Deem not devoid of elegance the Sage, By Fancy's genuine feelings unbeguiled, Of painful Pedantry the poring child; Who turns, of these proud domes, the historic page, Now sunk by Time, and Henry's fiercer rage. Thinkst thou the warbling Muses never smiled On his lone hours? Ingenuous views engage His thoughts, on themes, unclassic falsely styled, Intent. While cloistered Piety displays Her moldering roll, the piercing eye explores New manners, and the pomp of elder days, Whence culls the pensive bard his pictured stores. Nor rough, nor barren, are the winding ways Of hoar Antiquity, but strewn with flowers. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DE GUSTIBUS' by ROBERT BROWNING ON GEORGE HERBERT'S BOOK, THE TEMPLE, SENT TO A GENTLEWOMAN by RICHARD CRASHAW EPIGRAM: 45. ON MY FIRST SON by BEN JONSON AMORETTI: 15 by EDMUND SPENSER THE STEAM-ENGINE: CANTO 10. THE RAILWAY BOOM, 1845 by T. BAKER CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 9. OF HUMILITY by WILLIAM BASSE |