One may part "Ere love had held long empire in his heart"
— Langhorne, John (1735-1779)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Mawman [by] T. Gillet
Date
1804
Metaphor
One may part "Ere love had held long empire in his heart"
Metaphor in Context
O lady fair, whose honour'd name is borne
By that soft vale where Rhyne so loves to stray,
And sees the tall arch crown his wat'ry way!
Sure, happy he, tho' much the Muse's scorn,
Too dull to die beneath thy beauty's ray,
Who never felt that spirit's charmed sway,
Which gentle smiles, and gentle deeds adorn,
Tho' in those smiles are all love's arrows worn,
Each radiant virtue tho' those deeds display!
Sure, happy he who that sweet voice should hear
Mould the soft speech, or swell the tuneful strain,
And, conscious that his humble vows were vain,
Shut fond Attention from his closed ear;
Who, piteous of himself, should timely part,
Ere love had held long empire in his heart!
By that soft vale where Rhyne so loves to stray,
And sees the tall arch crown his wat'ry way!
Sure, happy he, tho' much the Muse's scorn,
Too dull to die beneath thy beauty's ray,
Who never felt that spirit's charmed sway,
Which gentle smiles, and gentle deeds adorn,
Tho' in those smiles are all love's arrows worn,
Each radiant virtue tho' those deeds display!
Sure, happy he who that sweet voice should hear
Mould the soft speech, or swell the tuneful strain,
And, conscious that his humble vows were vain,
Shut fond Attention from his closed ear;
Who, piteous of himself, should timely part,
Ere love had held long empire in his heart!
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "empire" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
08/22/2004
Date of Review
07/15/2011
