foscutcheon'd world, Which hangs out death in one eternal night? A night that glooms us in the noontide ray, And wraps our thoughts at banquets in the shroud. Life's little stage is a small eminence, 303 Inch high the grave above, that home of man, Where dwells the multitude · We gaze around ; We read their monuments; we sigh; and while 365 'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours, And ask them what report they bore to Heaven, And how they might have borne more welcome news Their answers form what men Experience call; If Wisdom's friend, her best ; if not, worst foe. 380 U reconcile them! kind Experience cries, • There's nothing here but what as nothing weighs; The more our joy, the more we know it vain, And by success are tutor’d to despair.' Nor is it only thus, but must be so. 385 Who knows not this, though gray, is still a child. Loose then from earth the grasp of fond desire ; Weigh anchor, and some happier clime explore. Art thou so moord thou canst not disengage, Nor give thy thoughts a ply to future scenes ? 390 Since by life's passing breath, blown up from earth, Light as the summer's dust, we take in air A moment's giddy flight, and fall again, Join the dull mass, increase the trodden soil, And sleep, till Earth herself shall be no more ; 395 Since then (as emmets, their small world o'erthrown) We, sore amazed, from out earth's ruins crawl, And rise to fate extreme of four or fair, As man's own choice, (controller of the skies ) As inan's despotic will, perhaps one hour, 400 |