THE IIEMCONIAD. 563 



From each new thought, as it escaped the rehi 



Which bound it to its prison cell — the brain. 



New laws prevail, and Polyhymnia's head 



Is crushed, or soon had been so, but she fled. 



New eras rise — nor should we prize them less 



Although we wonder at their own success ; 



All new — because the old succeeded well. 



The rising tribes with meet ambition swell ; 



New politics (but Heaven forbid that I 



Should so forget my own good policy 



As to intrude upon their "knavish tricks") ; 



Upon new schemes of wedlock statesmen fix, 



With this new " saving clause " — that, deck'd in gold. 



And costly gems, and grocery (to be sold), 



The low-born fair their proud embraces fold. 



Such is the age when rhetoric retains 



As much of rule as pride from wisdom * gains ; 



Such is the time when petticoats are true 



To each variety of Prussian blue : 



Morals and minuets have had their day. 



And galopade will pass in time away ; 



Life's pleasure wanes — the changing picture shows, 



Hypocrisy's wan daughter in blue hose. 



Some fiery duchess, or some saint serene. 



Who borrows Envy's gloves and Hilda's mien. 



And robs complexion of its healthy blush. 



As servants sweep a carpet with — a brush. 



From where the garb encloses neck and all, 



Down in one graceless sweep, their dresses fall. 



All round the confines of th'expanded waist. 



To blue-dyed stockings in neglectful taste ; 



Else soon the sect will banish sociability. 



To find a place for groveUing proud humility. f 



Pleased in the dulcet hope that future ages 



Would welcome back the spirits of our sages. 



The fair inventress of harmonious singing 



Above our sphere her airy way is winging ! 



Thus may the age of learning move or stand — 



The Muse still lingers, nor withdraws her hand. 



But if in turn life retrogrades in rank. 



Leaving Doctrina's vestige on the blank. 



To follow the unfashionable host. 



Blest Polyhymnia's spurn'd, and leaves her post. 



Or if too late she finds out the world's folly. 



She lingers on, and weeps in melancholy. 



Thus smiles the world, in one degraded mass, 



As time flows by and genial seasons pass. 



Till some might marvel that the Muse remains. 



And still smiles kindly on Britannia's plains. 



True, Polyhymnia long ago had fled, 



• Pride and wisdom are not synonymous. 



t Let me not be deemed wrong in spcakii.g of proud humility. Did any of my kind 

 ever see an out-of-place statesman cringing to those in oflfice for employ ? 

 %, or perchance drives, in his (or some friend's) carriage to his patron's door, as 

 proud as any peacock without a.talp. Pride's reign is over— humility takes the sceptre 

 — flattery weighs him down, and the beggar (in the truest sense of the word) is on his 

 knees. His request is refused— pride gains ascendancy, but still struggles for mastering 

 a slight touch of lowliness, which 1 have used. 



readers 

 He struts 



