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The Poetical Works of Matthew Prior (2); With a Life
The Poetical Works of Matthew Prior With a Life - 2 Author:Matthew Prior Volume: 2 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1853 Original Publisher: Little, Brown Subjects: English poetry Literary Criticism / Poetry Poetry / General Poetry / Anthologies Poetry / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations... more » and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: Id! Apollo, mighty king, let Envy Ill-judging and verbose, from Lethe's Like Draw tuns immeasurable ; while thy favour Administers to my ambitious thirst The wholesome draught from Aganippe's spring Genuine, and with soft murmurs gently rilling Adown the mountains where thy daughters haunt. CHARITY. A PARAPHRASE ON THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER OP THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. Did sweeter sounds adorn my flowing tongue, Than ever man pronounc'd, or angels sung; Had I all knowledge, human and divine, That thought can reach, or science can define; And had I power to give that knowledge birth, In all the speeches of the babbling earth; Did Shadrach's zeal my glowing breast inspire, To weary tortures, and rejoice in fire; Or had I faith like that which Israel saw When Moses gave them miracles and law: Yet gracious Charity, indulgent guest, Were not thy power exerted in my breast, Those speeches would send up unheeded prayer; That scorn of life would be but wild despair; A tymbal's sound were better than my voice, My faith were form, my eloquence were noise. Charity, decent, modest, easy, kind, Softens the high, and rears the abject mind; Knows with just reins, and gentle hand to guide. Betwixt vile shame and arbitrary pride. Not soon provok'd, she easily forgives; And much she suffers, as she much believes. Soft peace she brings, wherever she arrives: She builds our quiet, as she forms our l...« less