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Article MADNESS, AN ELEGY: ← Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Madness, An Elegy:
Yet her ' s the task , she strives the course to steer , With diffidence expands the vent'rous sail ; While he ' t ' rogeneous sounds distress the ear , And urge her passage through misfortune ' s vale Behold yon stately figure , child of pride , I knew him e ' er to madness thus a prey , When self-importance urg'd him to deride
And scarcely own a great Creator ' s sway . And now in all the mockery of . state , Though clad in rags , this ostentatious thing Believes around a thousand slaves await , Himself in fancy a despotic king . Thus human nature , when o ' erstretch'd by pride , Insulted Heaven most severely scans ,
Of arrogance repels th' impetuous tide , Humbles his insolence , and man unmans . All dark within , Olivia , love-lorn maid , In tatter'd vest , and with dishevell'd hair , Avoids the light , of cruel man afraid , Her haggard form the picture of despair . Ask you the cause why poor Olivia's lost
, Her spirits broke , her bosom swoln with woe ? By slighted vows and disappointment crost , Distraction tirg'd her eyes to overflow . Blushes the hectic on her pallid cheek , Where lately breath'd the sweetly-living rose ; Of sorrows past now hear her piteous speak , Of sorrows past a canzonette compose .
She sings ; ' tis melody's most plaintive strain , Big with a sigh , and usher'd with a tear , And ever and anon abridg'd by pain , And clos'd with sudden starts of" grief or fear .
And now in moody silence see she sits , Immers'd in apathy and mental gloom ; Or rous'd—bewails , or laughs , or sings by fits , Extols , condemns , or calls — she knows not whom :, That piteous object which our ears assails With groundless rage , and ceaseless discontent , Attacking with his teeth his squalid nails , Desp ' rate in thought , on subtle mischief bent :
Bright as the sun before th' approaching storm , Pie shone conspicuous in the rings of taste , But passion suffer'd reason to deform , Her fruitful soil became a dreary waste . In midnight orgies were his moments past ? Was dissipation his without controul ? The reck ' ning ' s come , and finish'd the repast ,
And pale distraction overwhelms his soul . Who's this all mirth and mummery we see , That laughs at fortune , pomp , and wealth , and pow'r ? From pride and malice as from sorrow free , The very May-fly of the frantic hour . Behold her brisk , with freakish step advance , In ev'ry gesture , ev'ry gambol shown ; * ' On tee fantastic" round and round she'll dance , And deem the fairy regions all her own .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Madness, An Elegy:
Yet her ' s the task , she strives the course to steer , With diffidence expands the vent'rous sail ; While he ' t ' rogeneous sounds distress the ear , And urge her passage through misfortune ' s vale Behold yon stately figure , child of pride , I knew him e ' er to madness thus a prey , When self-importance urg'd him to deride
And scarcely own a great Creator ' s sway . And now in all the mockery of . state , Though clad in rags , this ostentatious thing Believes around a thousand slaves await , Himself in fancy a despotic king . Thus human nature , when o ' erstretch'd by pride , Insulted Heaven most severely scans ,
Of arrogance repels th' impetuous tide , Humbles his insolence , and man unmans . All dark within , Olivia , love-lorn maid , In tatter'd vest , and with dishevell'd hair , Avoids the light , of cruel man afraid , Her haggard form the picture of despair . Ask you the cause why poor Olivia's lost
, Her spirits broke , her bosom swoln with woe ? By slighted vows and disappointment crost , Distraction tirg'd her eyes to overflow . Blushes the hectic on her pallid cheek , Where lately breath'd the sweetly-living rose ; Of sorrows past now hear her piteous speak , Of sorrows past a canzonette compose .
She sings ; ' tis melody's most plaintive strain , Big with a sigh , and usher'd with a tear , And ever and anon abridg'd by pain , And clos'd with sudden starts of" grief or fear .
And now in moody silence see she sits , Immers'd in apathy and mental gloom ; Or rous'd—bewails , or laughs , or sings by fits , Extols , condemns , or calls — she knows not whom :, That piteous object which our ears assails With groundless rage , and ceaseless discontent , Attacking with his teeth his squalid nails , Desp ' rate in thought , on subtle mischief bent :
Bright as the sun before th' approaching storm , Pie shone conspicuous in the rings of taste , But passion suffer'd reason to deform , Her fruitful soil became a dreary waste . In midnight orgies were his moments past ? Was dissipation his without controul ? The reck ' ning ' s come , and finish'd the repast ,
And pale distraction overwhelms his soul . Who's this all mirth and mummery we see , That laughs at fortune , pomp , and wealth , and pow'r ? From pride and malice as from sorrow free , The very May-fly of the frantic hour . Behold her brisk , with freakish step advance , In ev'ry gesture , ev'ry gambol shown ; * ' On tee fantastic" round and round she'll dance , And deem the fairy regions all her own .