Common Sense And Genius. (French Air.)

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.