There, by the moon, through ranks of trees they país
Whofe verdure crown'd the floping fides of grass.
It chanc'd the noble master of the dome
Still made his houfe the wand'ring ftrangers' home;
Yet ftill the kindness, from a thirst of praise,
Prov'd the vain flourish of expenfive eafe.
The pair arrive the liv'ried fervants wait;
Their lord receives them at the pompous gate.
The table groans with coftly piles of food,
And all is more than hofpitably good.
Then, led to reft, the day's long toil they drown,
Deep funk in fleep, and filk and heaps of down.
At length 'tis morn, and at the dawn of day
Along the wide canals the zephyrs play ;
Fresh o'er the gay parterres the breezes creep,
And thake the neighbouring wood to banish fleep.
Up rife the guefts, obedient to the call:
An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall;
Rich lufcious wine a golden goblet grac'd,
Which the kind master forc'd the guests to taste.
Then, pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go;
And, but the landlord, none had cause of wo:
His cup was vanifh'd; for in fecret guise
The younger guest purloin'd the glitt'ring prize.
As one who fpies a ferpent in his way,
Glift'ning and bafking in the fummer ray,
Disorder'd, ftops to fhun the danger near,
Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear
So feem'd the fire, when far upon the road
The fhining fpoil his wily partner fhow'd.
He ftopp'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart
And much he wifh'd, but durft not ask to part:
Murmuring, he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard
That gen'rous actions meet a base reward.
While thus they pafs, the fun his glory fhrouds,
The changing fkies hang out their fable clouds ;
A found in air prefag'd approaching rain,
And beafts to covert fcud acrofs the plain.
Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat,
To feek for fhelter at a neighbouring feat.
'Twas built with turrets on a rifing ground,
And ftrong, and large, and unimprov'd around;
Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere,
Unkind and griping, caus'd a defert there.
As near the mifer's heavy doors they drew,
Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew ;
The nimble lightning mix'd with fhowers began,
And o'er their heads loud rolling thunder ran.
Here long they knock, but knock or call in vains
Driv'n by the wind and batter'd by the rain.
At length fome pity warm'd the mafter's breast ;
('Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a guest ;)
Slow creaking turns the door with jealous care,
And half he welcomes in the fhiv'ring pair.
One frugal faggot lights the naked walls,
And nature's fervour through their limbs recalls.
Bread of the coarfelt fort, with meagre wine,
(Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine;
And when the tempeft first appear'd to cease,
A ready warning bid them part in peace.
With till remark the pondering hermit view'd,
In one fo rich, a life fo poor and rude;
And why should fuch (within himself he cry'd)
Lock the loft wealth a thoufand want befide?
But what new marks of wonder foon take place,
In ev'ry fettling feature of his face,
When from his veft the young companion bore
That cup the gen'rous landlord own'd before,.
And paid profufely with the precious bowl
The tinted kindness of this churlish foul !
But now the clouds in airy tumult fly;
The fun emerging opes an azure sky;
A fresher green the fmelling leaves difplay,
And, glitt'ring as they tremble, cheer the day:
The weather courts them from the poor retreat,
And the glad mafter bolts the wary gate.
While hence they walk, the pilgrim's bofom wrought With all the travail of uncertain thought; His partner's acts without their caufe appear ; 'Twas there a vice; and feem'd a madness here : Detesting that, and pitying this, he goes, Loft and confounded with the various fhows. Now night's dim fhades again involve the sky; Again the wand'rers want a place to lie : Again they fearch, and find a lodging nigh.. The foil improv'd around, the mansion neat, And neither poorly low, nor idly great, It feem'd to speak its master's turn of mind, Content, and not for praife but virtue kind.
Hither the walkers turn with weary feet, Then blefs the mansion, and the master greet. Their greeting fair, bestow'd with modest guise, The courteous mafter hears, and thus replies:
"Without a vain, without a grudging heart,
To him, who gives us all, I yield a part;
From him vou come, for him accept it here,
A frank and fober, more than coftly cheer."
He fpoke, and bid the welcome table spread,
Then talk'd of virtue till the time of bed:
When the grave household round his hall repair,
Warn'd by a bell, and close the hours with prayer.
At length the world, renew'd by calm repofe,
Was ftrong for toil; the dappled morn arose:
Before the pilgrims part, the younger crept
Near the clof'd cradle, where an infant flept,
And writh'd his neck; the landlord's little pride,
O ftrange return! grew black, and gafp'd, and died.
Horror of horrors! what! his only fon!
How look'd our hermit when the fact was done!
Not hell, tho' hell's black jaws in funder part,
And breathe blue fire, could more affault his heart.
Confus'd and truck with filence at the deed,
He flies; but, trembling, fails to fly with fpeed.
His steps the youth purfues; the country lay
Perplex'd with roads; a fervant fhow'd the way:
A river cross'd the path; the paffage o'er
Was nice to find; the fervant trod before :
Long arms of oaks an open bridge fupply'd,
And deep the waves beneath the bending branches glide.
The youth, who feem'd to watch a time to fin,
Approach'd the carelefs guide, and thruft him in:
Plunging he falls, and rifing lifts his head;
Then flashing turns, and finks amongst the dead.
Wild fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes;
He burts the bands of fear, and madly cries;
"Detefted wretch!" But fcarce his fpeech began,
When the ftrange partner feem'd no longer man.
His youthful face grew more ferenely fweet;
His robe turn'd white, and flow'd upon his feet;
Fair rounds of radiant points inveft his hair;
Celestial odours breathe through purpled air;
And wings whofe colours glitter'd on the day,
Wide at his back their gradual plumes difplay. ·
The form ethereal burfts upon his fight,
And moves in all the majesty of light.
Tho' loud at first the pilgrim's paffion grew,
Sudden he gaz'd, and wit not what to do ;
Surprife, in fecret chains, his words fufpends,
And in a calm his fettling temper ends.
But filence here the beauteous angel broke;
The voice of mufic ravifh'd as he spoke.
"Thy pray'r, thy praife, thy life to vice unknown, In fweet memorial rife before the throne ; Thefe charms fuccefs in our bright region find, And force an angel down to calm thy mind; For this, commiffion'd, I forfook the fkyNay, ceafe to kneel-thy fellow fervant I. Then know the truth of government Divine, And let thefe fcruples be no longer thine. The Maker juftly claims that world he made : In this the right of Providence is laid. Its facred majefty through all depends On ufing fecond means to work his ends. "Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye, The Pow'r exerts his attributes on high; Your actions uses, nor controls your will; And bids the doubting fons of men be flill. What ftrange events can ftrike with more furprise, Than thofe which lately ftruck thy wond'ring eyes? Yet, taught by thefe, confefs th' Almighty just; And where you can't unriddle, learn to trust.
"The great vain man, who far'd on coftly food, Whofe life was too luxurious to be good; Who made his iv'ry ftands with goblets fhine, And forc'd his guefts to morning draughts of wine; Has, with the cup, the graceless custom loft, And still he welcomes, but with lefs of cost. "The mean fufpicious wretch, whofe bolted door Ne'er mov'd in pity to the wand'ring poor, With him I left the cup, to teach his mind That Heaven, can blefs, if mortals will be kind. Confcious of wanting worth, he views the bowl, And feels compaffion touch his grateful foul; Thus artifts melt the fullen ore of lead, With heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, And, loofe from drofs, the filver runs below.
"Long had our pious friend in virtue trod;
But now the child half wean'd his heart from God:
Child of his age, for him he liv'd in pain,
And meafur'd back his fteps to earth again.
To what exceffes had his dotage run!
But God, to fave the father, took the fon.
To all but thee, in fits he feem'd to go;
And 'twas my miniftry to deal the blow.
The poor fond parent, humbled in the duft,
Now owns in tears the punishment was just.
But how had all his fortunes felt a wrack,
Had that falfe fervant fped in fafety back!
This night his treafur'd heaps he meant to fteal,
And what a fund of charity would fail!
Thus Heav'n instructs thy mind: this trial o'er,
Depart in peace, refign, and fin no more."
On founding pinions here the youth withdrew;
The fage ftood wond'ring as the feraph flew.
Thus look'd Elifha, when, to mount on high,
His mafter took the chariot of the fky;
The fiery pomp afcending left the view;
The prophet gaz'd, and wish'd to follow too.
The bending hermit here a prayer begun;
Lord! as in heaven, on earth thy will be done.
Then, gladly turning, fought his ancient place ;
And pafs'd a life of piety and peace.
The love of the world detected.
THUS fays the prophet of the Turk:
Good Muffulman, abstain from pork:
There is a part in ev'ry fwine
No friend or follower of mine
May tafte, whate'er his inclination,
On pain of excommunication.
Such Mahomet's myfterious charge;
And thus he left the point at large.
Had he the finful part exprefs'd,
They might with fafety eat the reft:
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