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NIGHT THE FIRST.

Life, Death,

ΟΝ

Death, and Immortality.

HUMBLY INSCRIBED

To the RIGHT HONOURABLE

ARTHUR ONSLOW, Efq;

SPEAKER of the Houfe of COMMONS.

B

THE

COMPLAINT.

NIGHT the FIRST.

IR'D Nature's fweet Reftorer, balmy Sleep!
He, like the World, his ready Vifit pays
Where Fortune fmiles; the Wretched he for-
fakes:

Swift on his downy Pinion flies from Woc, And lights on Lids unfully'd with a Tear.

From fhort (as ufual) and disturb'd Repose,
I wake: How happy they, who wake no more!
Yet that were vain, if Dreams infeft the Grave.
I wake, emerging from a Sea of Dreams
Tumultuous; where my wreck'd, defponding Thought
From Wave to Wave of fanfy'd Mifery,

At random drove, her Helm of Reason loft.
Tho' now reftor'd, 'tis only Change of Pain,
(A bitter Change!) feverer for fevere.
The Day too fhort for my Diftrefs! and Night,
Even in the Zenith of her dark Domain,
Is Sunshine, to the Colour of my Fate.
B 2

Night,

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Night, fable Goddess! from her Ebon Throne,
In raylefs Majefty, now ftretches forth
Her leaden Sceptre o'er a flumb'ring World.
Silence, how dead! and Darknefs, "how profound!
Nor Eye, nor lift'ning Ear an Object finds
Creation fleeps. "Tis, as the gen❜ral Pulfe
Of Life ftood still, and Nature made a Paufe;
An aweful Paufe! prophetic of her End.
And let her Prophecy be foon fulfill'd;
Fate! drop the Curtain; I can lofe no more.

Silence, and Darkness! folemn Sifters! Twins
From antient Night, who nurfe the tender Thought
To Reafon, and on Reafon build Refolve,
(That Column of true Majefty in Man) -
Affift me: I will thank you in the Grave;

The Grave, your Kingdom: There this Frame shall fall
A Victim facred to your dreary Shrine.

But what are ye? THOU, who didft put to Flight
Primæval Silence, when the Morning-Stars,

Exulting, fhouted o'er the rifing Ball;

O THOU! whofe Word from folid Darkness struck That Spark, the Sun; ftrike Wisdom from my Soul; My Soul, which flies to thee, her Truft, her Treasure, As Mifers to their Gold, while others reft.

Thro' this Opaque of Nature, and of Soul,
This double Night, tranfmit one pitying Ray,
To lighten, and to chear. O lead my Mind,
(A Mind that fain would wander from its Woe).
Lead it thro' various Scenes of Life, and Death;
And from each Scene, the nobleft Truths inspire.
Nor lefs infpire my Conduct, than my Song;
Teach my beft Reason, Reafon; my best Will
Teach Re&titude; and fix my firm Refolve
Wisdom to wed, and pay her long Arrear :
Nor let the Phial of thy Vengeance, pour'd
On this devoted Head, be pour'd in vain.

The

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