The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 221

First published in _The Courier_, September 21, 1811; included in the supplementary sheet to _Sibylline Leaves_; reprinted in _Essays on His Own Times_, iii. 995, 996, and in the Appendix to _P. W._, 1863. It was first pointed out by W. E. Henley that 'Mutual Pa.s.sion' is an adaptation of 'A Nymph's Pa.s.sion', No. V of Ben Jonson's _Underwoods_.

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UNDERWOODS

No. VI. THE HOUR-GLa.s.s.

Consider this small dust, here in the gla.s.s By atoms moved: Could you believe that this the body was Of one that loved; And in his mistress' flame playing like a fly, 5 Was turned to cinders by her eye: Yes; and in death, as life unblest, To have 't exprest, Even ashes of lovers find no rest.

THE HOUR-GLa.s.s

O think, fair maid! these sands that pa.s.s In slender threads adown this gla.s.s, Were once the body of some swain, Who lov'd too well and lov'd in vain, And let one soft sigh heave thy breast, 5 That not in life alone unblest E'en lovers' ashes find no rest.

First published in _The Courier_, August 30, 1811; included in _Essays on His Own Times_, iii. 994. Now collected for the first time.

The original is a translation of a Latin Epigram, 'Horologium Pulvereum, Tumulus Alcippi,' by Girolamo Amaltei.

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THE POETASTER. Act I, Scene 1.

O my Tibullus, Let us not blame him; for against such chances The heartiest strife of virtue is not proof.

We may read constancy and fort.i.tude To other souls; but had ourselves been struck 5 With the like planet, had our loves, like his, Been ravished from us by injurious death, And in the height and heat of our best days, It would have cracked our sinews, shrunk our veins, And made our very heart-strings jar like his. 10

Let us not blame him: for against such chances The heartiest strife of _manhood_ is _scarce_ proof.

We may read constancy and fort.i.tude To other souls--but had ourselves been struck _Even_ in the height and heat of our _keen wis.h.i.+ng_, _It might have made_ our heart-strings jar, like his.

First published as a quotation in the _Historie and Gestes of Maxilian_ contributed to _Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine_, January, 1822.

Reprinted as Fragment No. 59, _P. W._, 1893, p. 460.

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SAMUEL DANIEL

EPISTLE TO SIR THOMAS EGERTON, KNIGHT

Stanza 5

Must there be still some discord mix'd among, The harmony of men; whose mood accords Best with contention, tun'd t' a note of wrong?

That when war fails, peace must make war with words, And b' armed unto destruction ev'n as strong 5 As were in ages past our civil swords: Making as deep, although unbleeding wounds; That when as fury fails, wisdom confounds.

Stanza 14

Seeing ev'n injustice may be regular; And no proportion can there be betwixt 10 Our actions, which in endless motion are, And th' ordinances, which are always fix'd: Ten thousand laws more cannot reach so far But malice goes beyond, or lives immix'd So close with goodness, as it ever will 15 Corrupt, disguise, or counterfeit it still.

Stanza 15

And therefore did those glorious monarchs (who Divide with G.o.d the style of majesty, &c.

Stanza 5

Must there be still some discord mix'd among The harmony of men; whose mood accords Best with contention tun'd _to notes_ of wrong?

That when War fails, Peace must make war with words, _With words_ unto destruction _arm'd more_ strong 5 _Than ever were our foreign Foeman's swords_; Making as deep, _tho' not yet bleeding_ wounds?

_What War left scarless, Calumny_ confounds.

Stanza 14

_Truth lies entrapp'd where Cunning finds no bar_: _Since_ no proportion can there be betwixt 10 Our actions, which in endless motion are, And ordinances, which are always fixt.

Ten thousand Laws more cannot reach so far But Malice goes beyond, or lives _commixt_ So close with Goodness, _that_, it ever will 15 Corrupt, disguise, or counterfeit it still.

Stanza 15

And therefore _would our glorious Alfred, who Join'd with the King's the good man's Majesty, Not leave Law's labyrinth without a clue-- Gave to deep skill its just authority_,-- 20

_But the last Judgement (this his Jury's plan)-- Left to the natural sense of Work-day Man_

_Adapted from an elder Poet._

Motto to _The Friend_, Essay xiii, 1818, i. 149; 1850, i. 113.

Coleridge's alteration of, and addition to the text of Daniel's poem were first pointed out in an edition of _The Friend_, issued by H. N.

Coleridge in 1837.

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MUSOPHILUS

STANZA CXLVII.

Who will not grant, and therefore this observe, No state stands sure, but on the grounds of right, Of virtue, knowledge, judgment to preserve, And all the powers of learning requisite?

Though other s.h.i.+fts a present turn may serve, Yet in the trial they will weigh too light.

_Blind is that soul which from this truth can swerve_ No state stands sure, &c.

Motto to Essay xvi of _The Friend_, 1818, i. 190; 1850, i. 145. The alteration was first noted in 1837.