Classic Poem

I too was in Arcadia born,
And Nature, watching o'er my bed,
To grant me happiness had sworn;
Yes, I was in Arcadia born,
Yet tears throughout my youth were shed.

Youth blossoms once, but never more;
And mine has ripened to decay.
The silent God (whose aid implore)
My lamp of life has shrouded o'er,
And my illusion melts away.

Upon thy dismal border line,
Dreaded Eternity, I stand;
Thy fair credentials I resign
Inviolate; behold them thine;
No happiness can I command.

Before thy throne I pour my wail,
Mysterious arbitress unseen;
In yonder star, so goes the tale,
Thou rulest o'er the judgment scale,
Known as a true avenging queen

Here terrors on the evil glare,
They say, while joys on virtue rain;
The crooked heart thou willst lay bare,
Divine obscurities declare,
And sympathise with those in pain.

Here be the exile's open door,
Here end the sufferer's life of need.
Now truth itself, of heaven born,
By many shunned, by some forsworn,
Bridled my life's impetuous speed.

" Futurity shall recompense —
Thy youthful Present let me have:
No further orders I dispense. "
— I yielded to her influence,
And all my youthful pleasures gave.

" Give me the darling of thy heart,
Thy very Laura must be mine!
Beyond the grave assuage the smart. "
— I tore her from my bleeding heart,
And weeping laid her on the shrine.

" Does abnegation move the dead? "
The world with mocking laughter cried.
" A lying tongue by tyrants sped,
With visions false thy path has spread;
The vision past, canst thou abide? "

Then giggled the insidious throng: —
" A vision, which on law relies,
Dost fear? What of thy Gods so strong,
Whose skill shall cure the world of wrong,
Who human needs with craft disguise? "

" Thy Future has the grave revealed?
Eternity , which thou dost boast
Only because it lies concealed,
In conscience' mirror has appealed
To us like some portentous ghost. "

" Like-like in form, but yet a cheat
— A mummy to deceive the eye —
The hopeful days of pleasure sweet
To the cold mounded grave retreat
— And this is Immortality ? "

" Hast thou — nay, let such falsehoods cease —
For hope exchanged thy present hoard?
Six thousand years Death held its peace,
Did ever corpse demand release
To bring thee the Avenger's word? "

I saw Time's pinions climb thy shore
While blooming Nature lagged behind;
A corpse-like form her aspect wore.
The dead to quit their graves forbore,
The godly promise I divined.

To thee I sacrificed my joy,
And here before thy throne I bow.
No mocking herd can now annoy,
Thy bounties all my thoughts employ;
Avenger, my reward allow!

" Alike I love my children, " cries
Aloud a genius hid from sight.
" Two flowers, mark it, are the prize
Of the investigator wise:
— Their names — Hope and Delight.

" Who plucks the one must not profane
With impious grasp the sister bloom.
Believing nought, for pleasure strain;
Believing, dogma says — abstain!
The world's own annals are its doom.

" Thou hopedst: here, then, thy reward;
Thy faith thy fortunes did impress.
Wise counsellors thou didst discard;
Do but one minute disregard,
Eternity gives no redress. "