One glimpse can sooth the troubled breast, The heaving sigh restrain; And stop the sense of pain. Its power can charm the savage heart, The tyrant's pity move : rage, When Sweetness beams upon the throne, In majesty benign, With milder lustre shine. In scenes of porerty and woe, Where melancholy dwells, The influence of this living ray The dreary gloom dispels. Thus, when the blooming spring returns To cheer the mournful plains, Through earth and air with genial warmth, Ethereal mildness reigns. Beneath its bright, auspicious beams No boisterous passions rise ; Moroseness quits the peaceful scene, And baleful discord fies. A thousand nameless beauties spring, A thousand virtues glow; And endless blessings flow. Unbounded Charity displays Her sympathizing charms; The generous bosom warms, Almighty Love exerts his power, And spreads with secret art A transport through the heart. Nor shall the storms of age, which cloud Each gleam of sensual joy, These blest effects destroy. When that fair form shall sink in years, And all those graces fly; Shall length of days defy. CONJUGAL FELICITY. FROM THOMSON'S SEASONS. What is the world to them, Its pomp, its pleasure, and its nonsense all ! Who in each other clasp, whatever fair High fancy forms, and lavish hearts can wish: Something than beauty dearer, should they look Or on the mind, or mind-illumin'd face ; Truth, goodness, honour, harmony, and love, The richest bounty of indulgent Heaven? Meantime a smiling offspring rises round, And mingles both their graces. By degrees The human blossom blows; and every day, Sost as it rolls along, shows some new charm, The father's lustre, and the mother's bloom. Then infant reason grows apace, and calls For the kind hand of an assiduous care. Delightful task ! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot, To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind, To breathe th’enlivening spirit, and to fix The generous purpose in the glowing breast. Oh speak the joy! ye whom the sudden tear Surprises often, while you look around, And nothing strikes your eye but sights of bliss, All-various nature pressing on the heart : An elegant sufficiency, content, Retirement, rural quiet, friendship, books, Ease and alternate labour, useful life, Progressive virtue, and approving Heaven, These are the matchless joys of virtuous love; And thus their moments fly. The Seasons thus, As ceaseless round a jarring world they roll, ELEGY. BY POPE. What beck'ning ghost along the moonlight shade Why bade ye else, ge pow'rs! her soul aspire |