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Thro' Nature's ever-varying scene,
By different ways pursued,

The one eternal end of Heaven
Is univerfal good.

With like beneficent effect

O'er flaming æther glows,

As when it tunes the linnet's voice,
Or blushes in the rofe.

By reafon taught to scorn those fears
That vulgar minds molest,
Let no fantaftic terrors break
My dear Narciffa's rest.

Thy life may all the tend'reft care
Of Providence defend;
And delegated angels round
Their guardian wings extend!
When thro' creation's vaft expanfe
The laft dread thunders roll,
Untune the concord of the fpheres,
And shake the rifing soul;
Unmov'd mayft thou the final storm
Of jarring worlds furvey,
That ufhers in the glad ferene
Of everlafting day!

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Of death beats flow! heard ye the note profound? It paufes now; and now, with rifing knell,

Flings to the hollow gale its fullen found. Yes-Coventry is dead. Attend the strain, Daughters of Albion! ye that, light as air, So oft have tripp'd in her fantaftic train,

With hearts as gay, and faces half as fair: For fhe was fair beyond your brightest bloom (This envy owns, fince now her bloom is fled); Fair as the forms that, wove in Fancy's loom, Float in light vifion round the poet's head. Whene'er with soft serenity the fmil'd,

Or caught the orient blush of quick surprise, How fweetly mutable, how brightly wild, The liquid luftre darted from her eyes! Each look, each motion, wak'd a new-born grace, That o'er her form its tranfient glory caft: Some lovelier wonder foon ufurp'd the place, Chas'd by a charm ftill lovelier than the last. That bell again! It tells us what she is;

On what the was, no more the strain prolong: Luxuriant fancy, paufe! an hour like this

Demands the tribute of a serious fong. Maria claims it from that fable bier, Where cold and wan the flumb'rerrefts her head; In ftill fmall whispers to reflection's ear

She breathes the folemn dictates of the dead. O catch the awful notes, and lift them loud! Proclaim the theme by fage, by fool, rever'd; Hear it, ye young, ye vain, ye great, ye proud!

Tis Nature fpeaks, and Nature will be heard.

Yes; ye fhall hear, and tremble as ye hear,

While, high with health, your hearts exulting E'en in the midst of pleasure's mad career, [leap; The mental monitor fhall wake and weep! For fay, than Coventry's propitious ftar,

What brighter planet on your births arofe? Or gave of fortune's gifts an ampler share, In life to lavith, or by death to lofe? Early to lofe! While, borne on busy wing, Ye fip the nectar of each varying bloom; Nor fear, while baking in the beams of spring, The wint'ry ftorm that fweeps you to the tomb; Think of her fate! revere the heavenly hand

That led her hence, tho' foon, by steps fo flow; Long at her couch Death took his patient ftand, And menac'd oft, and oft withheld the blow: To give reflection time, with lenient art, Each fond delufion from her foul to steal; Teach her from folly peaceably to part,

And wean her from a world the lov'd fo well.

Say, are ye fure his mercy fhall extend

To you so long a fpan? Alas, ye figh! [friend, Make then, while yet ye may, your God your And learn with equal cafe to fleep or die! Nor think the Mufe, whofe fober voice ye hear, Contracts with bigot frown her fullen brow; Cafts round religion's orb the mifts of fear, [glow.

Or fhades with horrors what with fmiles fhould No-she would warm you with feraphic fire, Heirs as ye are of heaven's eternal day; Would bid you boldly to that heaven afpire,

Not fink and flumber in your cells of clay. Know, ye were form'd to range yon azure field, In yon ethereal founts of blifs to lave: Force then, fecure in faith's protecting shield,

The fting from death, the vict'ry from the grave! Is this the bigot's rant? Away, ye vain,

Your hopes, your fears, in doubt, in dulnefs fteep; Go foothe your fouls, in ficknefs, grief, or pain, With the fad folace of eternal fleep!

Yet will I praise you, triflers as ye are,

More than thofe preachers of your fav'rite creed, Who proudly fwell the brazen throat of war, Who form the phalanx, bid the battle bleed, Nor with for more; who conquer but to die,

Hear, Folly, hear, and triumph in the tale! Like you they reafon, not like you enjoy

The breeze of blifs that fills your filken fail: On pleafure's glitt'ring ftream ye gaily fteer

Your little course to cold oblivion's fhore; They dare the ftorm, and thro' th' inclement year Stem the rough furge, and brave the torrent's roar. Is it for glory? That juft Fate denies :

Long muft the warrior moulder in his shroud, Ere from her trump the heaven-breath'd accents That lift the hero from the fighting crowd! [rife, Is it his grafp of empire to extend?

To curb the fury of infulting foes? Ambition, ceafe! the idle contest end: 'Tis but a kingdom thou canst win or lose. And

F 3

And why muft murder'd myriads lose their all
(If life be all), why defolation low'r
With famifh'd frown on this affrighted ball,
That thou may'ft flame the meteor of an hour?
Go, wifer ye, that flutter life away,

Crown with the mantling juice the goblet high! Weave the light dance, with feftive freedom gay, And live your moment, fince the next ye die! Yet know, vain fceptics! know, th' Almighty Mind,

Who breath'd on man a portion of his fire, Bade his free foul, by earth nor time confin'd, To heaven, to immortality afpire.

Nor fhall the pile of hope his mercy rear'd

By vain philofophy be e'er deftroy'd: Eternity, by all or with'd or fear'd,'

Shall be by all or fuffer'd or enjoy'd!

NOTE. In a book of French verfus, intitled, Oeuvres du Philofophe de Sans Souci, and lately reprinted at Berlin by authority, under the title of Poefies Diverfes, may be found an Ep.ftle to Marthal Keith, written profeffedly against the immortality of the foul. By way of fpecimen of the whole, take the following lines:

De l'avenir, cher Keith, jugeons par le paffé:
Comme avant que je fuffe il n'avoit point penfe;
De même, après ma mort, quand toutes mes parties
Par la corruption feront anéanties,
Par un même deftin il ne penfera plus!
Non, rien n'eft plus certain, foyons en convaincu.
It is to this Epistle that the latter part of the
Elegy alludes.

§ 108. Elegy to a young Nobleman leaving the

Univerfity. MASON.

ERE yet, ingenuous youth, thy fteps retire [vale, From Cam's fmooth margin, and the peaceful Whère fcience call'd thee to her ftudious quire, And met thee musing in her cloisters pale; Olet thy friend (and may he boast the name!) Breathe from his artlefs reed one parting lay: A lay like this thy early virtues claim,

And this let voluntary friendship pay. Yet know, the time arrives, the dang'rous time, When all thofe virtues, op'ning now fo fair, Tranfplanted to the world's tempeftuous clime, Muft learn each paffion's boift'rous breath to bear;

There, if ambition, peftilent and pale,

Or luxury fhould taint their vernal glow; If cold felf-intereft, with her chilling gale, Should blaft th'unfolding bloffomsere they blow; If mimic hues, by art or fashion spread,

Their genuine fimple colouring fhould fupply; O may with them thefe laureate honours fade, And with them (if it can) my friendship die! Then do not blame, if, tho' thyself inspire, Cautious I ftrike the panegyric ftring; The Mufe full oft purfues a meteor fire, And, vainly vent'rous, foars on waxen wing:

Too actively awake at friendship's voice,
The poet's bofom pours the fervent strain,
Till fad reflection blames the hafty choice,

And oft invokes oblivion's aid in vain.
Call we the fhade of Pope from that left bow'r,
Where thron'd he fits with many a tuneful fage;
Afk, if he ne'er bemoans that hapless hour
When St. John's name illumin'd glory's page.
Afk, if the wretch, who dar'd his mem'ry ftain ;
Aik, if his country's, his religion's foe,
Deferv'd the meed that Marlbro' fail'd to gain
The deathlefs meed he only could bestow:
The bard will tell thee, the mifguided praife
Clouds the celeftial funfhine of his breaft;
E'en now, repentant of his erring lays,

He heaves a figh amid the realms of reft. If Pope thro' friendship fair'd, indignant view, Yet pity, Dryden-hark, whene'er he fings, How adulation drops her courtly dew

On titled rhymers and inglorious kings! Sec, from the depths of his exhauftlefs mine, His glitt'ring ftores the tuneful spendthrift

throws:

Where fear or int'reft bids, behold they fhine;

Now grace a Cromwell's,now a Charles's brows. Born with too gen'rous or too mean a heart,

Dryden in vain to thee those stores were lent; Thy fweeteft numbers but a trifling art;

Thy ftrongeft diction idly eloquent.
The fimpleft lyre, if truth directs its lays,
Warbles a melody ne'er heard from thine:
Not to difguft with falfe or venal praife,

Was Parnell's modest faine, and may be mine

Go then, my friend, nor let thy candid breaft

Condemn me, if I check the plaufive string: Go to the wayward world; complete the reft;

Be ftill thyfelf: that open path of truth,
Be what the pureft mufe would wish to fing.

Which led thee here, let manhood firm pursue; Retain the feet fimplicity of youth;

Still fcorn, with confcious pride, the mask of art;
And all thy virtue dictates, dare to do.
On vice's front let fearful caution low'r;
And teach the diffident, difcreeter part [pow'r.

Of knaves that plot, and fools that fawn for So, round thy brow when age's honours fpread, When death's cold hand unftrings thy Mafon's When the green turf lies lightly on his head, [lyre, Thy worth fhall fome fuperior bard inspire: He to the ampleft bounds of time's domain

On rapture's plume fhall give thy name to fly; For truft, with rev'rence truft, this Sabine ftrain,

"The Mufe forbids the virtuous man to die.'

$109. The Choice of Hercules: from the Greek of Prodicus. Bp. LowтH.

NOW had the fon of Jove, mature, attain'd

The joyful prime; when youth, clate and gay, Steps into life, and follows unreftrain'd Where patlion leads, or prudencepoints the way.

In the pure mind, at those ambiguous years,
Or vice, rank weed, firft ftrikes her pois'nous
Or haply virtue's op'ning bud appears [root;

By just degrees, fair bloom of faireft fruit! For, if on youth's untainted thought impreft, The gen'rous purpose still fhall warm the manly breaft.

As on a day, reflecting on his age

For highest deeds now ripe, Alcides fought
Retirement, nurse of contemplatiɔn fage,
Step following step, and thought fucceeding
thought;

Mafing, with fteady pace the youth purfued
His walk, and loft in meditation ftray'd
Far in a lonely vale, with folitude

Converting, while intent his mind furvey'd The dubious path of life: before him lay, [way. Here virtue's rough afcent, there pleasures flow'ry Much did the view divide his wav'ring mind: Now glow'd his breaft with gen'rous thirft of Now love of eafe to fofterthoughts inclia'd [fame; His vielding foul, and quench'd the rifing, flame: When, lo! far off two female forms he pics; Direct to him their steps they seem to bear; Both large and tall, exceeding human fize;

Both, far exceeding human beauty, fair. Graceful, yet each with different grace they move; This ftriking facred awe; that, fofter winning love. The first in native dignity furpafs'd;

Artiefs and unadorn'd the pleas'd the more; Health o'er her looks a genuine luftre caft;

A vet more white than new-fallen fhow fhe August she trod, yet modeft was her air; [wore: Serene her eye, yet darting heavenly fire. Still the drew near; and nearer ftill more fair, More mild, appear d: yet fuch as might infpire Pleafure corrected with an awful fear; Majefically fweet, and amiably fevere. The other dame feem'd even of fairer hue; But bold her mien, unguarded rov'd her eye, And her flush'd cheeks confefs'd at nearer view The borrow'd blushes of an artful dye. All foft and delicate, with airy fwim

Lightly the danc'd along; her robe betray'd Thro' the clear texture every tender limb,

Height'ning the charms it only feem'd to shade : And as it flow'd adown, fo loofe and thin, [ikin. Her ftature fhew'd more tall,more fhowy white her Oft with a fmile fhe view'd her felf afkance;

Even on her fhade a confcious look the threw: Then all around her caft a carclets glance,

To mark what gazing eyes her beauty drew. As they came near, before that other maid

With me retire from noife, and pain, and care,
Embath'd in blifs, and wrapt in endless ease:
Rough is the road to fame, thro' blood and war;
Smooth is my way, and all my paths are peace.
With me retire, from toils and perils free,
Leave honour to the wretch! pleasures were made
for thee.

Then will I grant thee all thy foul's defire; [fight;

All that may charm thine car, and please thy All that the thought can frame, or with require, To fteep thy ravifh'd fenfes in delight: The fumptuous feaft, enhanc'dwith mufic's found, Fittelt to tune the melting foul to love, Rich odours, breathing choiceft fweets around;

The fragrant bow'r, cool fountain, thady grove; Freth flow'rs to ftrew thy couch, and crown thy head: [thy bed,

Joy fhall attend thy steps, and cafe fhall fimooth Thefe will I freely, conftantly fupply,

Pleatures not earn'd with toil, nor mix'd with Far from thy reft repiaing want fhall fly, [woe; Nor labour bathe in fweat thy careful brow. Mature the copious harveft fhall be thine,

Let the laborious hind fubdue the foil; Leave the rath foldier fpoils of war to win,

Won by the foldier thou shalt fhare the spoil: Thefe foffer cares my beft allies employ, New pleafures to invent, to wifh, and to enjoy." Her winning voice the youth attentive caught: He gaz'd impatient on the fmiling maid; Still gaz'd, and liften'd; then her name befought: My name, fair youth, is Happinefs," the faid: "Well can my friends this envied truth maintain; They share myblifs,they beft can fpeak my praise; Tho' Slander call me Sloth (detraction vain!)

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'Heed not what Slander, vain detracter, fays; Slander, ftill prompt true merit to defame, [name." To blot the brightest worth, and blaft the fairest By this arriv'd the fair majeftic maid;

She all the while, with the fame modeft pace,
Compos'd advanc'd: "Know, Hercules," the faid

With manly tone, "thy birth of heavenly race:
Thy tender age, that lov'd inftruction's voice,
Promis'd thee generous, patient,brave,and wife;
When manhoodhould confirm thy glorious choice
Now expectation waits to fee thee rife.
Rife, youth! exalt thyfelf and me; approve
Thy high defcent from heaven,and dare be worthy
Jove.
[disguise :
But what truth prompts, my tongue fhall not
The steep afcent must be with toil fubdued;
Watching and cares muft win the lofty prize
Propos'd by Heaven-true blifs and real good.
Honour rewards the brave and bold alone;

She fpurns the timorous, indolent, and base: ad-Danger and toil stand stern before her throne,

Approaching decent, eagerly fhe prefs'd With hafty ftep; nor of repulfe afraid, [drefs'd; With freedom bland the wond'ring youth With winning fondnefs on his neck the hung; Sweet as the honey-dew flow'd her enchanting

tongue :

"Dear Hercules, whence this unkind delay? Dear youth, what doubts can thus diftract thy Securely follow where I lead the way, [mind? And range thro' wilds of pleafure unconfin'd.

And guard (fo Jove commands) the facred place: Whofecks her muft the mighty cost fustaia, [pain. And pay the price of fame-labour, and care, an Would't thou engage the gods peculiar care? O Hercules, th' immortal pow's adore! With a pure heart, with facrince, and pray'r Attend their altars, and their aid implore.

Or, wouldst thou gain thy country's loud applaufe, | Tho' lull'd with fofteft founds thou lieft along,
Lov'd as her father, as her god ador'd?
Be thou the bold afferter of her caufe;

Her voice in council, in the fight her sword: In peace, in war, purfue thy country's good; For her bare thy bold breast, and pour thy generous blood.

Wouldst thou,to quell the proud and lift th'oppreft, In arts of war and matchless strength excel? First conquer thou thyfelf: to cafe, to reft,

To each foft thought of pleasure, bid farewel. The night alternate, due to sweet repose,

In watches wafte; in painful march, the day: Congeal'd amidst the rigorous winter's fnows, Scorch'd by the fummer's thirst-inflaming ray. Thy harden'd limbs fhall boaft fuperior might: Vigour fhall brace thine arm, refiftlefs in the fight." "Hear'ft thou what monfters then thou must engage? [prove?" What dangers, gentle youth, fhe bids thee (Abrupt fays Sloth)" Ill fit thy tender age Tumult and wars, fit age for joy and love. Turn, gentle youth, to me, to love, and joy! To thefe I lead: no monsters here shall stay Thine cafy courfe; no cares thy peace annoy; I lead to blifs a nearer, fmoother way: Short is my way, fair, eafy, fmooth, and plain: Turn, gentle youth-with me eternal pleafures reign."

"What pleasures,vain mistaken wretch, are thine?" (Virtue with fcorn replied) "who fleep'ft in cafe Infenfate; whofe foft limbs the toil decline

That feafons blifs, and makes enjoyment please: Draining the copious bowl ere thirst require; Feafting ere hunger to the feaft invite; Whofe taftelels joys anticipate defire,

Whom luxury fupplics with appetite: Yet nature loaths, and you employ in vain Variety and art to conquer her disdain.

The fparkling nectar, cool'd with summer fnows, The dainty board with choicest viands fpread, To thee are taftelefs all! fincere repofe

Flies from thy flow'ry couch and downy bed. For thou art only tir'd with indolence;

Nor is thy fleep with toil and labour bought, Th' imperfect fleep, that lulls thy languid fenfe In dull oblivious interval of thought; That kindly fteals th inactive hours away [the day. From the long ling ring fpace, that lengthens out From bountcous nature's unexhausted stores

Flows the pure fountain of fincere delights: Averfe to her, you wafte the joy lefs hours; Sleep drowns thy days,and riot rules thy nights. Immortal tho' thou art, indignant Jove [place, Hurl'd thee from heaven, th' immortals blifsful For ever banish'd from the realms above,

To dwell on earth with man's degenerate race: Fitter abode on earth alike difgrac'd; Rejected by the wife, and by the fool embrac'd. Fond wretch, that vainly weeneft all delight To gratify the fenfe, referv'd for thee! Yet the most pleasing object to the fight,

Thine own fair action, never didst thou fee.

Soft mufic, warbling voices, melting lays; Ne'er didft thou hear, more sweet than sweetest fong Charming the foul,thou ne'er didft hearthy praife! No to thy revels let the fool repair; To fuch go fmooth thy fpeech, and spread thỵ tempting fnare.

Vaft happiness enjoy thy gay allies!

A youth of follies, an old age of cares; Young yet enervate, old yet never wife, Vice wastes their vigour, and their mind impairs. Vain, idle, delicate, in thoughtless cafe,

Referving woes for age, their prime they spend; All wretched, hopeless, in the evil days,

With forrow to the verge of life they tend. Griev'd with the prefent, of the paft asham'd, They live and are defpis'd; they die, nor more

are nam'd.

But with the gods, and godlike men, I dwell;
Me, his fupreme delight, th' Almighty Sire
Regards well pleas'd: whatever works excel,
All, or divine or human, I infpire.
Counsel with strength, and industry with art,
In union meet conjoin'd, with me refide:
My dictates arm, inftruct, and mend the heart,
The fureft policy, the wifeft guide.
With me true friendship dwells: the deigns to bind
Thofe generous fouls alone, whom I before have
Nor need my friends the various coftly feaft; [join'd.
Hunger to them th' effects of art fupplies;
Labour prepares their weary limbs to reft; [rife.

Sweet is their fleep; light, cheerful, ftrong, they Thro' health, thro' joy, thro' pleafure, and renown They tread my paths; and by a foft defcent At length to age all gently finking down,

Look back with tranfport on a life well spent; In which no hour flew unimprov'd away; Inwhich fome gen'rous deed diftinguish'dev'ry day, And when, the deftin'd term at lengths complete, Their afhes reft in peace, eternal fame Sounds wide their praise : triumphant over fate, In facred fong for ever lives their name. This, Hercules, is happinefs! obey

My voice, and live: let thy celeftial birth Lift and enlarge thy thoughts: behold the way That leads to fame, and raifes thee from earth Immortal! Lo, I guide thy fteps. Arife, Purfue the glorious path,and claim thy native skies." Her words breathe fire celeftial, and impart

New vigour to his foul, that fudden caught The generous flame: with great intent his heart Swells full, and labours with exalted thought. The mift of error from his eyes difpell'd,

Thro' all her fraudful arts, in cleareft light, Sloth in her native form he now beheld;

Unveil'd she stood confefs'd before his fight: False Siren!—All her vaunted charms, that thone So fresh erewhile and fair, now wither'd, pale, and gone.

No more the rofy bloom in fweet difguife

Masks her diffembled looks; each borrow'd grace Leaves her wan cheek; pale fickness clouds her eyes Livid and funk, and paffions dim her face. As

As when fair Iris has awhile difplay'd
Her wat'ry arch, with gaudy painture gay,
While yet we gaze the glorious colours fade,
And from our wonder gently steal away:
Where thone the beauteous phantom erst so bright,
Now low'rs the low-hung cloud, all gloomy to
the fight.

But Virtue, more engaging, all the while
Difcios'd new charms, more lovely, more ferene,
Beaming sweet influence: a milder smile
Soften'd the terrors of her lofty mien.
"Lead, goddefs; I am thine!" transported cried
Alcides; "O propitious pow'r, thy way
Teach me poffefs my foul! be thou my guide:
From thee oh never, never let me stray!"
While ardent thus the youth his vows addrefs'd,
With all the goddess fill'd, already glow'd his

breaft.

The heavenly maid with ftrength divine endued
His daring foul; there all her pow'rs combin'd:
Firm conftancy, undaunted fortitude,

Enduring patience, arm'd his mighty mind.
Unmov'd in toils, in dangers undifmay'd,

By many a hardy deed and bold emprize, From fierceft monsters, thro' her pow'rful aid, He freed the earth! thro' her he gain'd the fkies. 'Twas virtue plac'd him in the bleft abode; Crown'd with eternal youth, among the gods a god.

FAR

§ 110. The Hermit. PARNELL.
AR in a wild, unknown to public view,
From youth to age a rev'rend Hermit grew;
The mofs his bed, the cave his humble cell,
His food the fruits, his drink the cryftal well:
Remote from man, with God he pass'd his days,
Pray'r all his bufinefs, all his pleasure praife.

Á life fo facred, fuch ferene repofe,
Seem'd heaven itfelf, till one fuggeftion rofe-
That vice fhould triumph, virtue vice obey;
This fprung fome doubt of Providence's fway:
His hopes no more a certain prospect boast,
And all the tenour of his fout is loft.
So when a smooth expanfe receives impreft
Calm nature's image on its wat'ry breast,
Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow,
And skies beneath with anfw'ring colours glow:
But if a ftone the gentle fea divide,
Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry fide,
And glimm ring fragments of a broken fun;
Banks, trees, and skies, in thick disorder run.
To clear this doubt,to know the world by fight,
To find if books or fwains report it right
(For yet by fwains alone the world he knew,
Whofe feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew),
He quits his cell; the pilgrim-ftaff he bore,
And fix'd the fcallop in his hat before;
Then with the fun a rifing journey went,
Sedate to think, and watching each event.

The morn was wafted in the pathlefs grafs,
And long and lonefome was the wild to pafs:
But when the fouthern fun had warm'd the day,
A youth came pofting o'er a croffing way;

His raiment decent, his complexion fair,
And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair:
Then near approaching, "Father, hail!" he cried;
And "Hail, my fon! the rev'rend fire replied:
Words follow'd words, from question answer
flow'd,

And talk of various kind deceiv'd the road;
Till each with other pleas'd, and loth to part,
While in their age they differ, join in heart.
Thus ftands an aged efm in ivy bound,
Thus youthful ivy clafps an elm around.

Now funk the fun; the clofing hour of day
Came onward, mantled o'er with fober grey;
Nature in filence bid the world repofe:
When near the road a stately palace rofe. [pafs,
There, by the moon, through ranks of trees they
Whofe verdure crown'd the floping fides of grafs.
It chanc'd the noble mafter of the dome
Still made his houfe the wand'ring ftranger's home;
Yet ftill the kindness, from a thirit of praife,
Prov'd the vain flourish of expenfive cafe.
The pair arrive: the liveried 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 sleep.
Up rife the guests, obedient to the call;
An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall;
Rich lufcious wine a golden geblet grac'd,
Which the kind mafter forc'd the guests to tafte.
Then, picas'd and thankful, from the porch they
go;

And, but the landlord, none had caufe of woe:
His cup was vanifh'd; for in fecret guife
The younger gueft 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 faintness on, and looks with fear;
So feem'd the fire, when far upon the road
The thining fpoil his wily partner fhow'd. [heart,
He ftopp'd with filence, walk'd with trembling
And much he with'd, but durft not ask, to part:
Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard
That gen'rous actions meet a bafe 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 feud acrofs the plain.
Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat
To feek for shelter at a neighb'ring feat:
'Twas built with turrets on a rifing ground,
And strong, and large, and unimproved around;
Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere,
Unkind and griping, caus'd a defert there.
As near the miler's heavy doors they dew,
Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew;
The nimble lightning mix'd with fhow'rs began,
And o'er their heads loud rolling thunder ra

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