Classic Poem

I.

Long I, in Darkness, by false Meteors led,
Blindly pursu'd a Muse , that from me fled;
Follow'd the steep impracticable Road,
Where Shakespear , and great Ben , before me trod.
Yet now, dear Friend, in vain I find,
I did th' infatuating Fire pursue,
The Nymph still fled, was still unkind,
And Me , thro' Mists , and Labrinths drew.
Without Improvement, still, I wander'd on,
O'er Denham 's Sucklings, Milton 's Poems run,
And, vainly, thought my self well blest,
When I, a while, in Waller 's Shades could rest,
And at his Christal Fountain quench my Thirst;
Or stretch my self along that Current's Side
Which thro' the flowry Meads of Cowley 's Odes does glide.
Cowley ! who, first, some faint Discov'ries made,
Of Pinder 's unknown Shore,
Who first did with Anacreon trade,
And came Home loaden with Wit's sparkling Ore .
But you, a more adventrous Course have ta'en,
HE dabbl'd in the Sholes of Wit , YOU launch into the Main .

II.

Thou hidden Knowledge from the Ocean takes,
As Albemarl , redeem'd the golden Wrecks :
He only rescu'd what before was known,
And render'd to the British Isle her own:
But thy rich Fancy does explore,
The secret Wealth of Neptune 's Shore.
Boldly surveys the briny Gods Estates,
And, where thou do'st not find, creates ,
Such Tides of Thought, in ev'ry Line, we find,
So strong! and yet so calm they go,
So smoothly Ebb , so gently slow ,
They please the Senses , and delight the Mind .
In ev'ry Line , thy Genius is exprest,
In ev'ry Word is found a lively Taste ,
Both of the Poet , and the Priest .
Thou, in thy swift Poetick Flight,
Do'st, sometimes soar to such a Height,
Sometimes do'st not disdain,
To Dive into the Main ;
And, whilst thy Muse does both the Gods survey,
The Thunderer 's Heav'ns, and thy Nepune 's Sea,
Thy Odes may properly, be stil'd divine,
Which both Celestial are, and Submarine .

III.

Lend me, O Lend, thy tuneful Lyre
Or tell what Muse thy Fancy did inspire
That I due Honours may proclaim;
And, whilst thy Praises, I make known,
May propogatemy own ,
And grow Immortal in the Mouth of Fame .
Lend me, O Lend thy Quill ,
Or pardon if, against thy Will,
I boldly do intrude
Amongst the num'rous Multitude
Who take th' Advantage of thy PRESS,
Into Futurity to pass.
In pompous Dress, Thou walks before in State,
And takes thy Station in Apollo 's Court,
Whilst we, th' inspir'd of the Lower Sort ,
Are glad to pay Attendance at the Gate .

IV.

Thy Dolphin ever shall abide,
And I, on his officious Back ,
Thro' the vast Floods of Time shall break,
Steddy shall o'er Oblivion ride
And stem the Current of her raging Tide .
The fam'd Orion had been lost,
And perish'd in the Watry Brine ,
Had not some Dolphin , kind like thine,
Convey'd him to the Coast.
Oh! were my Numbers, like Orion 's, smooth!
With charming Notes the Tritons Rage I'd sooth;
I'd make the roling Waves advance,
And, at my tuneful Lire ,
Suspend the Roarings of their Ire,
And round about thee dance.
Then, chearful, we, thro' Sea-green Paths , would creep,
And sound the Secrets of the Deep ;
To Neptune 's Palace would resort,
View all his Riches , all his Store ,
His Pearls , his Gems , and golden Ore ,
And wanton with his beauteous Nymphs at Court.

V.

Friendship , and Love! what would you do,
Whither my willing Fancy drive?
In vain you urge, in vain you strive,
In vain our Poets Praise pursue,
So big it looks, is plac'd so high,
No human Art Access can find;
No Quill can to its Distance fly,
And Language lags behind.
And yet, if I, like Dedalus could soar,
Like him, the Cave , and Chains could quit,
Which clog my Fancy, and depress my Wit ,
I'd cut the yielding Regions of the Air,
And o'er thy Islands , o'er thy Ocean steer.
And tho', perchance, in my Pindarick Flight,
Rais'd to a vain ambitious Height,
The Fate of Icarus should prove my Doom,
And angry Phaebus melt my waxen Plume ;
Yet mine a much more glorious Lot would be,
Whilst, gently, I should drop into thy Sea ;
Nor give the conscious Flood a Name , but take my Name from THEE .