Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-26
POETRY.
"aucH YET REMAINS uSsrSG.
(Fron the .vee York .Era.)
THE FRIEND-A sArIRicaL PARODY

(From the Men York .Era.)
THE FRIEND-A sArIRic,L PARODY
ssIAad a hat 1t not all haf."
Ihai a frend-he was not all a friend,
One Of his legs lame-and one bright eye,
Geamd companionless from us swa N, ,1;m
His shoulders too-whch some more slnaief ''''
Were of unequal height: and kindred gaze"
In fd friendly dF'g suise and walked The crowded Streets
For well i knew-,hat rough uncouth extern nv
Conceal'd soul of noble matter, "t""s"'
By hand omnicient!
4 change came DER the spirit of my friend;
1hei nnce go Brightly beamed-telling Of peace
And happiness within had passed awa vho hsd oDr
Thai citadel Of joy-his hear-now war'd
In triumph DER It's wreck-his gloomy flag; oa -
And hope fann'd by is ICY breati hau ea''e'eu w
It's whitening flowers, and Zen
a solitude where once Eden bo0med
For fortune smiled on him. and the world
Received his protered love with codness-and fepeiea
Each friendly offering with look OF scon; h.,,,
Had driven the deep fountains oil ms glowing hc
Each kindly feeling on itself to prey--or PERISH
His outward man-al innocent Of debt
Grew threadbare-ragged.an bore MARKS O aee
Cnmeet for 'sgood society,""
His soles were thin and inefficient too,
Ever like the souls of worldly minded men,
And al each step would open mouthd reproVe
Those who encased their last extremitles
These things the world liked not;
They could oerlock his being ame and halt ana olina'
So he were rich hui be blind, and halt and lame,
And also poorwas past was he cas-,
Forth from socie;y-and all The sweet aneh''es "" ~
The path OF cartil born wanderers WIN Jo''
Were unto him denied. -
Then friends grew furious that 1-unmindiul OF ADVICE
Should still associate with him-Soine
Would seize button, and in hooks and corners
Strive TO persuade me Of my want of taste;
Others with shrug significant, discourscd
OF Bedlam-strash jackets--and shorn heads
For whom. For me-for-tlat loved man
Whose soul, body, bore the impress of his Maker:
For he possessed all nobleness of heart
Honor and generosty-ha taent-cenns-
Aud that true nobility OF soul, winch toIihs
The standard of mans worth,
Yet he lwanting wealth. doomed worthless.
change came DER the of my friend;
And he who gentle AS s, ana KIND AZ genie
Grew savage and msantliropir,
uspicious--ie received
Even the attentions Of his friends with doubt,
As though he thought they too were false,
And ouly mockd him with a show OF love
The smile Of srorn-the sneer-thc c0numcly
Fast an him by the world-he knew worthless;
But they fell upon hs snu like drops OF molten lead,
And festeed there and reused the demon in his breast
And threatened &c destroy the barriers oil reason.
! saw the cond rise, and its progress watch'd;
Like the veId pillows, when the storm god sends
The agents of his will TO the EARTH sweep
In vengeance Ger the chafed and heavins main
His passions writhed with anguish
But just as the murmuring OF the thunder fell
Almost inaudlbr upon the ear
And the dim distant lightnngs Misunderstanding woe
The slormcloud broke IN peace And then he smiled
Even like infant in its sumbers. Smiled
Smiled too for very joy-ha they
Who thus could cast earth's richest gems away
Because the casket not wrought in gold
Were not his friends.
A change came DER tie fortunes Of my friend
The tickle Jade who long had strewn his path,
With histles stead of rossS--nnw grew kind ana hlled
His late consumptre bags with gold
Almost 10 bursting. Then the drones-
And moths--and butterfes-who straight cSsayed
With mimic m-lody-to praise
That which they could not comprehensive worth.
Then many limp'd who never lImpd before,
In serve imitation of my friends nlrni;y;
And specaclcs and canes came into vogue;
And men cut fortunes out of crooked sticks
So much had lameness in the land increased
And every where stood before the glass
Intent 10 learn this newest altitude
Which they had christened-not ''a Ia Greeque,"
but strange name from foreign language stofn,
For plain English could not furnish one
Melifuous enough 10 suit refined TASTE
Thus he, who late hooted ut as base
With all his rough, uncouth extern,
Limpng and crooked, with his single eye,
Now walked the earth .od-and fops and fools
Paid homage To him-for he was rich.