O! yet those gleams of joy display,
Which brightening glow'd in Fancy's ray
When, near thy lucid urn reclined,
The Dryad, Nature, bared her breast,
And left, in naked charms imprest,
Her image on my mind.

In vain the maids of Memory fair
No more in golden visions play;
No friendship smoothes the brow of care.
No Delia's smile approves my lay.
Yet, love and friendship lost to me,
'Tis yet some joy to think of thee,

And in thy breast this mortal find;
That life, tho' stain'd with sorrow's showers,
Shall flow serene, while Virtue pours

Her sunshine on the mind.

WILLIAM KENRICK.

-1779.

Kenrick's memory will be perpetuated by the slight mention which Goldsmith makes of him in his Poem of "RETALIATION," his own efforts were not the best directed for the accomplishment of that purpose; for he lived in a state of warfare, and died unregretted by his contemporaries.

The Force of Prejudice

A FABLE.

The Hint from Helvetius.

ONCE on a time, or story lies,

A Deity forsook the skies;

And rambling, curious, up and down,
Enter'd, at length, an Africk town!

Where lived a tribe of mortals black,
With each a hump upon his back;
A burthen common to the nation
Thro' each such successive generation.

The comely God, well-shaped and fair,
March'd forward with a graceful air;
While, gathering round, the gaping throng
Wonder'd, and hooted him along.

This gave a kick, and that a thump;
All crying, Where's the fellow's hump?

The females too, among the rest,

Their detestation had express'd;

While luscious jokes were cut and crack'd,
To see a man so slender back'd;

Eager each flirt to have a fling,

At such a pale faced ugly thing.

Nay, heaven knows where their taunts had ended,
If fate the God had not befriended.

But so, it chanced, a sober sage
Advanced, revered for sense and age;
Made wise by time and observation,
His knowledge gleaned from every nation
He whites had seen, as well as blacks,
No mountains bearing on their backs;

And knew, from reason consequential,
Colour and form, were not essential.
Yet still too wise to call in doubt
The wisdom of the rabble rout:

He thus, the stranger to protect,
Address'd the mob with due respect.
"O give, my friends, your insults o'er,
"Nor vex this hapless creature more:
"What tho' before our eyes we see
"A lump of fair deformity;
"Not e'en a mole-hill on his shoulder,
"To captivate one black beholder;
"But like an unshaped log he stands,
"Unfinish'd left by Nature's hands;
"Yet mock him not, in cruel pride,
"For wanting what the Gods deny'd:
"'Tis affectation makes the fool;

"No object this of ridicule.

"It might have been your fate or mine, "To want the human hump divine ;

"And each of us, an ugly sight,

"Might have flat-shoulder'd been and white:

"If therefore heaven, to us so kind,

"Give the protub rance behind,

"Thanks to the Gods with fervour pray,

"But send this wretch unhurt away."

The mob on every word intent,

With some few murmurings gave consent;
When now the sage the God address'd
And thus dismiss'd the injured guest.

"On earth a welcome wouldst thou find, "Go hence and learn to know mankind. · "In other lands thy form and face, "May challenge comliness and grace; "But here to beauty are we blind, "If wanting of a hump behind. "Thus every nation, every tribe, "Peculiar sentiments imbibe; "And beauty, virtue, sense, lay claim "To little more than empty name; " Varied in every clime and nation, "As suits the general situation. "Hence, judging each by different rules, "They think each other knaves or fools; "While no defect or vice is known, "Unless it differs from their own.

"To turn the shafts of scorn aside, "Then take this maxim for your guide: "Go where you will, be sure to wear "The general hump the people bear :