bloom of youth, and triumph of beauty, practifes the rules of purity and virtue; and that in the exercise of thofe qualities the finest breeding confifts. IN all things preferve integrity; the consciousness of thy own uprightnefs will alleviate the toil of business, and foften the harfhnefs of ill fuccefs and disappointments, and give thee an humble confidence before God, when the ingratitude of man, or the iniquity of the times, may rob thee of other due reward. THE time of fickness or affliction is like the cool of the day was to Adam, a feafon of peculiar propriety for the voice of God to be heard; and may be improved into a very advantageous opportunity of begetting or increafing fpiritual life in the foul. MAN's life, like any weaver's fhuttle flies, Or like a vapour vanishes away; Or like a candle which each moment waftes, Or like a poft it gallops very faft, Or like the fhadow of a cloud 'tis paft. Our castle is but weak, and strong the foe, Our breath is fhort, our death is certain too; But as his coming is a fecret ftill, Let us be ready, come death when he will. Concluding Stanzas of a Piece written on Recovery from Sickness. FATHER of life! whofe arm with equal power, Oh! Oh! grant me ftill to trust thy tender care, And keep, thro' life, the fober thoughts of death. A WISE Heathen, with great juftice, compares profperity to the indulgence of a fond mother to her child, which often proves his ruin; but the affection of the Divine Being to that of a wife father, who would have his fons exercised with labour, difappointment, and pains, that they may gather ftrength, and improve their fortitude. Sometimes too, a misfortune may happen to a good man, to preserve him from a much greater one. Thus fickness may be a very great mercy to him, if it keeps him from embarking in a veffel which will be loft in its paffage. Thus poverty may fcreen him from a great many evils which would be brought upon him by riches, and the like. We are fo fhort-fighted, that we know not how to distinguish, and often take the greatest bleflings for misfortunes, and the heaviest curfes for bleffings. We are like mariners, who by fair winds might run into the way of pirates: but by thofe contrary to their wishes, reach their port in safety. Extempore Exclamation on the Profpect of Winter. OH! may our follies, like the falling trees, Be ftript of ev'ry leaf by autumn's wind! May ev'ry branch of vice embrace the breeze, And nothing leave but virtue's fruit behind! Then when old age, life's winter, fhall appear, In confcious hope, all future ills we'll brave, With fortitude our diffolution bear, And fink, forgotten, in the filent grave. THE man, within the golden mean IT IT is a melancholy confideration, that our comforts often produce our greateft anxieties; and that an increase of our poffeffions is but an inlet to new difquietudes. and WEAK and feeble minds are most prone to anger, by their exceeding fierceness, generally disappoint their own purpose. But the greatest and bravest of men are always calm and fedate; they are above being disturbed with little injuries, and can generously pardon the greateft; taking more delight in mercy and forgiveness, than in profecuting revenge when it is in their power. OTHER vices are confined within certain bounds, and have a particular object, but affectation diffuses itself over the whole man, and affects the good qualities both of body and mind. SHUN the leaft appearance of evil, that you may not be fufpected; and if you cannot avoid both, choofe rather to be fufpected, when you do not deferve it, than to do evil, without being fufpected. BE very cautious of fpeaking or believing any ill of your neighbours; but be much more cautious of making hafty reports of them to their difadvantage. LET virtue and innocence accompany your recreations; for unlawful pleafures, though agreeable for a moment, are too often attended with bad confequences; and instead of relaxing the mind, plunge us into an abyfs of trouble and affliction. FILIAL, fubmiffive to the fov'reign will, My friendships, ftudies, pleafures all my own, Take off my fill of life, and wait, not wish to die. WHEN WHEN beauty's charms decay, as foon they muft, Whofe never-fading joys no tongue can tell, SEARCHING AFTER HAPPINESS. OH! happiness, thou pleafing dream, The foft enchantment foon diffolves, Religion's facred lamp alone, To regions of eternal peace, Beyond the starry skies, Where pure, fublime, and perfect joys, In endless profpect rise. OH would't thou, man! but now and then descend Into the dark receffes of thy breast, Before the feeds of baleful vice have fprung, And And tak'n poffeffion of thy eafy heart; Then might'ft thou think on other worlds to come, HAPPY the man! whofe tranquil mind, And pleas'd, the whole furveys. The varying year may shift the fcene, THE induftrious ant, by nature taught, Thus hoard against that common state NOT all the gifts of wealth, the pomp of ftate, The gilded palace, or the envied throne, Deferve the real tribute of applaufe. The precepts of humility, who hear More than their flocks, and herds, the tufted cell, Or |