are born from want of thought;
From thoughts full bent, and energy, the true;
And that demands a mind in equal poise, 797
Remote from gloomy grief, and glaring joy.
Much joy not only speaks small happiness,
But happiness that shortly must expire.
Can joy, unbottom'd in reflection, stand?
And, in a tempest, can reflection live?
Can joy, like thine, secure itself an hour?
Can joy, like thine, meet accident unshock'd? 804
Or ope the door to honest poverty?
Or talk with threatening death, and not turn pale?
In such a world, and such a nature, these
Are needful fundamentals of delight:
These fundamentals give delight indeed;
Delight, pure, delicate, and durable; 810
Delight, unshaken, masculine, divine;
A constant, and a sound, but serious joy.
Is joy the daughter of severity?
It is:--yet far my doctrine from severe.
"Rejoice for ever:" it becomes a man;
Exalts, and sets him nearer to the gods.
"Rejoice for ever!" Nature cries, "Rejoice!"
And drinks to man, in her nectareous cup,
Mix'd up of delicates for every sense;
To the great Founder of the bounteous feast, 820
Drinks glory, gratitude, eternal praise;
And he that will not pledge her, is a churl.
Ill firmly to support, good fully taste,
Is the whole science of felicity:
Yet sparing pledge: her bowl is not the best
Mankind can boast.--"A rational repast;
Exertion, vigilance, a mind in arms,
A military discipline of thought,
To foil temptation in the doubtful field;
And ever-waking ardour for the right." 830
'Tis these, first give, then guard, a cheerful heart. 831
Nought that is right, think little; well aware,
What reason bids, God bids; by His command
How aggrandized, the smallest thing we do!
Thus, nothing is insipid to the wise;
To thee, insipid all, but what is mad;
Joys season'd high, and tasting strong of guilt.
"Mad! (thou reply'st, with indignation fired);
Of ancient sages proud to tread the steps,
I follow Nature."--Follow Nature still, 840
But look it be thine own: is Conscience, then,
No part of nature? Is she not supreme?
Thou regicide! Oh, raise her from the dead!
Then, follow Nature; and resemble God.
When, spite of Conscience, pleasure is pursued,
Man's nature is unnaturally