Till once, 'tis faid, when all were fir'd,
Fill'd with fury, rapt, inspir'd,[1]
From the sporting myrtles round
They fnatch'd her inftruments of found,
And as they oft had heard apart[2]
Sweet leffons of her forceful art,
Each, for madness rul'd the hour,
Would prove his own expreffive power;
[3]First Fear its hand, his fkill to try,
Amid the chords bewilder'd laid,
[4] And back recoil'd, he knew not why,
E'en at the found himself had made.
[5] Next Anger rufh'd, his eyes on fire,
In lightning own'd his fecret ftings,
In one rude clash he struck the lyre,
And fwept with hurry'd hand the ftrings.
With woeful meafures wan Despair,
Low, fullen founds his grief beguil'd
A folemn, strange and mingled air,
'Twas fad by fits, by ftarts 'twas wild [6]
But thou, O Hope, with eyes fo fair,
What was thy delighted measure?
Still it whifper'd promif'd pleasure,
And bade the lovely fcenes at distance hail !
Still would her touch the fcene prolong,
And from the rocks, the woods, the vale,
She call'd on echo ftill through all the fong;
And where her fweeteft theme the chofe,

A foft refponfive voice was heard at every clofe, And Hope enchanted fmil'd, and wav'd her golden hair.[7] [1] With force and energy.

[2] Read the two lines marked in a foft, tender manner.

[8] Paufe after the word Fir,' and by your manner and look, exprefs the paffion of Fear. As you read the next line, put out your hand gently, in rather a flow, fearful, way, as if to lay it upon the chords of an inftrument.

[4] Withdraw your hand fuddenly

[5] This verfe, if read well, forms a fine contrafted effect with the other.

[6] Read this verfe in a peculiar low, plaintive tone, expressive of the paffion described.

[7] The beauty of these lines depends fo much upon such a nicety of expreffion, as cannot be taught on paper Let the last line but one be uttered in a fofter, gentler tone than the preceding.

And longer had fhe fang-but with a frown
Revenge impatient rofe,

He threw his blood-ftain'd sword in thunder down,[1]
And with a withering look,

[2]The war denouncing trumpet took,

And blew a taft fo loud and dread,

Were ne'er prophetic founds fo full of woe;

And ever and anon he beat

The doubling drum with furious heat;

And though fometimes each dreary paufe between, 3]Dejected Pity at his fide

Her foul fubduing voice applied,

Yet ftill he kept his wild, unalter'd mein,

[his head.

[4]While each ftrain d ball of fight feem'd burfting from

Thy numbers, Jealousy, to nought were fix'd,

Sad proof of thy diftrefsful ftate,[5]

Of differing themes the veering fong was mix'd,

And now it courted love now raving call'd or hate.[6] With eyes up-rais'd, as one infpir'd,

Pale Melancholy[7] fat retir'd,

And from her wild, fequefter'd feat,

In notes more diftant made more fweet,

Four'd through the mellow horn her penfive foul; [8] [9]And dafhing foft from rocks around,

Bubbling runnels join'd the found;

Through glades and gloom's the mingled meafare ftole, Or o'er fome haunted ftreams with fond delay,

Round an holy calm diffufing,

Love of peace and 1 nely mufing,

[1] With great boldness and energy.

[2] Be very energetic in the whole of this perfonification of Revenge.

[3] The two lines marked in a foft and gentle voice, which alter when you read the next line.

[4] This line with peculiar force and energy.

[5 Read this line pathetically.

[6] The first of this line soft and tender; the latter part bold and For cible.

[7] Read Melancholy' with a heavy, drawling tone.

8 This line slot expressive of pensiveness and melancholy. [9] The whole of these lines must be read so as to display, in tone, look and manner, a kind of languid melancholy; the last line speak slowly, and let the words fall, dying from your lips, which method forms a fine contrast to the next verse which follows.

In hollow murmurs died away.

1 But O, how alter'd was its fprightlier tone! When cheerfulness a nymph of healthieft hue, Her bow across her shoulders flung,

Her burkins gem'd with morning dew,[2]

Blew an infpiring air that dale and thicket rùng
The hunters call to faun and dryad known;

The oak-crown'd filters, and their challe ey'd queen,
Satyrs and fylvan boys were, feen,

Peeping forth from alleys green;
Brown Exercise rejoic'd to hear,

And fport leapt up and feiz'd his beachen fpear.[3]
Laft came Joy's extatic trial,

He with viny crown advancing,

Firft to the lively-pipe his hand addrefs'd,
But foon he faw the brisk awaking viol,

Whofe fweet advancing voice he lov'd the best.
They would have thought who heard the strain
They saw in Tempe's vale her native maids
Amid the feftal founding fhades

To fome unwearied minitrel dancing,
While as his flying fingers kiff'd the ftrings,
Love fram'd with mirth a gay fantastic round,
Loofe were her treffes feen, her zone unbound,
And he amid his frolic play,

As if he would the charming air repay,

Shook thoufand odours from his dewy wings.[4]

[1] Here alter your look, tone, manner, and whole appearance, [2] The lines marked to be read as if enclosed in a parenthesis. [3] Let your manner keep pace with this beautiful personification of cheerfulness. Let your expression be sprightly, with unabated spirit to the end of the verse.

[4] Keep yourself in unison with the passion described, and let a joyful expression glow throughout the whole.

The remainder of the poem is omit ed, as affording no further opportunities in which a reader can exercise his talents.

CHAPTER CXVII.

HOW TO READ DR. COTTON'S FIRE SIDE.

The reader who has a mind sufficiently strong to see the various beauties it contains, and possesses a taste for the art of reading, will exercise his own judgment in discriminating the nicety of expression and manner, though omitted in our occasional remarks.

Let the two first words be fpoken in a tender, affectionate manner, and all the words marked with emphasis.

EAR Chloe, while the bufy crowd,
The vain, the wealthy and the proud,

In folly's maze advance;

Tho' fingularity and pride

Be call'd our choice, we'll ftep afide,
Nor join the giddy dance.

From the gay world we'll oft retite
To our own family and fire,
Where love our hours employs ;
No noify neighbour enters here,
No, intermeddling ftranger near,
To fpoil our heart felt joys.
For folid happiness we prize
Within our breaft this jewel lies;
And they are fools who roam;
The world has nothing to bestow,
Fion our ownfelves our joys must flow,
And that dear but, our home.

Of reft was Noah's dove bereft,
When with impatient wings the left
That fafe retreat, the ark;

Giving her vain excurfion o'er,

The disappointed bird, once more,

Explord the facred bark.

Tho' fools fpurn Hymen's gentle powers,

We, who improve his golden hours,

By fweet experience know,

That marriage. rightly understood
Gives to the tender and the good,
A paradife below. (1)

(1) Read this line with a glow of expression.

(1) Our babes fhall richest comforts bring;
If tutor'd right, they'll prove a spring,
Whence pleafures ever rife;

We'll form their minds with ftudious care,
To all that's manly, good, and fair,
And train them for the skies. (2)
While they our wifeft hours engage,
They'll joy our youth, fupport our age,
And crown our hoary hairs;
They'll grow in virtue every day,
And thus our fondeft Ives repay,
And recompenfe our cares.

No borrow'd joys! they're all our own,
While to the world we live unknown,
Or by the world forgot;

Monarchs we envy not your ftate,
We look with pity on the great,
(3)

And bless our humble lot.

Our portion is not large, indeed!
But then, how little do we need !
For nature's calls are few;
In this the art of living lies,

To want no more than may fuffice,
And make that little do.
We'll, therefore, relifh with content
Whate'er kind Providence has fent,
Nor aim beyond our power;
For if our ftock be very small,
'Tis prudence to enjoy it all,
Nor lofe the prefent hour.
To be refign'd when ills betide, (4)
Patient, when favors are deny'd,
And pleaf'd with favors given ;
Dear Chloe, this is wifdom's part,
This is that incenfe of the heart,

(1) Read Our babes,' in an affectionate, impressive manner. (2) This line in a respectful, solemn tone, with a look above as you repeat it.

(3) The words marked in a manner expressive of the greatest

satisfaction.

(4) Read this line in a serious, composed manner.