The Bijou;
or Annual of Literature and the Arts
compiled by William Fraser
London: William Pickering,
1828
| [Page 11] |  |
| I. | 1 |
| WHEN dead is all the vigour of the frame, | 2 |
| And the dull heart beats languid, notes of praise | 3 |
| May issue the desponding sprite to raise: | 4 |
| But weekly strikes the voice of slow-sent fame; | 5 |
| Empty we deem the echo of a name: | 6 |
| Inward we turn; we list no fairy lays; | 7 |
| Nor seek on golden palaces to gaze; | 8 |
| Nor wreaths from groups of smiling fair to claim! | 9 |
| Thus strange is fate:— we meet the hollow cheer, | 10 |
| When struck by age the cold insensate ear | 11 |
| No more with trembling extasy can hear, | 12 |
| But yet one thought a lasting a joy can give | 13 |
| That we, as not for self alone we live, | 14 |
| To others bore the boon, we would from them receive! | 15 |
| [Page 12] |  |
| II. | 16 |
| TEXTURE of the mightiest splendor, force and art, | 17 |
| Wove in the fine loom of the subtlest brain, | 18 |
| The brilliance of thy colours shines in vain, | 19 |
| If steeped not in the fountains of the heart! | 20 |
| If those pure waves no added strength impart, | 21 |
| If thence the web no new attraction gain, | 22 |
| Sure is the test, no genuine muse would deign | 23 |
| Her inspiration on the work to dart! | 24 |
| High intellect, magnific though thou be, | 25 |
| Yet if thou hast not power to raise the glow | 26 |
| Of grand and deep emotions, which to thee | 27 |
| Backward its own o'ershadowing hues may throw; | 28 |
| Vapid thy fruits are; barren is thy ray; | 29 |
| And worthless shall thy splendour die away! | 30 |
from The Bijou, 1828, pp. 11-12 |
 |