O Fame! if I e'er took delight in thy praises, 'Twas less for the sake of thy high-sounding phrases, Than to see the bright eyes of the dear one discover The thought that I was not unworthy to love her.
Tis sweet to hear the watch dogs' honest bark - Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near home; 'Tis sweet to know there is an eye will mark - Our coming and look brighter when we come
But time strips our illusions of their hue, And one by one in turn, some grand mistake Casts off its bright skin yearly like the snake
She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes
It is a hard although a common case To find our children running restive- they In whom our brightest days we would retrace, Our little selves reform'd in finer clay, Just as old age is creeping on apace, And clouds come o'er the sunset of our day, Th