TO A PAINTER.

BY JOHN HUGHES, ESQ.*

Painter, if thou canst safely gaze
On all the wonders of that face;
If thou haft charms to guard a heart
Secure by secrets of thy art;
O! teach the mighty charm, that we 5
May gaze fecurely too, like thee.
Canft thou Love's brighteft light'ning draw,
Which none e'er yet unwounded faw?
To what then wilt thou next aspire,
Unless to imitate Jove's fire?

10
Which is a less advent'rous pride,
Though 'twas for that Salmoneus dy'd.
That beauteous, that victorious fair,
Whose chains so many lovers wear;
Who with a look can arts infuse,

15 Create a painter, or a muse; Whom crouds with awful rapture view; She fits ferene, and smiles on you ! Your genius thus inspir'd will foar To wondrous heights unknown before,

20

• Born 1677; dyed 1719.

And to her beauty you will own
Your future skill and fix'd renown.

So when of old great Ammon's fon,
Adorn'd with spoils in battle won,
In graceful picture chose to stand,

25 The work of fam'd Apelles' hand; “ Exert thy fire, the monarch said, “ Now be thy boldeft strokes display'd, “ To let admiring nations see “ Their dreaded victor drawn by thee; 30 • To others thou mayst life impart, “ But I'll immortalize thy art !”

THE

PEACH-STONE.

BY GEORGE Jeffreys, ESQ.*

Wh

Here healing springs, by Aftrop plac'd, Their watry stores supply, A peach-stone yields the wine as fast,

And fills the glass as high.
Such magic in that prize is found, 5

By bright Maria taught
To speed the chearful brimmer round,

And confecrate the draught.

10

Bless’d by those lips, whose touch divine

Might wasting life repair; To nectar it converts the wine,

To gladness ev'ry care.

Give me that balm to ease my pain,

My cordial when I faint; And let the relique still remain,

15

THE HERMIT.

BY THOMAS PARNELL, D. D.

ARCHDEACON OF CLOGHER. *

Far in a wild, unknown to publick view,
From youth to age a rev’rend Hermit grew;
The moss his bed, the cave his humble cell,
His food the fruits, his drink the chryftal well:
Remote from men, with God he pass’d the days,
Pray’r all his bus'ness, all his pleasure praise. 6

A life fo facred, such ferene repose,
Seem'd heav'n itself, till one suggestion rose;
That vice shou'd triumph, virtue vice obey,
This sprung fome doubt of Providence's sway:
His hopes no more a certain prospect boast,
And all the tenour of his soul is loft:
So when a smooth expanse receives imprest
Calm nature's image on its wat’ry breast,
Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow,
And kies beneath with answering colours glow :
But if a stone the gentle scene divide,
Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry side,
And glimmering fragments of a broken fun,
Banks, trees, and skies, in thick disorder run. 20

II

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, Whose feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew) He quits his cell; the pilgrim-staff he bore, 25 And fix'd the scallop in his hat before ; Then with the sun a rising journey went, Sedate to think, and watching each event.

The morn was wafted in the pathless grass, And long and lonesome was the wild to pass ; 30 But when the Southern sun had warm’d the day, A youth came posting o'er a crossing way! His rayment decent, his complexion fair, And soft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair. Then near approaching, Father, hail! he cry'd, And hail, my son, the rev'rend fire reply'd ; 36 Words followed 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. 40 Thus stands an aged elm in ivy bound, Thus youthful ivy clasps an elm around.

Now sunk the fun; the closing hour of day Came onward, mantled o'er with sober gray; Nature in silence bid the world repose ; 45 When near the road a stately palace rose : There by the moon thro' ranks of trees they pas, Whose verdure crown'd their floping sides of grass.