Birth-Day Ode 03
And
wouldst
thou
seek
the
low
abode
Where
PEACE
delights
to
dwell?
Pause
Traveller
on
thy
way
of
life!
With
many
a
snare
and
peril
rife
Is
that
long
labyrinth
of
road:
Dark
is
the
vale
of
years
before
Pause
Traveller
on
thy
way!
Nor
dare
the
dangerous
path
explore
Till
old
EXPERIENCE
comes
to
lend
his
leading
ray.
Not
he
who
comes
with
lanthorn
light
Shall
guide
thy
groping
pace
aright
With
faltering
feet
and
slow;
No!
let
him
rear
the
torch
on
high
And
every
maze
shall
meet
thine
eye,
And
every
snare
and
every
foe;
Then
with
steady
step
and
strong,
Traveller,
shalt
thou
march
along.
Tho'
POWER
invite
thee
to
her
hall,
Regard
not
thou
her
tempting
call
Her
splendors
meteor
glare;
Tho'
courteous
Flattery
there
await
And
Wealth
adorn
the
dome
of
State,
There
stalks
the
midnight
spectre
CARE;
PEACE,
Traveller!
does
not
sojourn
there.
If
FAME
allure
thee,
climb
not
thou
To
that
steep
mountain's
craggy
brow
Where
stands
her
stately
pile;
For
far
from
thence
does
PEACE
abide,
And
thou
shall
find
FAME'S
favouring
smile
Cold
as
the
feeble
Sun
on
Heclas
snow-clad
side,
And
Traveller!
as
thou
hopest
to
find
That
low
and
loved
abode,
Retire
thee
from
the
thronging
road
And
shun
the
mob
of
human
kind.
Ah
I
hear
how
old
EXPERIENCE
schools,
"Fly
fly
the
crowd
of
Knaves
and
Fools
"And
thou
shalt
fly
from
woe;
"The
one
thy
heedless
heart
will
greet
"With
Judas
smile,
and
thou
wilt
meet
"In
every
Fool
a
Foe!"
So
safely
mayest
thou
pass
from
these,
And
reach
secure
the
home
of
PEACE,
And
FRIENDSHIP
find
thee
there.
No
happier
state
can
mortal
know,
No
happier
lot
can
Earth
bestow
If
LOVE
thy
lot
shall
share.
Yet
still
CONTENT
with
him
may
dwell
Whom
HYMEN
will
not
bless,
And
VIRTUE
sojourn
in
the
cell
Of
HERMIT
HAPPINESS.
