May-Day on Parnassus.
“ Hail, bounteous May ! that dost inspire
Mirth and youth and warm desire ;
Woods and groves are of thy dressing ;
Hill and valley boast thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song,
And welcome thee, and wish thee long.”
Milton.
“ Remember us poor Mayers all,
And thus we do begin
To lead our lives in righteousness,
Or else we die in sin.
The moon shines bright, and the stars give light
A little before the day ;
So God bless you all, both great and small,
And send you a merry merry May !”
Old English Ballad.
Youths and maidens,* hear my song !1
’Twas when this world of ours was young,2
Parnassus’ sacred heights along3
The Muses went a-maying.4
Dancing round the laurel-tree,5
And singing all so jocundly,6
“Nine merry maids the Muses be !”7
To their golden harps sweet playing.8
* “ Favete linguis : carmina non priùs
Audita Musarum Sacerdos
Virginibus puerisque canto !”
Crowned with roses dripping dew,9
Amongst them danced a Paphian crew10
Of May-boys beating Love’s tattoo11
On kidskin tambours hollow.12
And she was there, the Huntress Queen,13
With buskin’d nymphs upon the green,14
But ’mongst them all no god was seen—15
Pan, Bacchus, or Apollo.16
Flora spread a banquet rare ;17
Pomona’s was the rich dessert ;18
And Hebe ever fresh and fair,19
So quickly filled the glasses,20
That long before the sun was set,21
You’d think no group of ladies yet,22
More ripe for pleasure ever met,23
Than those immortal lasses.24
As twilight fell, the dance grew hot,25
The Muses wished that each had got.26
A full-grown demigod, and not27
A little wingèd Cupid.28
“ Oh for a round of them!” they cried—29
“ A round of them!” the Nymphs replied ;30
Diana for Endymion sighed,31
And looked a little stupid.32
With looks of ill-disguised disdain,33
She tried the wantons to restrain ;34
But finding that ’twas all in vain,35
The goddess blushed and pouted.36
“ A song of love !— Thalia’s song !” —37
The cry ran through the fervent throng,38
Until Thalia thought ’twere wrong39
To keep them long about it.40
Thalia’s Lament.
Oh ! if it were the Muses’ lot all mortal maids to be,41
We’d never breathe a fickle sigh for immortality.42
We would not care on earth where’er, in palace or in cot,43
If we could claim ’midst wedded joys the matron’s happy lot.44
If each a royal princess were, or ladye of the land,45
Proud kings and nobles at our feet would kneel at our command ;46
Or a milkmaid or shepherdess, though ’twere a low degree,47
To wander each with her true-love how happy we should be!48
Clio first of all the Nine records the march of time,49
And sounds the praises of the brave in trumpet-notes sublime ;50
Thy epic lay Calliopè breathes of heroic fire,51
Euterpe plays the magic flute, fond Erato the lyre ;52
The strains of Polyhymnia both gods and mortals gladden,53
Urania and Melpomenè their hearts sublimely sadden ;54
The mimic Drama’s wide domain is ceded all to me—55
The mysteries of the graceful Dance to fair Terpsichorè.56
Our worship grace and beauty gives, and gentleness imparts57
To all who cultivate with love the Muses’ gentle Arts ;58
But if unblest for ever their guardians we must be,59
We wish that all the Fine Arts were down th’ Ægean Sea.60
The bards they are our worshippers—the heroes love us too ;61
Without each other never yet could bard or hero do.62
For want of bards and heroes the Muses sadly pine,63
From all the bards and heroes the gods might spare us nine !64
My brave one and my beautiful ! On battlefield or billow65
My breast would share by day your care, at night would be your
pillow.66
pillow.66
I’d spread your feast, your winecup fill, your armour burnish bright,67
And send you with my blessings forth to meet the foe in fight.68
With Hector or Achilles at glorious Troy divine,69
With either I could live and love, if either’s love were mine.70
With brave Æneas I could sail, Creusa left in peace,71
Or with Jason in the Argo to win the Golden Fleece.72
Drinking sweetest pastoral sounds what rapture would be mine,73
To hear the loved one’s oaken reed amongst the sheep and kine !74
With Moschus or Theocritus I’d lovingly abide75
By laurelled Grecian mountain or Sicilian river side ;76
With Sophocles the soldier-bard or the glorious Theban Swan,77
With witty Aristophanes or blythe Anacreon—78
To inspire them and fire them, or live and love the while79
With Homer, noblest of them all, on “ Scio’s rocky isle.”80
Why pine we here, with naught to cheer, nine vestals all unblest,81
Deprived of all life’s blessings, the sweetest and the best—82
Love’s joys, that fire the sons of men, their daughters fond and fair,83
Grass-browsing beast, the fish that swims, the bird that skims the air ?84
Oh ! pity us, Olympian Jove ! Melpomené * arise,85
And let thy saddest numbers touch the Ruler of the Skies ;86
Our convent-vows let him forego, and set the Muses free87
To feel the joys of Juno’s love, and be as blest as she !88
By moonlight, as Minerva strayed,89
The wanton echoes round her played,90
And wooed, though late, the Blue-eyed Maid91
To mingle in the revelry.92
“ I’ve heard,” said she, “ Thalia’s song93
Proclaim the Muses’ fancied wrong ;94
Believe me, you’d resign ere long95
The pleasures of maternity !96
“ Were each a mortal’s love to share,97
Had each a wife’s and mother’s care,98
Short period would you have to spare99
To nurse your Fine Arts tenderly.100
Your poetasters by the score101
Those sacred peaks should clamber o’er,102
A mongrel-race ! with more and more103
To follow them so teemingly.104
* “ Præcipe lugubres
Cantus, Melpolmené, cui liquidam Pater
Vocem cum citharâ dedit!”
“ Too soon you’d overrun the earth105
With lotos-eaters from their birth,106
Living for naught but love and mirth,107
And wine and wanton minstrelsy !108
Not these the hardy sons of toil,109
Who’d fell the forest, delve the soil,110
Who’d ply the oar, and win the spoil111
Of war or peaceful industry !112
“ The worldly crowd, their bread to gain,113
At vulgar toil must work amain,114
And each succeeding morn again115
Work on their useful destiny.116
Heavenborn Genius, nursed by you,117
Descends upon the favoured few,118
By me led onward to pursue119
The paths of true philosophy.120
“ To these your precious gifts dispense—121
Wit, Poesy, and Eloquence—122
All breathing the diviner sense123
Of Heaven-descended Harmony.124
These be your care, raised far above125
The mean delights of earthly love :126
These shall your nobler offspring prove—127
The sons of immortality !”128
The goddess ceased. A moment’s pause—129
Then three good rounds of high applause130
Proclaimed the triumph of her cause,131
And wisdom of her warning.132
The feast broke up—away they hied,133
All dancing down Parnassus’ side,134
And singing out, in joyful pride,135
“ We’ll not go home till morning !”136
L’Envoi.
With lust of gold and pride opprest,137
Ambition’s slaves may live unblest,138
Delusive dreams, which give no rest,139
Their hearts for ever wringing.140
From worldly cares and burthens free,141
Rich in his happy poverty,142
The Muses’ child unselfishly,143
Through life goes merrily singing.144
With naught to lose, with naught to bear145
Save staff and scrip with pilgrim’s fare,146
He’ll journey onward when and where147
His roving fate invites him.148
With laurel wreath the Muses’ choir149
Have crowned to-day his gentle lyre;150
Their May-day strains his soul inspire ;151
Their May-day dance delights him.152
Where’er your poet’s footsteps stray,153
Aonian maids, you cheer his way !154
Your pleasant waters round it play,155
Your cooling shades surround it.156
Oppression with remorseless chain,157
Or sickness may his limbs restrain ;158
His chainless mind * they tempt in vain,159
They never can confound it !160
* “Eternal spirit of the chainless mind !
Brightest in dungeons, Liberty, thou art ;
For there thy habitation is the heart—
The heart which love of thee alone can bind.”