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XX.

Along one glittering fky what glory streams!
What Maje y attends night's lovely queen!
Fair laugh our vallies in the vernal beans;
And mountains rife, and oceans roll between,
And all confpire to beautify the fcene.

But, in the mental world, what chaos drear!

• What forms of mournful, loathfome, furious mein !

• O when all that eternal morn appear,

• Thefe dreadful forms to chase, this chaos dark to clear !

XXI.

O Thou, at whofe creative fmile, yon heaven, In all the pomp of beauty, life, and light, Rofe from th' abyfs; when dark Confusion, driven • Down down the bottomlefs profound of night, Fled, where he ever flies thy piercing fight! O glance on thefe fad fhades one pitying ray, To blaft the fury of oppreffive might,

Melt the hard heart to love and mercy's fway, And chear the wandering foul, and light him on the ' way.'

XXII.

Silence enfued: and Edwin raised his eyes
In tears, for grief lay heavy at his heart.
And is it thus in courtly life' (he cries)
That man to man acts a betrayer's part?
And dares he thus the gifts of heaven pervert,
Each focial inftinct, and fublime defire!-
Hail Poverty! if honour, wealth, and art,
If what the great purfue, and learn'd admire,
Thus diffipate and quench the foul's ethereal fire!'
XXIII.

He faid, and turn'd away; nor did the Sage
O'erhear, in filent orifons employ'd.
The Youth, his rifing forrow to affuage,
Home as he hied, the evening fcene enjoy'd:
For now no cloud obfcures the ftarry void?
The yellow moonlight fleeps on all the hills;
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Nor is the mind with ftartling founds annoy'd,
A foothing murmur the lone region fills,

Of groves, and dying gales, and melancholy rills.

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XXIV.

But he from day to day more anxious grew.
The voice ftill feem d to vibrate on his car.
Nor durit he hope the Hermit's tale untrue;
For man he feem'd to love, and heaven to fear;
And none fpeaks falfe, where there is none to hear.
Yet, can man's gentle heart become fo fell!

No more in vain conjecture let ine wear

My hours away, but feek the Hermit's cell;

'Tis he my doubt can clear, perhaps my care difpel.

XXV.

At early dawn the Youth his journey took,
And many a mountain pafs'd, and valley wide,
Then reach'd the wild; where, in a flowery nook,
And feated on a moffy stone, he fpied

An antient mau: his harp lay him befide.
A ftag fprang from the the patture at his call,
And, kneeling, lick'd the wither'd hand, that tied
A wreathe of woodbine round his antlers tall,
And hung his lofty neck with many a floweret fmall.

XXVI.

And now the hoary fage arofe, and faw
I he wanderer approaching: innocence
Smiled on his glowing cheek, but modeft awe
Deprefs'd his eye, that fear'd to give offence.

Who art thou, courteous ftranger? and from whence?

Why roam thy teps to this abandon'd dale?'

A fhepherd-boy (the youth replied) far hence
My habitation; hear my artlets tale;
Nor levity nor falfhood fhall thine ear affail.

XXVII.

Late as I roam'd. intent on Nature's charms,
1 reach'd at eve this wilderness profound;

And, leaning where yon oak expands her arms, Heard thefe rude cliffs thine awful voice rebound, (For in thy fpeech I recognife the found.)

• You mourn'd for ruin'd man, and virtue loft, And feem'd to feel of keen remorfe the wound, • Pondering on former days, by guilt engross'd, Or in the giddy ftorm of diffipation tofs d.

XXVIII.

But fay, in courtly life can craft be learn'd,
Where knowledge opens, and exalts the foul;
Where fortune lavishes her gifts unearn'd,
• Can felfishness the liberal art control ?
Is glory there atchiev'd by arts, as foul

As thofe which felons, fiends, and furies plan?
Spiders enfnare, fnakes poifon, tygers prowl;
Love is the godlike attribute of man.

O teach a fimple youth this mystery to scan.

XXIX.

Or elfe the lamentable ftrain disclaim,

And give me back the calm, contented mind;
Which, late, exulting, view'd in Nature's frame,
Goodness untainted, wifdom unconfined,

• Grace, grandeur, and utility combine.

Reftore thofe tranquil days, that faw me ftill Well-pleafed with all, but most with humankind; When Fancy roam'd through Nature's works at will, Uncheck'd by cold diftruft, and uninform'd of ill.'

XXX.

Would thou (the Sage replied) in peace return
To the gay dreams of fond romantic youth,
Leave me to hide, in this remote fojourn,
From every gentle ear the dreadful truth;
For if my defultory ftrain with ruth

And indignation make thine eyes o'erflow,
Alas! what comfort could thy anguish footh,
Should't thou th' extent of human folly know.
Be ignorance thy choice, where knowledge leads to wo.

XXXI.

But let untender thoughts afar be driven
Nor venture to arraign the dread decree :
For know, to man, a candidate for heaven,
The voice of The Eternal faid, Be free:
And this divine prerogative to thee
Does virtue, happinefs, and heaven convey;
For virtue is the child of liberty,

And happiness of virtue; nor can they

Be free to keep the path who are not free to ftray.

XXXII.

Yet leave me not. I would allay that grief,
Which elfe might thy young virtue overpower;
And in thy converfe I fhall find relief,
When the dark fhades of melancholy lower;
For folitude has many a dreary hour,

Even when exempt from grief, remorfe, and pain :
Come often then; for, haply, in my bower,

• Amusement, knowledge, wisdom thou may'ft gain: If I one foul improve, I have not lived in vain."

XXXIII.

And now, at length, to Edwin's ardent gaze
The Mufe of hiftory unrolls her page.
But few alas! the fcenes her art difplays,
To charm his fancy, or his heart engage.

Her Chiefs their thirft of power in blood affwage,
And ftraight their flames with tenfold fiercenefs burn:
Here fmiling Virtue prompts the patriot's rage,
But lo, ere long, is left alone to mourn,

And languish in the duft, and clasp the abandon'd urn.

XXXIV.

Ah, what avails (he faid) to trace the fprings
That whirl of empire the ftupendous wheel!
Ah, what have I to do with conquering kings,
Hands drench'd in blood, and breafts begirt with

• fteel!

To thofe, whom Nature taught to think and feel, • Heroes, alas! are things of fmall concern. Could History man's fecret heart reveal,

And what imports a heaven-born mind to learn, Her transcripts to explore, what bofom would not yearn!

XXXV.

This praife, O Cheronean Sage*, is thine.
(Why fhould this praise to thee alone belong !)
All elfe from Nature's moral path decline,

• Lured by the toys that captivate the throng;
To herd in cabinets and camps, among

Spoil, carnage, and the cruel pomp of pride;
Or chaunt of heraldry the drowsy fong,

How tyrant blood, o'er many a region wide,
Rolls to a thousand thrones its execrable tide.

XXXVI.

• O who of man the story will unfold, Ere victory and empire wrought annoy, * In that Elysian age (mifnamed of gold) The age of love, and innocence, and joy. When all were great and free! man's fole employ • To deck the bofom of his parent earth;

Or towards his bower the murmuring ftream decoy, • To aid the floweret's long-expected birth,

And lull the bed of peace, and crown the board of mirth.

XXXVII.

• Sweet were your fhades, O ye primeval groves, Whofe boughs to man his food and shelter lent, Pure in his pleasures, happy in his loves, His eyes ftill fmiling, and his heart content. Then, hand in hand, Health, Sport, and Labour went. Nature fupplied the wifh fhe taught to crave. None prowled for prey, none watch'd to circumvent. To all an equal lot Heaven's bounty gave: No vafal fear'd his lord, no tyrant fear'd his slave.

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*PLUTARCH.