While I touch the string,

  Wreathe my brows with laurel,

For the tale I sing

  Has, for once, a moral.

Common Sense, one night,

  Tho' not used to gambols,

Went out by moonlight,

  With Genius, on his rambles.

    While I touch the string, etc.

Common Sense went on,

  Many wise things saying;

While the light that shone

  Soon set Genius straying.

One his eye ne'er raised

  From the path before him;

T'other idly gazed

  On each night-cloud o'er him.

    While I touch the string, etc.

So they came, at last,

  To a shady river;

Common Sense soon past,

  Safe, as he doth ever;

While the boy, whose look

  Was in Heaven that minute.

Never saw the brook,

  But tumbled headlong in it!

    While I touch the string, etc.

How the Wise One smiled,

  When safe o'er the torrent,

At that youth, so wild,

  Dripping from the current!

Sense went home to bed;

  Genius, left to shiver

On the bank, 'tis said,

  Died of that cold river!

    While I touch the string, etc.