1796 13

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1796.13
Lines
Occasioned by Mr. Sheridan's Poem
On the Death of Col. Buller[1]
Anon
The European Magazine, XXIX (1796), pp. 399-400

As his own LAURA'S fond regrets require,
Lo! GENIUS wakes the long-neglected lyre;
And say, what object should the Muse attend—
A HERO lost, his LAURA'S early friend.

Vain thought! That Muse, debas'd by vulgar
rage,
Pours Party venom on the tuneful page,
And with low spleen defames a rightful cause,
From BRITAIN wrung in justice to her laws
Wrung by a race to human feelings dead,
And whom th' indignant VIRTUES weeping fled;
A race that scatters o'er the world dismay,
And blot with foulest deeds the face of day;
Deeds that, alas! involve such direful woe,
As mournful HISTORY shall blush to show!

See, too, that Muse traduce a Patriot band,
Whose timely wisdom sav'd this happy land;
And while mad Error shakes the States around,
On Truth's sure basis shall its safety found.

Can she, can LAURA, in whose features beam
Youth's gen'rous glow, approve the hideous theme;
And with those eyes, where heav'nly graces dwell,
Smile on the eulogy of France or Hell?

Recall, deluded Bard, th' injurious lay,
A purer homage to thy LAURA pay;
No more with factious spleen disgrace thy pow'rs,
Nor mingle thorns with thy Parnassian flow'rs;
But place, her empire o'er thy heart to prove,
The wreath of Friendship on the shrine of Love.