The

HERMIT.

AR in a wild, unknown to publick view,

FA

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 chryftal well:
Remote from man, with God he pass'd the days,
Pray'r all his bus'nefs, all his pleasure praise..

1

A life fo facred, fuch ferene repose,
Seem'd heav'n itfelf, 'till one fuggeftion rofe;
That vice fhou'd triumph, virtue vice obey,
This fprung fome doubt of providence's sway:
His hopes no more a certain profpect boaft,
And all the tenour of his foul is loft:

So when a smooth expanse receives imprest
Calmn nature's image on its watry breaft,
Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow,

And skies beneath with anfw'ring colours glow:
But if a stone the gentle fea divide,

Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry fide,

And

And glimmering fragments of a broken sun,
Banks, trees, and fkies, in thick diforder run,

To clear this doubt, to know the world by fight, To find if books, or Swains, report it right;

(For yet by Swains 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 pathless grafs, And long and lonesome was the wild to pafs; But when the Southern fun had warm'd the day, A Youth came posting o'er a croffing way; His rayment decent, his complexion fair, And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair. Then near approaching, Father, hail! he cry'd,

And hail, my Son, the rev'rend Sire reply'd ;

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 rage they differ, join in heart:
Thus ftands an aged elm in ivy bound,
Thus youthful ivy clasps 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 repose:

When near the road a stately palace rofe :
There by the moon thro' ranks of trees they pafs,
Whofe verdure crown'd their floping fides of grafs.
It chanc'd the noble mafter of the dome,

Still made his house the wand'ring ftranger's home:
Yet ftill the kindness, from a thirst of praise,
Prov'd the vain flourish of expensive ease.
The pair arrive: the liv'ry'd 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

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 shake the neighb'ring wood to banish sleep.
Up rife the Guefts, obedient to the call:

An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall ;
Rich luscious 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 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 basking in the summer ray,
Disorder'd ftops to fhun the danger near,

Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear :

So feem'd the Sire; when far upon the road,
The fhining spoil his wiley partner show'd.

He stopp'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart,
And much he wifh'd, but durft not afk to part:

Murm'ring

Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard,
That generous actions meet a base reward.

While thus they pafs, the fun his glory fhrouds, The changing skies hang out their fable clouds ; A found in air prefag'd approaching rain, And beafts to covert fcud a-cross 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 unimprov❜d around; Its owner's temper, tim'rous and severe,

Unkind and griping, caus'd a defart there.

As near the Mifer's heavy doors they drew, Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew ; The nimble light'ning mix'd with show'rs began, And o'er their heads loud rolling thunder ran. Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain, Driv'n by the wind, and batter'd by the rain.` At length fome pity warm'd the master's breast, ('Twas then, his threshold first receiv'd a guest)

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