  BY WILLIAM PITT PALMER. COUNSEL. Soul of light in stone enthroned Is the precious diamond; Son of light, do thou endure, Like this gem, still strong and pure! EPITAPH. Read, wanderer, a husband's moan: My wife was young and fair! Now lies upon her heart a stone, And mine—is light as air! ON THE EPITAPHS IN A CHURCH-YARD. Falsehood, O man! delights thine eye: Thou teachest even stones to lie! ON BAVIUS. Give him to drink of Lethe's wave! why not Let the poor bard forget that he's forgot? LADIES' TONGUES. Frankly, ladies' tongues, confess Ye must wag perforce: Faith! the sex might, as I guess, Without tongues discourse! THE GRAY-BEARD. Nearch is blind, and deaf, and lame, The prey of time's corrosive greed, And long of crafty heirs the game; When will the dead man die indeed? GARLANDS. Youth, with chaplets grace thy brow, But the garland choose with care; Wreathed with laurel fadeth late, Wreathed with myrtle soon, the hair. FRIEND AND FOE. Let warning wisdom's kindly speech Thy friend his faults and failings show; But let thy mute example teach The love of virtue to thy foe. PLEASURE. List a mortal's quest, sweet Pleasure! Why so fleeting?—answer, pray: Lost as soon as found, thy treasure! None can thy dear presence stay. Thank thou, Fate, she cried, whose minions, All the gods, love me alone; Were I fashioned without pinions, They would keep me for their own! |
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