THE POET OF THE FUTURE
Shall time to come another Shakespeare breed,
Gifted as he who doth our past illume,
Or who shall ev'n his wondrous powers exceed,
And so th' Arch-Poet's rank and fame assume?
Yes! her past exploits nature can repeat,
Though she loves best new miracles to prove,
And howsoe'er she seems our hopes to cheat
Doth ever forward to new victories move.
The Poet of the coming time shall own
A Shakespeare's wisdom, wit, sublimity,
With finer qualities before unknown
That might not in an age half-barbarous be.
One bard the spirit of the Past expressed,
The next the Future shall make manifest.
Gifted as he who doth our past illume,
Or who shall ev'n his wondrous powers exceed,
And so th' Arch-Poet's rank and fame assume?
Yes! her past exploits nature can repeat,
Though she loves best new miracles to prove,
And howsoe'er she seems our hopes to cheat
Doth ever forward to new victories move.
The Poet of the coming time shall own
A Shakespeare's wisdom, wit, sublimity,
With finer qualities before unknown
That might not in an age half-barbarous be.
One bard the spirit of the Past expressed,
The next the Future shall make manifest.