4. Where once my wit, perchance, hath shone, In aid of others' let me shine; And when, alas! our brains are gone, What nobler substitute than wine? 5. Quaff while thou canst : another race, May rescue thee from earth's embrace, 6. Why not? since through life's little day Newstead Abbey, 1808. [First published in the WELL! THOU ART HAPPY.1 1 I. WELL! thou art happy, and I feel That I should thus be happy too; i. To Mrs. [erased].-[MS. L.] Το --[Imit. and Transl. Hobhouse, 1809.] 1. [These lines were written after dining at Annesley with Mr. and Mrs. Chaworth Musters. Their daughter, born 1806, and now Mrs. Hamond, of Westacre, Norfolk, is still (January, 1898) living.] For still my heart regards thy weal Warmly, as it was wont to do. 2. Thy husband's blest-and 'twill impart i. Some pangs to view his happier lot: But let them pass-Oh! how my heart Would hate him if he loved thee not! 3. When late I saw thy favourite child, I thought my jealous heart would break; But when the unconscious infant smil'd, I kiss'd it for its mother's sake. 4. I kiss'd it, and repress'd my sighs But then it had its mother's eyes, And they were all to love and me. 5.". Mary, adieu! I must away: While thou art blest I'll not repine; But near thee I can never stay; My heart would soon again be thine. i. Some pang to see my rival's lot.-[MS. L.] ii. MS. L. inserts Poor little pledge of mutual love, I would not hurt a hair of thee, 6. I deem'd that Time, I deem'd that Pride, My heart in all, save hope,—the same. 7. Yet was I calm: I knew the time My breast would thrill before thy look; But now to tremble were a crime We met, and not a nerve was shook. 8. I saw thee gaze upon my face, Yet meet with no confusion there: One only feeling couldst thou trace; The sullen calmness of despair. 9. Away! away! my early dream Remembrance never must awake: Oh! where is Lethe's fabled stream? November 2, 1808. [First published, 1809.] INSCRIPTION ON THE MONUMENT OF A WHEN some proud son of man returns to earth, The sculptor's art exhausts the pomp of woe When all is done, upon the tomb is seen, Not what he was, but what he should have been: 1. [This monument is placed in the garden of Newstead. A prose inscription precedes the verses : "Near this spot Are deposited the Remains of one And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices. Is but a just tribute to the Memory of Who was born at Newfoundland, May, 1803, Byron thus announced the death of his favourite to his friend Hodgson :-"Boatswain is dead!-he expired in a state of madness on the 18th after suffering much, yet retaining all the gentleness of his nature to the last; never attempting to do the least injury to any one near him. I have now lost everything except old Murray." In the will which the poet executed in 1811, he desired to be buried in the vault with his dog, and Joe Murray was to have the honour of making one of the party. When the poet was on his travels, a gentleman, to whom Murray showed the tomb, said, "Well, old boy, you will take your place here some twenty years hence." "I don't know that, sir," replied Joe; "if I was sure his lordship would come here I should like it well enough, but I should not like to lie alone with the dog."— Life, pp. 73, 131.] But the poor dog, in life the firmest friend, Denied in heaven the soul he held on earth : Who knows thee well must quit thee with disgust, Thy love is lust, thy friendship all a cheat, Thy smiles hypocrisy, thy words deceit ! By nature vile, ennobled but by name, Each kindred brute might bid thee blush for shame, Ye! who perchance behold this simple urn, Pass on-it honours none you wish to mourn: To mark a Friend's remains these stones arise; Newstead Abbey, October 30, 1808. [First published, 1809.] i. I knew but one unchang'd—and here he lies. [Imit. and Transl., p. 191.] |