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Of flatterers； though she deem'd he had more sense
Than whispering foplings； or than witlings loud…
menced （from such slight things will great mence）
To feel that flattery which attracts the proud
Rather by deference than pliment；
And wins even by a delicate dissent。
And then he had good looks；… that point was carried
Nem。 con。 amongst the women； which I grieve
To say leads oft to crim。 con。 with the married…
A case which to the juries we may leave；
Since with digressions we too long have tarried。
Now though we know of old that looks deceive；
And always have done； somehow these good looks
Make more impression than the best of books。
Aurora； who look'd more on books than faces；
Was very young； although so very sage；
Admiring more Minerva than the Graces；
Especially upon a printed page。
But Virtue's self； with all her tightest laces；
Has not the natural stays of strict old age；
And Socrates； that model of all duty；
Own'd to a penchant； though discreet； for beauty。
And girls of sixteen are thus far Socratic；
But innocently so； as Socrates；
And really； if the sage sublime and Attic
At seventy years had phantasies like these；
Which Plato in his dialogues dramatic
Has shown； I know not why they should displease
In virgins… always in a modest way；
Observe； for that with me 's a 'sine qua。'
Also observe； that； like the great Lord Coke
（See Littleton）； whene'er I have express'd
Opinions two； which at first sight may look
Twin opposites； the second is the best。
Perhaps I have a third； too； in a nook；
Or none at all… which seems a sorry jest：
But if a writer should be quite consistent；
How could he possibly show things existent？
If people contradict themselves； can
Help contradicting them； and every body；
Even my veracious self？… But that 's a lie：
I never did so； never will… how should I？
He who doubts all things nothing can deny：
Truth's fountains may be clear… her streams are muddy；
And cut through such canals of contradiction；
That she must often navigate o'er fiction。
Apologue； fable； poesy； and parable；
Are false； but may he render'd also true；
By those who sow them in a land that 's arable。
'T is wonderful what fable will not do！
'T is said it makes reality more bearable：
But what 's reality？ Who has its clue？
Philosophy？ No： she too much rejects。
Religion？ Yes； but which of all her sects？
Some millions must be wrong； that 's pretty dear；
Perhaps it may turn out that all were right。
God help us！ Since we have need on our career
To keep our holy beacons always bright；
'T is time that some new prophet should appear；
Or old indulge man with a second sight。
Opinions wear out in some thousand years；
Without a small refreshment from the spheres。
But here again； why will I thus entangle
Myself with metaphysics？ None can hate
So much as I do any kind of wrangle；
And yet； such is my folly； or my fate；
I always knock my head against some angle
About the present； past； or future state。
Yet I wish well to Trojan and to Tyrian；
For I was bred a moderate Presbyterian。
But though I am a temperate theologian；
And also meek as a metaphysician；
Impartial between Tyrian and Trojan；
As Eldon on a lunatic mission…
In politics my duty is to show John
Bull something of the lower world's condition。
It makes my blood boil like the springs of Hecla；
To see men let these scoundrel sovereigns break law。
But politics； and policy； and piety；
Are topics which I sometimes introduce；
Not only for the sake of their variety；
But as subservient to a moral use；
Because my business is to dress society；
And stuff with sage that very verdant goose。
And now； that we may furnish with some matter all
Tastes； we are going to try the supernatural。
And now I will give up all argument；
And positively henceforth no temptation
Shall 'fool me to the top up of my bent：'…
Yes； I' ll begin a thorough reformation。
Indeed； I never knew what people meant
By deeming that my Muse's conversation
Was dangerous；… I think she is as harmless
As some who labour more and yet may charm less。
Grim reader！ did you ever see a ghost？
No； but you have heard… I understand… be dumb！
And don't regret the time you may have lost；
For you have got that pleasure still to e：
And do not think I mean to sneer at most
Of these things； or by ridicule benumb
That source of the sublime and the mysterious：…
For certain reasons my belief is serious。
Serious？ You laugh；… you may： that will I not；
My smiles must be sincere or not at all。
I say I do believe a haunted spot
Exists… and where？ That shall I not recall；
Because I 'd rather it should be forgot；
'Shadows the soul of Richard' may appal。
In short； upon that subject I 've some qualms very
Like those of the philosopher of Malmsbury。
The night （I sing by night… sometimes an owl；
And now and then a nightingale） is dim；
And the loud shriek of sage Minerva's fowl
Rattles around me her discordant hymn：
Old portraits from old walls upon me scowl…
I wish to heaven they would not look so grim；
The dying embers dwindle in the grate…
I think too that I have sate up too late：
And therefore； though 't is by no means my way
To rhyme at noon… when I have other things
To think of； if I ever think… I say
I feel some chilly midnight shudderings；
And prudently postpone； until mid…day；
Treating a topic which； alas！ but brings
Shadows；… but you must be in my condition
Before you learn to call this superstition。
Between two worlds life hovers like a star；
'Twixt night and morn； upon the horizon's verge。
How little do we know that which we are！
How less what we may be！ The eternal surge
Of time and tide rolls on； and bears afar
Our bubbles； as the old burst； new emerge；
Lash'd from the foam of ages； while the graves
Of empires heave but like some passing waves。
CANTO THE SIXTEENTH
。
THE antique Persians taught three useful things；
To draw the bow； to ride； and speak the truth。
This was the mode of Cyrus； best of kings…
A mode adopted since by modern youth。
Bows have they； generally with two strings；
Horses they ride without remorse or ruth；
At speaking truth perhaps they are less clever；
But draw the long bow better now than ever。
The cause of this effect； or this defect；…
'For this effect defective es by cause；'…
Is what I have not leisure to inspect；
But this I must say in my own applause；
Of all the Muses that I recollect；
Whate'er may be her follies or her flaws
In some things； mine 's beyond all contradiction
The most sincere that ever dealt in fiction。
And as she treats all things； and ne'er retreats
From any thing； this epic will contain
A wilderness of the most rare conceits；
Which you might elsewhere hope to find in vain。
'T is true there be some bitters with the sweets；
Yet mix'd so slightly； that you can't plain；
But wonder they so few are； since my tale is
'De rebus cunctis et quibusdam aliis。'
But of all truths which she has told； the most
True is that which she is about to tell。
I said it was a story of a ghost…
What then？ I only know it so befell。
Have you explored the limits of the coast；
Where all the dwellers of the earth must dwell？