Uploaded December 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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Henry Livingston's "Midas" Poem to Royal Wedding from his daughter Jane's Poetry Manuscript Book. Written the year before Henry's death, in 1827, when Henry was 78 years old.

The miser Midas to his store
Was anxious to add more and more -
- Poor Jupiter no peace could have
From his eternal restless CRAVE;
And his petitions wax'd so bold
He prayed whate'er he touch'd were gold:
Jove in a pet, supplied his want
And sent down Hermes with the grant.

The Save-all, Have-all, now elated
Flew to his Queen and all related
In transport took her in his arms
But found a mass of golden charms:
Amaz'd he sought his sofa's down
The sofa was metalic grown.

Affrighted now, the bell he found;
'Twas turned to gold, and could not sound.
His guards attended to his call
And rush'd en-masse into the hall
A well appointed martial band -
- He seized their leader by the hand
And beg'd assistance - But behold
The galant captain turn'd to gold.

A cup of wine he next besought
The wine was by a servant brought,
But e'er he took a single sip
A lump of gold assail'd his lip.

Dispirited and almost spent
T'was gold, and gold, where'er he went
T'ill loosd from life's enfeebled hold
He perish'd in the midst of gold.