Avon & Byron - Blakes7

6 Jul 2001


      I'm grappling with Child Harold these days and so it occured to me that Avon
is in a way akin to Byron's heroes. Pale, attractive to women,
high-born(possibly), educated, world-weary, cynical, and as a rule there's a
hint that behind this mask of disinterest and cold disdain some secret past
woe is deeply buried...
Here are some lines to support my theory:
Nay, smile not at my sullen brow,
Alas! I cannot smile again;
Yet heaven avert that ever thou
Shouldst weep, and haply weep in vain.
And dost thou ask, what secret woe
I bear, coroding joy and youth?
And wilt thou vainly seek to know
A pang, ev'n thou must fail to soothe?
Through many a clime 'tis mine to go.
With many a retrospection curst;
And all my solace is to know,
Whate'er betides, I've known the worst.
What is the worst? Nay do not ask-
In pity from the search forbear;
Smile on - nor venture to unmask
Man's heart, and view the Hell that's there.
N.