Читать книгу English Poets of the Eighteenth Century - Various - Страница 34

That life may be more comfortable yet,

And all my joys refined, sincere, and great;

I'd choose two friends, whose company would be

A great advance to my felicity:

Well-born, of humours suited to my own,

Discreet, that men as well as books have known;

Brave, generous, witty, and exactly free

From loose behaviour or formality;

Airy and prudent, merry but not light;

Quick in discerning; and in judging, right;

They should be secret, faithful to their trust,

In reasoning cool, strong, temperate, and just;

Obliging, open, without huffing, brave;

Brisk in gay talking, and in sober, grave;

Close in dispute, but not tenacious; tried

By solemn reason, and let that decide;

Not prone to lust, revenge, or envious hate;

Nor busy meddlers with intrigues of state;

Strangers to slander, and sworn foes to spite,

Not quarrelsome, but stout enough to fight;

Loyal and pious, friends to Caesar; true

As dying martyrs to their Makers too.

In their society I could not miss

A permanent, sincere, substantial bliss.