John Brett. Portrait of Christina Rossetti. 1857.
The Bijou

The Bijou;

or Annual of Literature and the Arts

compiled by William Fraser

London: William Pickering,

1828

pp. pp. 112-113
[Page 112]page image and link
Anacreontic
By T.K. Hervey, Esq.
THE moon is forth! — and while the cars 1
Of night are out, we will not sleep, 2
Send round the bowl, and shew the stars 3
The vigils earthly spirits keep! — 4
And if the vines, in yonder sky, 5
Drop for their train such purple tears, 6
The poet's tale should be no lie, 7
Which paints them singing in their spheres! 8

Shall we, because Hope's fount is dry, 9
Shun every fount that soothes the soul? — 10
The pang that blights the heart and eye 11
Was never gathered from the bowl! 12
If looks be dim, that once were bright, 13
To weep will hardly make them brighter, 14
And if our hearts be far from light, 15
At least, we'll strive to make them lighter! 16

[Page 113]page image and link
Fill high the glass! — to- night, we'll try, 17
For once, to make a truce with sorrow, 18
And they who think it wise to sigh, 19
May smile to- night — and sigh to- morrow; — 20
But we, who love the better mood, 21
To gather gladness where we may, 22
Will hail, across this purple flood, 23
The dawning of a brighter day. 24