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النشر الإلكتروني

Concluding Stanzas of an Elegy on the Death of a Sifter.

BUT lo! to give th' unhappy mourners eafe, From pale affliction's eye to wipe the tear; To bid the plaintive voice of forrow cease, Behold religion's heav'nly form appear. "Attend," he cries, " poor mortal! grieve no more, "No more lament thy dear departed friends; "Their fouls are wafted to a happier fhore,

"Where every forrow, every trouble ends. "Follow my steps, and foon you'll meet again, "Will meet in yonder blissful realms above; "For ever there to join the feraph's ftrain,

"And fing the wonders of redeeming love."

NONE but the Almighty Author of our beings, who knows our inmoft thoughts and defires. and from whom no fecrets are hid, can fee into futurity; and he only knows what is beft and moft proper for us. If we chearfully rely on his all-wife Providence, and confidently truft in his powerful protection, we may rest ourselves affured, that he, who is our trueft friend, will guard and fecure us from the many evils and dangers, which every where furround us. He will guide and direct the future events of our lives in fuch a manner, as will prove, by happy experience, to be the most conducive to our own good, and the most confiftent with the scheme of our own happiness, both here and hereafter.

AS fome fair vi'let, lovelieft of the glade,
Sheds its mild fragrance on the lonely fhade,
Withdraws its modeft head fron public fight,
Nor courts the fun, nor feeks the glare of light;
Should fome rude hand profanely dare intrude,
And bear its beauties from its native wood,
Expos'd abroad its languid colours fly,
Its form decays, and all its odours die.

So

So woman born to dignify retreat;

Unknown to flourish, and, unfeen, be great;
To give domestic life its sweeteft charm,
With foftness polish, and with virtue warm ;
Fearful of fame, unwilling to be known,
Should feek but Heaven's applauses, and her own;
No cenfures dread but thofe which crimes impart,
The cenfures of a felf-condemning heart.
With angel kindness fhould behold diftrefs,
And meekly pity, where she can't redress.
Like beaming mercy wipe affliction's tear,
But to herself, not justice so severe.
Her paffions all corrected or fubdu'd
But one-the virtuous thirst of doing good.
This great ambition ftill fhe calls her own,
This beft ambition makes her breaft its throne.

HAIL, Power Eternal, infinite, immense,
Creator and Redeemer, Lord of life,

All good, all wife, all perfect, all divine!
Increase my ardour, elevate my foul,

And draw me from this idle, ufelefs world,
To better thoughts-the thoughts of that to come!
Let me not beg of bleffings from thy hand,
But for increafe of virtue. Gracious' pour
Thy Holy Spirit on my foul; fo make
Thy fervant perfect, fit for heav'n and thee:
And thou art good! Oh guide me with thy hand,
Cure all the fond, vain evils of my heart,
And ftifle every growing folly there!

Oh! my Redeemer, kindly condefcend

To hear my prayer, and grant-yet wherefore speak! If it feems good, bestow the boon I wish;

(Thou knoweft my thoughts) if not, thy will be done!

AN humble man leans not to his own understanding he is fenfible of the deficiency of his own power and wifdom, and trufts not in it: he is alfo fenfible of the allfufficient power, wifdom and goodness of Almighty God, and commits himself to him for counfel, guidance, direction and strength.

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VIRTUE

VIRTUE is the highest exercife and improvement of reafon; the integrity, the harmony and just balance of affection; the health, ftrength and beauty of the mind.

WITH the talents of an angel a man may be a fool, if he judges amifs in the fupreme point; judging aright in all elfe but aggravates his folly, as it fhews him wrong, though bleft with the beft capacity of being right.

WHAT a great deal of time and eafe that man gains, who is not troubled with the spirit of curiofity; who lets his neighbours thoughts and behaviour alone; confines his infpections to himself, and takes care of the point of honefty and confcience?

A MAN of true piety, that has no defigns to carry on, like one of an established fortune, always makes the leaft noise. One never pulls out his money, the other never talks of religion, but when there is occafion for it.

ADVERSITY does not make merit lofe its name, it ferves only as a foil to virtue.

RETIREMENT.

HOW happy he who crowns, in fhades like thefe, A youth of labour, with an age of ease;

Who quits a world where ftrong temptations try,
And fince 'tis hard to combat, learns to fly!
For him no wretches, born to work and weep,
Explore the mine, or tempt the dang'rous deep;
No furly porter ftands, in guilty ftate,
To fpurn imploring famine from the gate:
But on he moves to meet his latter end,
Angels around befriending virtue's friend;
Bends to the grave with unperceiv'd decay,
While refignation gently flopes the way,
And all his profpects, bright'ning to the laft,
His heav'n commences ere the world be past!

HYMN

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ERE the fun's declining ray
Has left yon' diftant sky,

And the parting streak of day

EVENING.

Has fhut upon the eye-
Come, modeft ev'ning, kindly fpread
Thy dufk-enfabled veft,

And teach reflective thought to spread

Devotion on the breast.

Oh! lift the mind to blefs the Pow'r,
Whofe mem'ry still shall last,
And bid him serve the prefent hour,
Whose madness loft the past.
Inftructive, tell the pomp of state,
The pride of mighty blood,
That none are ever truly great,
That are not truly good.
To all one admonition give,
Unfearful of reply,
That he alone deferves to live,
Who beft prepares to die.

WHEN modeft merit seems to fhun that praise
Th' admiring world to merit ever pays,
It takes, unknowingly, the road to fame,
And, by declining, gains a furer name.

BE mine to live in private blifs,
Safe and obfcure in fome recefs:
Since faction and high-minded ftrife
But shake the peaceful lake of life;
And better is the little home,
Where confcious fafety cheers the dome

A PRAYER OF PRINCE EUGENE.

I BELIEVE in thee, oh my God! do thou ftrengthen my faith; I hope in thee, confirm my hope; I love thee, inflame my love more and more; I repent of all my

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fins,

fins, but do thou increase my repentance. As my firft beginning, I worship thee; as my laft end, I long for thee; as my eternal benefactor, I praise thee; and as my fupreme protector, I pray unto thee, that it may pleafe thee, O Lord! to guide and lead me by thy providence; to keep me in obedience to thy juftice; to comfort me by thy mercy; and to protect me by thy Almighty power. I fubmit unto thee all my thoughts, words and deeds, as well as my afflictions, pains and sufferings; and I defire to have thee always in my mind, to do all my works in thy name, and for thy fake to bear all adverfity with patience. I will nothing, but what thou willeft, O God! because it is agreeable unto thee. O give me grace, that I may be attentive in my prayer, temperate in my diet, vigilant in my conduct, and immoveable in all good purpofes. Grant, moft merciful Lord! that I may be true and faithful to those who have intrusted me with their fecrets; that I may be courteous and kind towards all men; and that both in my words and actions I may shew unto them a good example. Dispose my heart to praise and admire thy goodness; to hate all errors and evil works; to love my neighbour; and to defpife the world. Affift me, good God! in fubduing luft by mortification; covetoufnefs by liberality; anger by mildnefs; and lukewarmness by zeal and fervency. Enable me to conduct myfelf with prudence in all tranfactions; and to fhew courage in danger; patience in adverfity; and in profperity an humble mind. Let thy grace illuminate my understanding, direct my will, fanctify my body, and blefs my foul. Make me diligent in curbing all irregu lar affections; zealous in imploring thy grace; careful in keeping thy commandments; and conftant in working out my own falvation. Finally, O God! make me fenfible, how little is the world; how great thy heavens ; how fhort time; and how long will be the blessed eternity. O that I may well prepare myself for death; that I may dread thy judgments; that I may avoid the torments of hell; and obtain of thee, O God! eternal life, through the merits of Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THERE is one fure way of pleafing in company,

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