صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Rais'd, as ancient prophets were,
In Heav'nly vifion, praife, and pray'r;
Pleafing all men, hurting none,
Pleas'd and bless'd with God alone.
Then while the gardens take my fight,
With all the colours of dellght,
While filver waters glide along,
To please my ear and court my fong,
I'll lift my voice, and tune my ftring,
And thee, great Source of Nature, fing!
The fun, that walks his airy way,
To light the world, and give the day;
The moon, that fhines with borrow'd light,
The ftars, that glad the gloomy night,
The feas, that roll unnumber'd waves,
The wood, that fpreads its fhady leaves,
The field, whofe ears conceal the grain,
The yellow treasure of the plain;
All of thefe, and all I fee

Should be fung, and fung by me;
They speak their Maker as they can,
But want, and afk, the tongue of man.
Go fearch among your idle dreams,
Your bufy or your vain extremes,
And find a life of equal blifs,
Or own the next begun in this.

GRATITUDE.

THERE is not a more pleasing exercife of the mind, than gratitude. It is accompanied with fuch an inward fatisfaction, that the duty is fufficiently rewarded by the performance. It is not like the practice of many other virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with fo much pleasure, that were there no pofitive command which enjoined it, nor any recompence laid up for it hereafter, a generous mind would indulge in it for the natural gratification that accompanies it. If gratitude is due from man to man, how much more from man

to

to his Maker. The Supreme Being does not only confer upon us thofe bounties,, which proceed more immediately from his hand, but even those benefits which are conveyed to us by others. Every bleffing we enjoy, by what means foever it may be derived upon us, is the gift of him who is the great Author of Good, and Father of Mercies.

WHEN thou haft done a kindness, or good office to any, be fure thou boast not of it It is the employment of a great foul, rather to do things worthy to be admired, than to admire what himself hath done.

NOTHING but virtue is capable of making us happy; if other advantages contribute thereto in fome measure, it is only in as much as virtue bears them company.

SUPINENESS and effeminacy have ruined more conftitutions, than ever were destroyed by exceffive labours. Moderate exercife, far from prejudicing, ftrengthens and confolidates the body.

WE ought never to think too lightly of other people's complaints; but to regard the forrows of our fellow-creatures with fentiments of humanity and compaffion.

MAN fhould weigh well the nature of himself,
The varying frailnefs of this flattering world,
And the true excellence of Heav'n's high Lord;
Then would he this defpife, and truft in him.
The world deceives us all. In God is truth.
Let not thy riches or thy power prevail
To fwell thy bofom with conceits of pride;
Look back, remember thofe thou haft feen high,
And mark, if thou haft never feen them fink;
Let this teach thee. One end awaits us all!
And when inevitable death commands,
That we should follow to this dreary realm,
Matters it much, if from a royal couch,

Or

Or from a mattrefs, thrown upon the ground,
We rife to take our journey.

The Hufbandman's Meditation in the Field.
WITH toilfome fteps when I purfue,

O'er breaking clods, the plough-fhare's way,
Lord! teach my mental eye to view
My native diffoluble clay.

And when with feed I ftrew the earth,
To thee all praises let me give,
Whofe hand prepar'd me for the birth,

Whofe breath inform'd and bade me live.
Pleas'd, I behold the stately ftem

Support its bearded honour's load; Thus, Lord! fuftain'd by thee, I came

To manhood, thro' youth's dang'rous road. Purging from noxious herbs the grain,

Oh! may I learn to purge my mind From fin, rank weed of deepest stain, Nor leave one baleful root behind. When blafts deftroy the op'ning ear,

Life, thus replete with various woe,
Warns me to fhun, with ftudious care,
Pride, my moft deadly latent foe.
When harvest comes, the yellow crop

Prone to the reaper's fickle yields;
And I beneath death's fcythe must drop,
And foon or late forfake thefe fields.
When future crops, in filent hoards,
Sleep for a while to fervice dead;
Thy emblem this, oh grave! affords,
The path to life which all must tread.

[blocks in formation]

INDULGENT God, whofe bounteous care

O'er all thy works is fhewn,

Oh! let my grateful praise and pray'r

Afcend before thy throne.

What mercies has this day bestow'd,

How largely haft thou bleft,

My cup with plenty overflow'd,

And

And with content my breast.
Safe, 'midft a thousand latent fnares,
Thy careful hand has led ;
And now, exempt from anxious cares,
I prefs the downy bed.

I fall this night into thy arms,
Which I have prov'd so kind;
Oh! keep my body from all harms,
And from all fins my mind.
Let balmy flumbers clofe my eyes,
From pain and fickness free;
And let my waking fancy rife,
To meditate on thee.

So blefs each future day and night,
'Till life's fond fcene is o'er,
And then, to realms of endless light,
Oh! aid my foul to foar.

A little Ode to a little Maid, on her first going out after her Birth.

LITTLE zephyrs, loves, and graces,
Bid each chilling wind be laid,
Shelter'd in your warm embraces,
See where comes my little maid.
With your guardian wings protect her,
Every motion hover o'er;

Thro' her little path direct her,

She ne'er ventur'd out before. Forth fhe comes, a new born creature, How her little blue eyes range!

Wonder fits on every feature,

All around is gay and strange. Couldst thou, little maid, but paint me, What thy little fancy warms,

Or thy little tongue acquaint me

'Midft this glitter what most charms.

To a ftranger all's inviting,

All a morning beauty wears;

Be

Be the world, as now, delighting,
Tafte its joys, but not its cares !
Pity, gentleft child of Heav'n,

Little maid will thee attend;
Innocence is alfo given

As thy guardian, as thy friend.
She fhall wake thy heart to pleasures,
Such as virtue can disclose;
Give thee love and friendship's treasures,
Strew thy path with many a rofe.
As in years, in wisdom growing,
Never from her fide depart;
Thro' thy future life ftill fhewing

She had form'd thy youthful heart.
Let the falfe world ne'er confound thee,
From its vices turn thine ear;
Shun the bad examples round thee,
Give them but a figh!-

-a tear!

Thus felf-guarded, thus defended,
Thy experience fhall confefs,
Spite of what's by fools pretended,
Virtue is true happiness !
Such a blameless tract purfuing,

Thy perfection's fenfe fhall tell;

Oft this little ode reviewing,

Little maid, I wish thee well.

THE

CHURCH-YARD

THINK, oh my foul, that while friends or ftrangers are engaged on this fpot, and reading the date of my departure hence, thou wilt be fixed under a decifive and unchangeable sentence, rejoicing in the rewards of time well improved, or fuffering the forrows that shall attend the abuse of it, in an unknown world of happiness or mifery.

MODESTY feldom refides in a breaft, that is not enriched with nobler virtues.

MODESTY

« السابقةمتابعة »