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But dreadful is their doom, whom doubt hath driven To cenfure Fate, and pious Hope forego: Like yonder plated boughs by lightening riven, Perfection, beauty, life, they never know, But frown on all that país, a monument of wo.

XLIX.

Shall he, whofe birth, maturity, and age,
Scarce fill the circle of one fummer-day,
Shall the poor gnat with discontent and rage
Exclaim, that Nature haftens to decay,
If but a cloud obftruct the folar ray,
If but a momentary shower defcend!

Or fhall frail man Heaven's dread decree gainfay,
Which bade the series of events extend

Wide through unnumber'd worlds, and ages without end!

L.

One part, one little part, we dimly fcan Through the dark medium of life's feverish dream; Yet dare arraign the whole ftupendous plan, If but that little part incongruous feem. Nor is that part perhaps what mortals deem; Oft from apparent ill our bleffings rife. O then renounce that impious felf-esteem, That aims to trace the fecrets of the fkies; For thou art but of duft; be humble, and be wife.

LI.

Thus Heaven enlarged his foul in riper years.
For Nature gave him ftrength, and fire, to foar,
On Fancy's wing, above this vale of tears;
Where dark cold-hearted feeptics, creeping pore
Through microfcope of metaphyfic lore:
And much they grope for truth, but never hit.
For why? their powers, inadequate before,
This art prepofterous renders more unfit ;

Yet deem they darknefs light, and their vain blunders

wit.

C 2

LII.

Nor was this ancient dame a foe to mirth. Her ballad, jet, and riddle's quaint device Oft chear'd the fhepherds round her focial hearth; Whon levity or fpleen could ne'er entice To purchafe chat or laughter at the price Of decency. Nor let it faith exceed, That Nature forms a ruftic tafte fo nice.Ah! had they been of court or city breed, Such delicacy were right marvellous indeed.

LIII.

Oft when the winter ftorm had ceas'd to rave, He roam'd the fnowy waste at even, to view The cloud ftupendous, from th' Atlantic wave High-towering, fail along the horizon blue : Where 'midft the changeful fcenery ever new Fancy a thousand wondrous forms defcries More wildly great than ever pencil drew, Rocks, torrents, gulfs, and fhapes of giant fize; And glittering cliffs on cliffs, and fiery ramparts rife.

LIV.

Thence mufing onward to the founding fore,
The lone enthufialt oft would take his way,
Liftening with pleafing dread to the deep roar
Of the wild-weltering waves.
In black array

When fulphurous clouds roll'd on the vernal day,
Even then he hafted from the haunt of man,
Along the darkening wilderness to ftray,

What time the lightening's fierce career began,
And o'er heaven's rending arch the rattling thunder ran.

LV.

Refponfive to the fprightly pipe when all

In fprightly dance the village-youth were join'd,
Edwin, of melody aye held in thrall,

From the rude gambol far remote reclined,
Sooth'd with the foft notes warbling in the wind.
Ah then, all jollity feem'd noife and folly.

To the pure foul by Fancy's fire refined, Ah what is mirth but turbulence unholy, When with the charm compared of heavenly melancholy!

LVI.

Is there a heart that mufic cannot melt ?
Ah me! how is that rugged heart forlorn!
Is there who ne'er thofe myftic transports felt
Of folitude and melancholy born?

He needs not woo the Mufe; he is her fcorn.
The fophift's rope of cobweb he fhall twine;
Mope o'er the fchoolman's peevish page; or mourn,
And delve for life, in Mammon's dirty mine;
Sneak with the fcoundrel fox, or grunt with glutton fwine,

LVII.

For Edwin Fate a nobler doom had plann'd:
Song was his favourite and first purfuit.
The wild harp rang to his adventurous hand,
And languish'd to his breath the plaintive flute,
His infant mufe, though artlefs, was not mute:
Of elegance as yet he took no care;

For this of time and culture is the fruit;
And Edwin gain'd at laft this fruit fo rare:
As in fome future verfe I purpofe to declare.

LVIII.

Meanwhile, whate'er of beautiful, or new,
Sublime, or dreadful, in earth, fea, or sky,
By chance, or fearch was offer'd to his view,
He fcann'd with curious and romantic eye.
Whate'er of lore tradition could supply
From Gothic tale, or fong, or fable old,
Rous'd him till keen to liften and to pry.
At last, though long by penury control'd,
And folitude, his foul her graces 'gan unfold.
LIX.

Thus on the chill Lapponian's dreary land,
For many a long month loft in fnow profound,

When Sol from Cancer fends the feafon bland, And in their northern cave the ftorms hath bound; From filent mountains, ftraight, with ftartling found, Torrents are hurl'd; green hills emerge; and lo, The trees with foliage, cliffs with flowers are crown'd; Pure rills through vales of verdure warbling go; And wonder, love, and joy, the peafant's heart o'erflow.*

LX.

Here paufe my Gothic lyre, a little while.
The leifure hour is all that thou canft claim.
But if ***** on this labour fmile,

New trains ere long fhall animate thy frame :
And his applaufe to me is more than fame;
For ftill with truth accords his tafte refined.
At lucre or renown let others aim,

I only wish to please the gentle mind,

Whom Natures charms infpire, and love of humankind.

*Spring and Autumn are hardly known to the Laplanders. About the time the fun enters Cancer, their fields, which a week before were covered with fnow, appear of a fudden full of grafs and flowers.

SCHEFFER'S Hiftory of Lapland, p. 61.

ТНЕ

MINSTREL;

O R, THE

PROGRESS OF GENIUS.

X

THE SECOND BOOK.

Doctrina fed vim promovet infitam,

Rectique cultus pectoro roborant.

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I.

HORAT.

F chance or change O let not man complain, Elfe fhall he never never cease to wail: For, from the imperial dome, to where the swain Rears the lone cottage in the filent dale. All th' affault of fortune's fickle gale;

Art, empire, earth itself, to change are doom'd; Earthquakes have raised to heaven the humble vale, And gulfs the mountain's mighty mafs entomb'd, And where th' Atlantick rolls wide continents have bloom'd.*

See PLATO's Timeus.

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