CCXVII. What is the end of fame? 'tis but to fill Whose summit, like all hills, is lost in vapour; For this men write, speak, preach, and heroes kill, And bards burn what they call their „midnight taper," To have, when the original is dust, A name, a wretched picture, and worse bust. CCXIX. What are the hopes of man? old Egypt's King Cheops erected the first pyramid And largest, thinking it was just the thing To keep his memory whole, and mummy hid; But Somebody or other rummaging, Burglariously broke his coffin's lid: Let not a monument give you or me hopes, CCXX. But I, being fond of true philosophy, Say very often to myself,,,Alas! ,,All things that have been born were born to die, ,,And flesh (which Death mows down to hay)is grass; ,,You've pass'd your youth not so unpleasantly, ,,And if you had it o'er again 'twould pass -,,So thank your stars that matters are no worse, „And read your Bible, sir, and mind your purse." CCXXI. But for the present, gentle reader! and Each other; and if not, I shall not try Your patience further than by this short sample--'Twere well if others follow'd my example. CCXXII. ,,Go, little book, from this my solitude! ,,I cast thee on the waters, go thy ways! ,,And if, as I believe, thy vein be good, ,,The world will find thee after many days." When Southey's read, and Wordsworth understood, I can't help putting in my claim to praise The four first rhymes are Southey's every line: For God's sake, reader! take them not for mine. END OF CANTO FIRST, NOTES TO CANTO I I. Note 1, page 9, stanza v. Brave men were living before Agamemnon. HORACE. i Note 2, page 15, stanza xvii. Save thine,,incomparable oil,“ Macassar!. ,,Description des vertus incomparables de l'huile de Macassar," See the Advertisement. Note 3, page, 28, stanza xlii. Although Longinus tells us there is no hymn Where the sublime soars forth on wings more ample. See Longinus. Section 10, ἵνα μὴ ἕν τε περὶ αὐτὴν πάθος φαίνηται, παθῶν δὲ σύνοδος.“ Note 4, page 29, stanza xliv. They only add them all in an appendix. Fact. There is, or was, such an edition, with all the obnoxious epigrams of Martial placed by themselves at the end. Note 5, page 51, stanza lxxxviii. The bard I quote from does not sing amiss. Campbell's Gertrude of Wyoming, (I think) the opening of Canto II.; but quote from memory. Note 6, page 81, stanza cxlviii. Is it for this that General Count O' Reilly, Who took Algiers, declares I used him vilely? Donna Julia here made a mistake. Count Q'Reilly did not take Algiers but Algiers very nearly took him: he and his army and fleet retreated with great loss, and not much credit, from before that city in the year 17. Note 7, page 115, stanza ccxvi. My days of love are over, me no more: Jam, nec spes animi eredula mutui, Nec certare juvat mero; Nec vincire novis tempora floribus. |