Page:The Pleasures of Imagination - Akenside (1744).djvu/104

Of nature's great original we scan420
The lively child of art; while line by line,
And feature after feature we refer
To that sublime exemplar whence it stole
Those animating charms. Thus beauty's palm
Betwixt 'em wav'ring hangs: applauding love425
Doubts where to chuse; and mortal man aspires
To tempt creative praise. As when a cloud
Of gath'ring hail with limpid crusts of ice
Inclos'd and obvious to the beaming sun,
Collects his large effulgence; strait the heav'ns430
With equal flames present on either hand
The radiant visage: Persia stands at gaze,
Appall'd; and on the brink of Ganges waits
The snowy-vested seer, in Mithra's name,
To which the fragrance of the south shall burn,435
To which his warbled orisons ascend.

Such various bliss the well-tun'd heart enjoys,
Favour'd of heav'n! while plung'd in sordid cares
The unfeeling vulgar mocks the boon divine:
And harsh austerity, from whose rebuke440
Young love and smiling wonder shrink away,
Abash'd and chill of heart, with sager frowns
Condemns the fair inchantment. On, my strain,
Perhaps ev'n now, some cold, fastidious judge
Casts a disdainful eye; and calls my toil,445
And calls the love and beauty which I sing,

The