The Complaint, or Night Thoughts Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825 edition. Excerpt: ...true existence is not ye begun. His glorious course was, yesterday, complete; Death, then, was welcome; yet life still is sweet. But nothing charms Lorenzo, like the firm, Undaunted breast.--And whose is that high praise t They yield to pleasure, though they danger brave, And show no fortitude, but in the field: If there they show it, 'tis for glory shown; Nor will that cordial always man their hearts. A cordial his sustains, that cannot fail: By pleasure unsubdued, unbroke by pain, He shares in that Omnipotence he trusts; All bearing, all attempting, till he falls; And when he falls, writes Vici on his shield: From magnanimity, all fear above; From nobler recompense, above applause; Which owes to man's short out-look all its charms. Backward to credit what he never felt, Lorenzo cries, --" Where shines this miracle? From what root rises this immortal man?" A root that grows not in Lorenzo's ground; The root dissect, nor wonder at the flower. He follows nature (not like thee, ) and shows us An uninverted system of a man. His appetite wears reason's golden chain, And finds, in due restraint, its luxury. See page 237, line S3 His passion, like an eagle well reclaim'd, Is taught to fly at nought, but infinite. Patient his hope, unanxious is his care, His caution fearless, and his grief (if grief The gods ordain) a stranger to despair. And why?--Because affection, more than meet, His wisdom leaves not disengaged from heaven. Those secondary goods that smile on earth. He, loving in proportion, loves in peace. They most the world enjoy, who least admire. His understanding 'scapes the common cloud Of fumes, arising from a boiling breast. His head is clear, because his heart is cool, By worldly competitions uninflamed. The moderate...