TO
ENVY.
 
DISTRACTION, Monster! seize thine every thought,
Thine every scheme be frustrate.—What of good
E’er in thy blasted yew-walks refuge sought,
And found it?—Worst hag of JEHENNEM’s* brood!
 
I hate thee more than EBLIS, sire of SIN.
Thy bloody-mantled sister, CRUELTY,
Scarce the dread work of torment does begin,
Until inflamed and goaded on by thee.
 
Thou, fiend insatiate! findst not food in HELL
To gorge thine appetite:—those hideous eyes
Range thro’ the world of man, starved wolf-like, fell,
Yet sickening close whene’er they meet the skies.
 
For HAPPINESS is there thou canst not reach,
To trouble, taint, diminish, or destroy.
How long wilt thou on earth, blasphemer! teach,
That GOD ne’er GAVE for mortals to ENJOY?
 
Unless in some delusive guise, awhile
To taste mock bliss that terminates in tears;
Or, save when wildering dreams of hope beguile,
To leave the fond heart overwhelm’d with fears.
 
Self torturing spirit! thou canst know no rest,
While ANGELS spread their MAKER’s bounties wide,
And in the act of blessing, doubly blest,
Fly from thee, far as PIETY from PRIDE!
 
Ungrateful MISER of the gifts of GOD!
Thou rather wouldst thy canker’d entrails rend,
Feel the dire scourge of TABEKH’s* fiery rod,
Than see one heavenly joy on man descend.
 
Tho’ thy dark visage mock th’ eclipsing moon,
Or locust clouds, wide-hovering, blot the stars;
Dark as the horrors of that dreadful noon,
When VENGEANCE drew the sword of KAIOMARS;*
 
Know, fiend abhorr’d! there is a power bestow’d
On generous souls, to daunt thy giant brood:
As SIMORG ANKA’s* living armour glow’d
Effulgence, that the GENI race subdued.
 
Thou dar’st not enter ACHMED’s lonely cave,
Thou canst no venom thro’ his heart diffuse,
Thou canst not plunge him in life’s stormy wave,
Thou canst not dim the sunshine of his views.
 
DEMON! thou canst not in his bosom raise
One sigh, for all that TREACHERY from him rent,
To swell A VILLAIN’s boast:—whilst rugged ways
O’er deserts led the wand’rer to CONTENT.
 
Unkindred spirits! never shall ye meet—
From ENVY, far as HAVIAT’s* gloom from Heaven,
Should ACHMED with CONTENT, his sociate sweet,
Beyond the planetary spheres be driven:
 
Thro’ lapsing ages traverse boundless space,
With all the swiftness of the light’ning’s speed:
Yet, at the utmost wild-range of his race,
Still would he find himself, like VIRTUE’s meed,
 
Embosom’d in that blest INFINITY,
To WHOM creation as a point appears
Amid the vast abyss.—ETERNITY
Thus shows how moment-like the lapse of years.
Dark FIEND, avaunt! For the world’s happiness
Let others envying pine.—CONTENT I here possess.