An
Address
to
his
Elbow-chair
,
new
cloath'd
.
By
the
late
WM.
SOMERVILE
,
Esq
;
Author
of
the
Chace
.
Written
towards
the
close
of
Mr.
Somervile's
life
.
MY
dear
companion
,
and
my
faithful
friend
!
If
Orpheus
taught
the
listening
oaks
to
bend
;
If
stones
and
rubbish
,
at
Amphion's
call
,
Danc'd
into
form
,
and
built
the
Theban
wall
;
Why
should'st
not
thou
attend
my
humble
lays
,
And
hear
my
grateful
harp
resound
thy
praise
?
True
,
thou
art
spruce
and
fine
,
a
very
beau
;
But
what
are
trappings
,
and
external
show
?
To
real
worth
alone
I
make
my
court
;
Knaves
are
my
scorn
,
and
coxcombs
are
my
sport
.
Once
I
beheld
thee
far
less
trim
and
gay
;
Ragged
,
disjointed
,
and
to
worms
a
prey
;
The
safe
retreat
of
every
lurking
mouse
;
Derided
,
shun'd
;
the
lumber
of
my
house
!
Thy
robe
,
how
chang'd
from
what
it
was
before
!
Thy
velvet
robe
,
which
pleas'd
my
sires
of
yore
!
Tis
thus
capricious
Fortune
wheels
us
round
;
Aloft
we
mount
—
then
tumble
to
the
ground
.
Yet
grateful
then
,
my
constancy
I
prov'd
;
I
knew
thy
worth
;
my
friend
in
rags
I
lov'd
!
I
lov'd
thee
,
more
;
nor
like
a
courtier
,
spurn'd
My
benefactor
,
when
the
tide
was
turn'd
.
With
conscious
shame
,
yet
frankly
,
I
confess
,
That
in
my
youthful
days
—
I
lov'd
thee
less
.
Where
vanity
,
where
pleasure
call'd
,
I
stray'd
;
And
every
wayward
appetite
obey'd
.
But
sage
experience
taught
me
how
to
prize
Myself
;
and
how
,
this
world
:
she
bade
me
rise
To
nobler
flights
,
regardless
of
a
race
Of
factious
emmets
;
pointed
where
to
place
My
bliss
,
and
lodg'd
me
in
thy
soft
embrace
.
Here
on
thy
yielding
down
I
sit
secure
;
And
,
patiently
,
what
heav'n
has
sent
,
endure
;
From
all
the
futile
cares
of
business
free
;
Not
fond
of
life
,
but
yet
content
to
be
:
Here
mark
the
fleeting
hours
;
regret
the
past
;
And
seriously
prepare
,
to
meet
the
last
.
So
safe
on
shore
the
pension'd
sailor
lies
;
And
all
the
malice
of
the
storm
defies
:
With
ease
of
body
blest
,
and
peace
of
mind
,
Pities
the
restless
crew
he
left
behind
;
Whilst
,
in
his
cell
,
he
meditates
alone
On
his
great
voyage
,
to
the
world
unknown
.