The hair in curls luxuriant now

Calls off from heavenly truth this reas’ning me, Around their temples spread;

And tellu nie I'm a brute as much as he. The tail, that whiloin hung below,

If, on sublimer wings of love and praise, Now dangled from the head.

My soul above the starry vault I raise, The head remains unchang'd within,

Lurd by some vain conceit, or shameful lust, Nor alter'd much the face;

I fag, I drop, and fluiter in the dust. It still retains its native grin,

The tow’ring lark thus, from her lofty strain, And all its oli grimace.

Stoops to an emmet, or a barley grain.

By ads erse gusts of jarring instincts tost, Thus half transforn'd, and half the same, I rove to one, now to the other coast; Jove bade then take their place

To bliss unknown my lofty soul aspires, (Restoring them their antieni cluim)

My lot unequal to my vast desires. Among the human race.

As 'mongst the binds a child of royal birth Man with contempt the brute survey'd, Finds luis high pediysee by conscious worth ; Nor would a name bestow;

So man, amongst his fellow brutes expos'd, But woman lik'd the motley breed,

Sees he's a king, but iis a king depos d. And call'd the thing a beau.

Pily him beasts! you by no law contin'd,

And barrid from devious paths by being blind; $ 304. Know Thyself: " Arbuthnot. Whilst man, through op'ning views of various What am I? how produc'd? and for what Ways end?

Confounded, by the aid of knowledge strays; Whence drew I being? to what period tend? Too weak to choose, yet choosing still in haste, Am I th'abandon'd orphan of blind chance, One moment gives the pleasure and distaste ; Dropp’d by wild atoms in disorder'd dance? Bilk'd by past minutes, while the present cloy, Or from an endless chain of causes wrought, The flate'ring future still must give the joy : Andofunthinking substance, born with thought? Not happy, but amus'd upon the road, By motion which began without a cause, And like you) thoughtless of his last abode, Supremely wise, without design or law's ? Whether next sun his being shall restrain Am I but what I seem, mere tiesh and blood? To endless nothing, happiness, or pain, A branching channel, wiili a mazy flood ? Around me, lo! the thinking thoughtless crew The purple stream that through my vesselsglides, (Bewilder'd each) iheir diff'rent paths.pursue ; Dull and unconscious flows, like common tides; Of them I ask the way; the firsi replies, The pipes through which the circling juices stray, Thou art a god; and sends me to the skies : Are not that thinking I, no more than they: Down on the iurf, the next, two two-legg'd beasi, This frame, compacted with transcendent skill There fix thy lot, thy bliss and endless rest : Of moving joints obedient to my will, Between these wide extremes the length is such, Nurs’d from the fruitful glebe, like yonder tree, I find I know too little or too much. Waxes and wastes; I call it mine, 'not me. Almighty Pow'r, by whose most wise com: New matter still the mould'ring mass sustains : . mand, The mansion chang'd, the tenant stiil remains, l' Helpless, forlorn, uncertain here I stand ; And from the fleeting strcam repair'd by food, Take this fuint glimm'ring of thyself away, Distinct, as is the swirner froin the food. · Or break into iny soul with perfect day!'

What am I then? sure as a noble birth; This said, expanded lay the sacred text, By parents' right, I own as mother, Earth; The balın, the light, the guide of souls perplex'd. But claim superior lineage by my sire, Thus the benighted traveller, that strays Who warm'd th' unthinking clod with heavenly Througis doubtful pathis, enjoys the inoming Essence divine, with lifeless clay allay'd, (fire; By double nature, double instinct sway'd : The nightly mist, and thick descending dew, With look erect, I dart my longing ere, Parting, untolds the fields and vaulted blue. Seem wing'd to part, and gain thy native sky; 1. O Truth divine! enli, btend by thy ray, I strive to mount, but strive, alas! in vaiu, • I grope and guess no more, bui see my way Tied to this massy globe with magic chain. Thou cleardse the secret of my bigh descent, Now with swift thought I range froin pole to pole, Andiold'se me what those mystic tokens meant; View worleis around their flaming centres roll: Marks of nıç birth, which I had worn in vain, What steady pow'ts their endless inotions guide Too hard for worldly sages is explain. Through the same trackless paths of' boundless Zenu's were rain, vain Epicurus' schemes, I trace the blazing comet's fiery tail, (void! · Their sistems false, delusive were their dreams; And weigh the whirling planeis in a scale ; · Unskill'd my two-fold nature to divide, (pride; These godlike thoughts while eager I pursue, • Ono nurs'd my pleasure, and one nursd my Some glitt'ring trifler offer’d to my view, * Those jarring iruths which human art beguile, A gnat, an insect of the ineanesų kind, • Thy sacred pane thus bids me reconcile. Erase the new-born image from my mind : Offspring of God, no less thy pedigree, (be, Some beastly want, craving, importunate, What thou once wert, art now, and still inay Vile as the grinning mastiff at iny gate, Thy God alone can tell, alone decree;

Fauluess

TASS:

6

Faultless thou dropp'dst from his unerring skill, Our narrow luxuries would soon be stale.
With the bare pow'r to sin, since free of will : Here these exhaustless, Nature would grow sick,
Yet charge not with thy guilt his bounteous love, And, cloy'd with pleasure, squeamishly complain
For who has pow'r to walk has pow'r to rove: That all was vanity, and life a dream.
Who acts by force impelld can nought deserre; Let nature rest : be busy for yourself,
And wisdorn short of infinite may swerve. And for your friend; be busy even in vain,
Borne on thy new-imp'd wings, thou took'st thy Rather than tease her sated appetites.
Left thy Creator, and the realins of light; [Hight, Who never fasts, nu.banquet e'er enjoys ;
Disdain’d his gentle precept to fulfil,

Who never toils or watches, never sleeps.
And thought to grow a god by doing ill: Let nature rest: and when the taste of joy
Tho' by foul guilt thy heav'nly form defac'd, Grows keen, indulge; but shun satiety.
In nature chang’d, from happy mansions chasid, 'Tis not for mortals always to be blest.
Thou still retain'st some sparks of heav'nly fire, But him the least the dull or painful hours
Too faint to mount, yet resiless to aspire ; Of life oppress, whom sober Sense conducts,
angel enough to seek thy bliss again, And Virtue, thro' this labyriuth we tread.
And brute enough to make thy search in vain. Virtue and Sense I mean not to disjoin ;
The creatures now withdraw iheir kindiy use,

Virtue and Sense are one: and, trust me, he Some fly thee, some torment, and some seduce; Who has not virtue, is not truly wise. Repast ill-suited to such diff'rent guests, Virtue (for mere Good-nature is a fool) For what thy sense desires, thy soul distastes : Is sense and spirit, with humanity: Thy lust, thy curiosity, thy pride,

'Tis sometimes angry, and its frown confounds; Carbid or indulg’d, or baulk'd or gratified, "Tis e'en vindictive, but in vengeance just. Rage on, and make thee equally unbless'd [sess'd, Knaves fain would laugh at it; some great ones In what thou want'st, and what thou hast pos- But at his heart the most undaunted son [dare ; In vain thou hop'st for bliss on this poor clod; Of fortune dreads its naine and awful charms. Return and seek thy Father and thy God; To noblest uses this determines wealth; Yet think not to regain thy native sky,

This is the solid pomp of prosperous days, Bome on the wings of vain philosophy! The peace and shelter of adversity; Mysterious passage! hid from human eyes And if you pant for glory, build your

fame Soaring you'll sink, and sinking you will rise : On this foundation, which the secret shock let hunible thoughts thy weary footsteps guide; Defies of Envy and all-sapping Time. Repair by meekness what you lost by pride. The gaudy gloss of Fortune only strikes

The vulgar eye: the sufirage of the wise, $ 305. Lessons of Wisdom. Armstrong.

The praise that's worth ambition, is attain'd

By sense alone, and dignity of mind. How 10 live happiest; how avoid the pains, Virtue, the strength and beauty of the soul, The disappointments, and disgusts of those Is the best gift of Heaven : a happiness Who would in pleasure all their tours employ; That even above the smiles and frowns of fate The precepts here of a divine old man Exalts great Nature's favorites: a wealth I could recite. Tho' old, he still retain'd

That ne'er encumbers, nor to baser hands llis manly sense, and energy of mind. Can be transferr'd: it is the only good Virtuoses and wise he was, but not severe ; Man justly boasts of, or can call his own. He still renıember'd that he once was young; Riches are oft by guilt and baseness earn'd; His

easy presence check'uno decent joy. Or dealt by chance to shield a lucky knave, Him even the dissolute adınir’d, for he Or throw a cruel sunshine on a fool. A gruceful looseness when he pleas'd put on, But for one end, one niuch neglected use, And laughing could instruct. Much had he read, Are riches worth your care (for nature's wapts Much more had seen; he studied from the life, Are few,'and without opulence supplied) Anlin th’original perus'd mankind.

This noble end is, to produce the Soul, Versid in the woes and vanities of life, To show the virtues in their fairest light; He pitied man; and much he pitied those

To make humanity the minister Whom falsely-smiling fate has curs'd with means of bounteous Providence ; and teach the breast To dissipate their days in quest of joy. That generous luxury the gols enjoy. Our aim is happiness : 'tis vours, 'tis sine, Thus, in his graver vein, the friendly Sage He said, 'tis the pursuit of all that live; Sometimes de laimi'd. Of right and wrong ke Yet few attain it, it'twas e'er attain'd. Truths as refind as ever Athens heard ; [taught But they the widest wander from the mark,

And(strange to tell!) he practis'dwrathepreach'd: Who thro' the Aaw'ry paths of saunt'ring Joy Seck this coy goddess; that fron stage to stage 9 306. The Pain arising from virtuous Emotions Invites us still, but shifts as we pursue. For, not to name the pains that pleasure brings

attended with Pleasure. Akenside. To counterpoise itself, relentless Fate

- BEHOLD the ways Forbids that we thro' gay voluptuous wilds Of Heaven's eternal destiny to man, Should ever roam; and were the l'ates more kind, For ever just, benevolent and wise :

N?

That

That Virtue's awful steps, howe'er pursued Of regal envy, strew the public way
By vexing Fortune and intrusive Pain, With allow'd ruins !-when the Muse's haunt.
Should never be divided from her chaste, The marble porch where wisdom, wont to talk
Her fair attendant, Pleasure. Need I urge With Socrates or Tully, hears no more,
Thy tardy thought through all the various round Save the hoarse jargon of contentious monks,
or this existence, that thy soft'ning soul Or female superstition's midnight pray't :-
At length may learn what energy the hand When ruthless rapine from the hand of Time
Of virtute mingles in the bitter iide

Tears the desiroying scythe, with surer blow,
Of passion swelling with distress and pain, To sweep the works of glory froin their base,
To mitigate the sharp with gracious drops Till desolation o'er the grass-grown street
Of corrial Pleasure? Ask the faithful youth, Expands his raven-wings, and up the wall,
Why the cold urn of her whom long he lov'd Wheresenate once the pride of monarchsdoom'd,
So often fills his arms; so often draws

Ilisses the gliding snake thro' hoary weeds His lonely footsteps, at the silent hour, Thatclaspthe mould'ringcolumn;-thus defac'd, To pay the mournful tribute of his tears ? Thus widely mournful when the prospect thrills O! he will tell thee, that the wealth of worlds Thy beating bosom, when the patriot's tear Should ne'er seduce his bosoin to forego Starts from thine eve, and thy extended arm That sacred hour, when, stealing from the noise In fancy hurls the ihunderbolt of Jove Of care and envy, sweet remembrance sooths To fire the impious wreath on Philip's brow, With virtue's kindest looks his aching breast, Or dash Octavius from the trophied car; And turns his tears to rapture. - Ask the crowd Sar, does thy secret soul repine to taste Which flies impatient from the village-walk The bigdistress? Or would'st thou then exchange To climb the neighb'ring cliffs, when far below Those heart-ennobling sorrows, for the lot The cruel winds have hurld upon the coast Of him who sits amid the gaudy herd Sonne hapless bark; while sacred pity melis Of mute barbarians bending to his nod, The gen'ral eye, or terror's icy hand

And bears aloft his gold-in: ested front, Smites their distorted limbs and horrent hair ; And says within himself, “ I am a king, [uoe While every mother closer to her breast “ And wherefore should the clam'rous voice of Catches her child, and, pointing where the waves “: Intrude upon mine ear?" The baleful dress Foam through the shatter'd vessel, shrieks aloud, Of these late ages, this inglorious draught As one pour wretch, that spreads his piteous arms of servitude and folly, have not yet, For succour, swallow'd by the roaring surge, Bless'd be th' Eternal Ruler of the world! As now another, dash'd against the rock, Defild to such a depth of sordid shame Drops lifeless down. O deemest ihou indeed The native honors of the human soul, No kind endearment here by nature given Vor so effac'd the image of itz sire. To mutual terror and compassion's tears ? No sweetly-melting softness which attracts,

$ 307. A Paraphrase on Psalm lxxiv. 16, 17 O'er all that edge of pain, the social pow'rs,

Miss Willians. To this their proper action and their end?- “ The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou Ask thy own heart; when at the midnight hour, " hast prepared the light and the sun. Slow through that studious gloom thy pausing eye

“ Thou hast set all the borders of the carth; thoa Led by the glimm’ring taper moves around

“ hast made summer and winter," The sacred volumes of the dead, the songs

My God! all nature owus thy sway,
Of Grecian bards, and recoris writ by Fame Thou giv'st the night, and thou the day!
For Grecian heroes, where the present pow's When all thy lovid creation wakes,
Of heaven and earth surveys th' immortal page, When morning, rich in lustre, breaks,
E’en as a Cather's blessing, while he reads And bathes in dew the op'ning flower,
The pritises of his son ; if then thy soul, To Thee we owe her fragrant hour ;
Spurning the yoke of these inglorious days, And when she pours her choral song,
Mis in their deeds and kindle with their fame: Her melodies to Thce belong!
Sus', when the prospect blackens on thy view; Or wheng in paler tints array'd,
When rooted from the base, heroic states The evening slowly spreads her shade ;
Alourn in the dust and treinble at the frown That soothing shade, that grateful gloom,
Of curs'd Ambition ; when the pious band Can more than day's enliv'ning bloom
Of youths that fought for freedom and their sires, Still es 'ry fond and vain desire,
Lie side by side in gore;- when ruffian pride And calmer, purer thoughts inspire;
Csurps the throne of justice, turns the pomp From earth the pensive spirit free,
Of public pow'r, the majesty of rule,

And lead the soften't heart to 'Thee.
The sworl, the laurel, and the purple robe, In ev'ry scene thy hands have dressid,
To slavish empty pageants, to adorn

In ev'ry form by Thee impressid, A tyrant's walk, and glitter in the cyas Upon the mountain's awful head, Of such as bow the knee; - when honor'd usns Or where the shelt'ring woods are spread; Of patriots and of chiefs, the awful bust In ev'ry note that swells the gale, And storied arch, to glut the coward race Or tuncful strcain that cheers the vale,

The

The cavern's depth, or echoing grove,

When the vast sun shall veil his golden light A voice is heard of praise, and love.

Deep in the gloom of everlasting night; As o'er thy works the scasous roll,

Whenwild, destructive Hames shall wraptheskiet And sooth, with change of bliss, the soul, When Chaos triumphs, and when Nature dies; Oh never may their smiling train

Man shall alone the wreck of worlds survive, Pass o'er the human soul iu vain!

Midst falling spheres, immortal man shall live! But oft, as on the charm we gaze',

The voice which badethe last dread thunders roll, Attune the wond'ring soul to praise ;

Shall whisper to the good, and cheer their soul. And be the joys that most we prize

God shall himself his favor'd creature guide The joys that from thy favor rise !

Where living waters pour their blissful ride,

Where the enlary'd, exulting, wond'ring mind $ 308. A Paraphrase on Isaiah xlix. 15.

Shall soar, from weakness and from guilt refin'd; Miss Villiams.

Where persectknowledge, bright with cloudless

Stall gild eternity's unmeasur'd days; (rays, “ Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she where friendship, unembitter'd by distrust

, " should not have compassion on the son of her

Shall in immortal bands unite the just; "womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not " forget thee."

Devotion, rais’d to rapture, breathe her strain,

And love in his eternal triumph reign!
HEAVEN speaks! Oh Nature, listen and rejoice!
Oh spread from pule to pole this gracious voice !

309. A Paraphrase on Matt. vii, i2. Say every breast of human frame, that proves

Miss Williams, The boundless force with which a parent loves ; “ Whatsoever ye would that men should do to Say, can a mother froin her yearning heart

you, do ye even so to them.” Bid the soft image of her child depart? (bear PRECEPT divine! 10 earth in mercy given; She! whom strong instinct arms with strength to O sacred rule of action, worthy hcaven! All forms of ill, to shield that dearest care; Whose pitying love ordain'd thie blest command She! whowith anguish stung, with madness mild, 'To bind our nature in a firmer band; Will rush on death to save her threaten'd child; Enforce each human suff'rer's strong appeal, All selfish feelings banish'd from her breast, And teach the selfish breast what others feel; Her life one aim to make another's blest Wert thou the guide of life, mankind might know When her vex'd infant to her bosom clings, A soft exemption from the worst of woe; When round her neck his cager arms he flings; No more the powerful would the weak oppress, Breathes to her listning soul his melting sigh, But tyrants learn the luxury to bless ; And lists, suffus'd with tears, his asking eye! No more would slavery bind a hopeless train Will she, for all ambition can attain, Of hunan victims in her galling chain; The charms of pleasure, or the lures of gain, Mercy the hard, the cruel heart would move Betray strong Nature's feelings? will she prove To soften mis’ry by the deeds of love; Cold to the claims of duty, and of love? And ar’rice from his hoarded treasures give, But should the mother from her yearning heart Unask'd, the liberal boon, that want might live! Bid the soft image of her child depart; Theimpious tongueof falschood then would cease When the vex'd infant to her bosom clings, To blast, with dark suggestions, virtue's peace ; When round her neck his eager arms he fings; No more would spleen or passion banish rest, Should she unpitying hear his melting sigh, And plant a pang in foud atlection's breast; And view unmoy'd the tear that fills his eye ; By one harsh word, one alter'd look, destroy Should she, for all ambition cau attain, Her peace, and wither ev'ry op'ning joy ; The charins of pleasure, or the lures of gain, Scarce can her tongue the captious wrongexplaina Betray strong Nature's feelings --should she The slight offence which gives so deep a pain! prove

Th'affected ease that slights her starting tcar, Cold to the claims of duty and of love! Thewordswhose coldness kills from lips so dear;Yet never will the God, whose word gave birth Thc hand she loves, alone can point the dart,

To von illumin'd orbs, and this fair earth; Whose hidden stingcould wound no otherhearl
Who thro' the boundless clepths of trạckless space These, of all pains the sharpest we endure,
Bade nex-wak'd beauty spread each perfect grace; The breast which now inflicts, would spring to
Yet when he form'd the vast stupendous whole, No more deserted genius then would fly [cure.
Shed his best bounties on the human soul ; To breathe in solitude his hopeless sigh;
Which reason's light illumes, which friendship No more would fortune's partial smile debase
warms,

The spirit, rich in intellectual grace; (bloom,
Which pity softens, and which virtue charmis ; Who views unmov'd from scenes where pleasures
Which feels the pure affections' gen’rous g!ow, The fame of genius sunk in mis'ry's gloom;
Shares others' joy, and bleeds for ouliers' woe - The soul heaven form’d to soar, by want depresti
Oh ne'er will the gen'ral Father prove Ner heeds the wrongs that pierce a kindred breast.
Of man forgetful, man the child of love !" Thou righteous Law, whoseclearand useful light
When all those planets in thcir ample spheres Sheds on the mind a ray divinely bright;
Have) wing'd their course, and roll'd their Condensing in one rule whate'er the sage
desun'd years;

Has proudly taught, in many a Jabor'd page;

N 3

Bid

Bid every heart thy hallowd voice revere, Thon know'st that Thou hast formed me
To justice sacred,' and to nature dear!

With passion wild and strong :

And list ning to their 'witching voice $310. Reflections on a Future State, from a Has often led me wrong. Review of Winter. Thomson.

Where human weakness bas come short, 'Tis done! dread Winter spreads his latest

Or frailty stepp'd asirie, glooms, And reigns tremendons o'er the conquer'd year.

Do Thou, All-Good! for such Thou art,

In shades of darkness ħide.
How dead the vegetable kingdom lies!
How dumb the tiineful! Horror wide extends Where with intention I hare errd,
His desolate domain. Behold, food man!

No other plea I have,
Sce here thy pictur'd life: pass some few year, But, Thou art good; and goodness still
Thy flow'ring Spring, thy Sunimer's ardent

Delighteth to forgive.
strength,
Thy sober Autumn fading into age,

§ 312. The Genealogy of Christ, as it is reproAnd pale concluding Winter comes at last, sented on the Eusi Itindow of Jl'inchestez And shuts the scene. Ah! whither now are Aed College Chapel. Written at Winton School Those dreams of greatness? those unsolid hopes liy Dr. Lowth. Of happiness? thosc longings after fame?

At once to raise our rev’sence and delight, Those restless cares? those busy bustling days ? To elevate the mind and please the sight, Those gay-spent, festive nights those vecring To poor in virtue at th' atientive eye, Thoughts

And waft the soul on wings of ecstasy ; Lost between good and ill, that shar'd thy life? For this the painter's art with nature ries, All now are vanish'd! Virtue sole survives And bids the visionary saint arise : Iminortal never failing friend of man, Who riews the sacred fornis in thought aspires, His guide to happiness on high. And see ! Catches pare zeal, and, as he gazes, fires ; 'Tis come, the glorious mom! the second birth Feels the same ardor to his breast conrey'd ; Of heaven and carth! awak'ning nature hears Is what he sees, and emulates the shade. The new-creating word, and starts to life, Thy strokes, great Artist, so sublime appear, In ev'ry heighten'd form, from pain and death They check our pleasure with an awful fear; For ever free. The great eternal scheme, While thro' the mortal line the God you trace, Involving all, and in a perfect whole

Author himself and heir of Jesse's race, Uniting as the prospect wider spreads, In raptures we admire thy bold design, To rea-on's eye refind clears up apace. And, as the subject, own the hand divine. Ye vainly wise! ye blind presuinptuous ! now, While thro’thy work the rising day shall stream, Gonfounded in the dust, adore that Pow'r So long shall last thine honor, praise, and name. And Wisdom oft arraign'd; see now the cause And may thy labors to the Muse impart Why unassuming worth in secret liv'd, Some emanation from her sister art, And died neglected: why the good man's share To animate the verse, and bid it shine In life was gall and bitterness of soul :

In colors easy, bright, and strong as thine! Why the lone widow and her orphans pin'd Supine on earth an awful figure lies, In starving solitude ; while luxury,

While softest slumbers seem to seal his eyes; In palaces, lay straining her low thought,

The hoary sire Heaven's guardian care demands, To form unreal wants; why heaven-born truth, And at his feet the watchful angel stands. And moderation fair, wore the red marks

The form august and large, the mien divide, Of superstition's scourge: why licens'd pain, Betray the founder of Messiah's line *. That cruel spoiler, that embošom'd foe, Lo! from his loins the promis'd stem ascend, Embitter'd all our bliss. Ye good distress'd! And high to Heaven its sacred boughs extend : Ye noble few! who here unbending stand Each limb productive of some hero springs, Beneath life's pressuro, yet bear up awhile, And blooms luxuriant with a race of kings. And what your bounded view, which only saw Th'eternal plant wide spreads its arms arounil

, A little part, deem'd evil, is no more; And with the mighty branch the inystic top 15 The storms of Wintry Time will quickly pass, crown'd. And one'unbounded Spring encircle all. And lo! the glories of th' illustrious line $311. A Prayer in the Prospect of Death.

At their first dawn with ripen'd splendors shine, Burns.

In David all express'd; the good, the great, O thou unknown Almighty Cause

The king, the hero, and the nian complete. Of all my hope and fear

Serene he sits, and sweeps the golden lyre, In whose dread Presence, ere an hour,

And blends the prophet's with the poet's fire. Perhaps I must appear!

See! with what art he strikes the vocal strings, If I have wander'd in those paths

The God, his theme, inspiring what he sings! Of life I ought to shun,

Hark or our ears delude us from his tongue As Something loudly in my breast

Sweet flows,orseems to flow,some heavenly song, Remonstrates I have done;

Jesse

Ob