^ >)7>'3 fefC THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES YOUTH. [ Price tt.] I Y O U T H. P O E M. By HALL HARTSON, Esq^ ,rttitft ftofff /'i'4^-* . ti Hit u >f4i/tu,/ t-i'ti'Ci.* * ii/ffitNi- f/te' /^/v//r.' ./y//////-. »///// ////.///'/<*/.' LONDON: ]^Inted for W. GRIFFIN, in Qitharinc-Strcct, Strand. MDCCLXXIII, ■ MMajpimwaWM MIjiBiBMC^W PR YOUTH. H^t4 } ^ W E E T youth, fweet fmiling nymph, divinely fair, '^ Source of all joy, and foe to every care ; With whom full many a fummer's funny morn, While yet the dew drop glittered on the thorn, I've fought the cliff, or in the flowery vale Imbibed the fragrance of the evening gale j Fair fugitive, whofe eye of heavenly blue, And rofy cheek no longer blefs my view, Whofe loved idea, which can never fly, Wakes the fond vvifli, and heaves the fruitlefs fio^h. Thy fwcet remembrance now the fong infpire. And touch the lover with a poet's fire. B What 2 Y o u T ir, Wliat brighter genius, what diftinguifKcd name Shall lend its liiftre to the plcafing theme? Lives there a man that with fiipcriour art Sounds all the deep recefles of the heart; Calls up the genial hopes, the chilling fears ; Now fliakcs with laughter, now diffolves to tears 3 Who, Proteus like, at plcafurc fhifts the fcene^ Or old, or young, impaflioned, or ferene? Still faithful to his aim, if fuch there be, Bled child of Nature, Garrick, thou art he. Come then, a while forego the thronged applaufe. Which never-erring judgment jufl:ly draws, And with the light, the gay defrriptive mu(e. While pleafed her airy travel fhe purfues. Recall the happy fcene which once was ours, The fmilcs, the graces, and the jocund hours,>. With whom we frolicked in our early day. When picafure filled her cup without allay. From every quarter of earth's peopled fpherCj, Sec, at the Mufc's call, what crowds appear. YOUTH. 3 Eager alike to run life's little fpan, The gay, the recklefs progeny of man. Ah, happy race I far happier than they know, Light as the fummer breeze, firft bid to blow, Unceafing as the bufy tribes on wing, That roam the bloiToms, and defpoil the fpring,. Along the verge of that fair feeming hill, Where life afcends, and Hebe fports at will, They move, nor mark upon the neighbouring heights What envious eyes o'erlook their young delights, Sufpicion, Rumour with uncertain flare, And farther up the fiend fliarp vifaged Care ; Bleft ignorance ! to partial views confined ; Where fight wou'd injure, who wou'd not be blind? Young is the fenfe, enjoyment in it's fpring, Hope yet unbroken, fancy on the wing ; The jeft, the eafy laugh, the wanton wile. And antick trick which mocks with harmlefs "uilc, Thefe are the fweets their youthful morn bcftows. The bloomy flufli of health, and found rcpofc : Thrice ^. Y O U T n. 'I'hricc happy, whom no greater cares employ Than lor to morrow's furc returning joy. Yet have they ills, for man to ills is heir, And youth, as well as age, has got it's fnare ; The interdidlcd wifla, the harfh command, The terrours of Correcflion's rigid hand ; Mifhaps, the chance of light unthinking years, Pale furfeit, that oft wakes a mother's fears : Difcord befide inflames with little rage. For Difcord has her part on every ftage; But here fhe walks not in her tragick form, As cafy raifed, as eafy laid the /lorm. Oh how unlike the wafteful ire that rends The labouring breafl: when riper age contends ! Turn ye ambitious, at whofc unbleft call, War wakes his terrours, and whole nations fall ; Ye whom the curfe of civil rage impels. When parricide, not war, the tumult fwells, As o'er Britannia's much afflidcd land The fiend hath often waved her horrid brand, YOUTH. , Turn, turn, nor in this youthful fchool defpife To catch the virtues of the fimply wife. Here no ambition mocks it's fruitlefs toils. No hero weeps repentant o'er his fpoils, Nor frowning fliade of warriour loft in fight Breaks the foft flumbers of the peaceful night: Light as the clouds that drop the vernal fhowers To ope the buds, and cheer the rifing flowers, Their quarrels pafs, and fmiling peace returns, And a new friendfhip in each bofom burns. Too much of difcord ; glad the wandering mufe The peaceful and more pleafing toil renews. To mark yon tribe, where o'er the moffy ground They fly, purfuc, and leap, or run, or bound. As buoyant fpirits prompt them, all intent; As fvvallows, whom chill winter long hath pent. Now ifl'uing lorth upon the warmer beam, Wave the fmooth pool, or fkim the murmuring ftrcam ; Now here, now there their airy fports they ply. And many a playful circle cleaves the fky. C 6 Y O U 1- H. Still as the eye wide wanders o'er the green, New aims, new objccls, crowd the changeful fcene. Here rife the mimick works of war like hands, TJiere in mock light engage the marfhaled bands j Here too the painted galley meets the view. Along the fhores exult the admiring crew, While o'er the lake it fpreads it's filken fails. And all it's fkreamers feel the riling gales. Nor frown ye wife, if wifdom deign to hear, Becaufc fuch artlefs trifles meet the ear ; The rofe fo loved mufl: bud before it bloom, And yonder oak, that fpreads fo wide a gloom. Beneath whofe arms the flocks and herds repofe. His full-grown honours to an acorn owes. Jn this fair field are fown the feeds of fame, In each young bofom lives it's native flame, Which through thefe trifles breaks with early ray, Thefe but the dawnings of their brighter day. In peaceful councils this fhall gain renown, For that Bellona wreaths the war like crown ; He YOUTH. ; He too, who gave his galley to the breeze, One day may hold the empire of the feas ; And now, even now elate with fancied power, Enjoys the glories of the future hour. Thus roll the months and years, a golden round, With peace their nights, their days with pleafure crowned 5. Nature mean time, induftrious to fulfil The didates of her mighty Mafter's will. The well-beloved tafk inceffant plies, And fees the work in fair proportion rife; A6ls with new vigour on the confcious foul. Each part enlarges, and informs the whole. As when the ftream firft ifTues from it's fource, A gentle brook it murmurs without force, Plays through the pebbles, and with filver maze By many a flower and bending willow flrays. Till with frefli tributary ftores fupplicd It pours into the main a copious tide ; Thus fwells the flream of life; while evermore Impatient youth regards the wider fhore, J YOUTH. Where man's adventurous bark with fails unfurled Firfl: tries the deep, and launches on the world. Pafled is the dawn, the boyidi hours are fled, And lo the flripling rears his radiant head. With front erec5l and brightly beaming eye, Frefli as the ftar which gilds the evening fky. As the young plant, the favourite of fomc fair, Her early folacc, and her later care, Uorifino: foff, with living verdure crowned, Puts forth it's blooms, and fprcads it's fragrance round; Fluflicd with the gift of health, fweet rofy hue, Thus breaks the riper ftripling on the view; In all the pride of youth he ftands difplayed. Nor dreams that beauty bloffoms but to fade. Blell leafon ! brighteft in life's varied year, Too fcon, alas I thy verdures difappcar ; Too loon thy rofcs wither in the v/ind, And leave the fliarp unfightly thorn behind. Mean time from violet beds and v/reathcd bowers Advance the graces and the fmiling hours. y o u T II. IVith yonder fon of hope to fport and play, And crown the revels of his flowery May. No more of artlefs words, which on the tongue With untaught lifp e'er while imperfeft hung ; Proud of his opening reafon, nor lefs vain Of ftature that o'ler-tops the younger train, He' glances on them with averted eye. Admires himfelf, and walks fuperiour by. • Now glows the bofom with more potent fires, Teems with new projedls, throbs with new defires; Robufter fports the ftriplinpr youth employ. And all his foul is up for manly joy. Now to the well-replenifhed fields he hies, Sometimes the plain, fometimes the wood-land tries, Where haunts the partridge, or the timorous hare. And where the lapwing beats the founding air ; O'er hill, o'er dale, by lake, or river toils. And late returns, exulting in his fpoils : The cheerful glafs, the lengthened tale fuccccds. And all the game again in fancy bleeds. D to YOU r H. Sweet are the flumbers that from toils arifc, More fvveet the blifs which innocence fupplies ; Lipht from his couch and well refrefhed he fprings What time the lark the lively fummons fings ; New joys invite him forth, the dewy morn, The hound wide opening to the high-toned horn, The flag unharboured, and the madding throng With furious emulation borne along; O'er the fwift ftecd Afta^on like he bends. And with the maflers of the chafe contends.. Thus fpceda the morn ; now fits the fun on high>. And a fierce luftre breaks thro' all the fky ;- Parched are the flowers and bloflbms, all around' The panting flocks lie fcattercd o'er the ground, And from the reach of Phoebus' fultry iires Imbcvvcred the vifionary mufe retires. Not thus the glowing youth ; he on the fhorc, Where breezy waters fpread their grateful flore, Forthwith difrobcs, and in the midway flood Allays the tumult of his boiling blood. YOUTH. 31 Too daring thou, thus fond the deep to brave, Be taught the dangers of the infidious wave ; It chills, relaxes, deadly cramps aflail ; Ah what fliall then thy boafted art avail, When with exhaufled limbs thou ftriveft in vain To reach the {l:iores thou never fhalt regain ? Such was Ambrofio's, fuch Endymion's doom, Oh early lofl: in youth's ethereal bloom ! Twin brothers they, the only lov'd remains- Of many fons that payed a mother's pains. I'U-fated dame I to early forrows bred. The wretched mourner of a widowed bed, Whofe lord the chance of battle fnatched away E'er yet the double off-fpring faw the day : But now the blooming pair her hopes renew, In thefe ftie fcems again her lord to view ; Their filial piety, their rifing years Sooth all her lolTcs, and afluage her tears. 'Twas on a day, the fcverilli lieat to cool, They fought the windings of the well known pool, Along a YOUTH. Along whofc margin flowers were thickly fpread, And many a poplar reared it's graceful head. Like two fiiir fwans elate in youthful pride They bread: the wave?, and roll the deep afide; They fport, they tofs, now vanifli, now appear, Fate overlooks them with malignant leer. Ambrolio now the faler fliorc had gained, Endymion flill within the flood remained ; Full oft the former chid his long delay, In vain, Death challenges the deftined prey : Chill torture now had feized on all his frame, Ambrofio faw, he heard the fearful fcream ; What doubts, what thrilling woes the youth furprizel What boding hcrrours in his bofom rife I Swilt to relieve into the deep he drove; Oh fad requiial of fraternal love I Exhauficd, faint, Endymion round him clinrlo». Form L9-Series 4939 KKJiUb. H^fa^Y i 25 a 8 PLEA- DO NOT REMOVl THIS BOOK CARD ^I'^MARYo/: University Reseorch Librorv JO 01 Oi :d (/)