The Remains of Henry Kirke White

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: slight grounds the opinions of a youth must needs be founded: while they are confined to matters of speculation, they imlic-.it.', whatever their eccentricities, only an active mind; and it is only when a propensity is manifested to such principles as give a sanction to immorality, that they show something...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: slight grounds the opinions of a youth must needs be founded: while they are confined to matters of speculation, they imlic-.it.', whatever their eccentricities, only an active mind; and it is only when a propensity is manifested to such principles as give a sanction to immorality, that they show something wrong at heart. One little poem of Henry's remains, which was written in this unsettled state of mind. It exhibits much of his character, and cau excite no feelings towards him, but such as are favourable. MY OWN CHARACTER. Addressed (during Illness) to a lady. Dear Fanny, I mean, now I'm laid on the shelf, To give you a sketch?ay, a sketch of myself. 'Tis a pitiful subject, I frankly confess, And one it would puzzle a painter to dress; But however, here goes, and, as sure as a gun, I'll tell all my faults like a penitent nun; For I know, for my Fanny, before I address her, She won't be a cynical father confessor. Come, come, 'twill not do put that purling brow down; You can't for the soul of you learn how to frown. Well, first I premise, it's my honest conviction, That my breast is a chaos of all contradiction; Religious?Deistic?now loyal and warm; Then a dagger-drawn democrat hot for reform: This moment a fop, that, sententious as Titus; Democritus now, and anon Heraclitus; Now laughing and pleas'd, like a child with a rattle; Then vex'd to the soul with impertinent tattle; Now moody and sad, now unthinking and gay; To all points of the compass I veer in a day. I'm proud and disdainful to Fortune's gay child, But to Poverty's offspring submissive and mild; As rude as a boor, and as rough in dispute; Then as for politeness?oh I dear?I'm a brute I shew no respect where I never can feel it; And as for contempt...