The pleasures of imagination. A poem / In three books.

  • Mark Akenside
Date:
1754
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The pleasures of imagination. A poem / In three books. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/144 (page 24)
    And thro’ the tolling tide of chance and pain. To hold his courfe unfalt’ring, while the voice Of truth and virtue, up the fteep afcent Of nature, calls him to his high reward, 165 Th’ applaudingfmileof heav’n ? Elfe wherefore burns In mortal bofoms this unquenched hope, That breathes from day to day fublimer things. And mocks poffeflion ? wherefore darts the mind* With fuch refiltlefs ardour to embrace 17Q Majeftic forms; impatient to be free, Spurning the grofs controul of wilful might ^ * Proud of the ftrong contention of her toils 5 Proud to be daring ? Who but rather turns To heav’n’s broad fire his unconftrained view, 175 Than to the glimmering of a waxen flame ? Who that, from Alpine heights, his lab’ring eye Shoots round the wide horizon, to furvey l Nilus or Ganges rowling his bright wave 179 Thro’mountains,plains,thro’empiresblackwithfliade, And continents of fand ^ will turn his gaze To mark the windings of a fcanty rill That murmurs at his feet ? The high-born foul Difdains