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The Fox and BRAMBLE.

A FOX closely purfued, thought it prudent and meet
To a bramble for refuge, all in hafte to retreat;
He enter'd the covert, but entering he found,
That briars and thorns did on all fides abound,

And that though he was fafe, yet he never could ftir,
But his fides they would wound, or would tear off his fur.
He shrugg'd up his fhoulders, but would not complain,
To repine at fmall evils (quoth Reynard) is vain:
That no blifs is perfect, I very well know,
But from the fame fource, good and evil both flow:
And full forely my fkin, tho' these briars may rend,
Yet they keep off the dogs, and my life will defend.
For the fake of the good then, let evil be borne,
For each fweet has its bitter, each bramble its thorn.

TO GOOD-NATURE.

OH! gentleft bleffing man can find!
Sweet foother of the ruffled mind:
As the foft powers of oil affuage
Of ocean's waves the furious rage;
Lull to repofe the boiling tide,
Whose billows charm'd to reft fubfide;
Smooth the vex'd bofom of the deep,
'Till every trembling motion fleep!
Thy foft enchantments thus controul
The tumult of the troubled foul!
By labour worn, by care oppreft,
On thee the weary mind fhall reft;
t;
From bufinefs and distraction free,
Delighted fhall return to THEE:
To Thee the aching heart thall cling,
And find the peace it does not bring.

Ye candidates for earth's best prize,
Domeftick life's fweet charities;
Oh! if your erring eye once ftrays
From fmooth Good-nature's level ways;

If e'er, in evil hour betray'd,
You choose fome vain, fantastic maid,
On fuch for blifs if you depend,
Without the means you seek the end;
A pyramid you ftrive to place,
The point inverted for the bafe;
You hope, in spite of reason's laws,
A confequence without a caufe.

And you, bright nymphs, who blefs our eyes,
With all that skill, that tafte supplies;
Learn, that accomplishments at best
Serve but for garnish in life's feast;
Yet ftill with these the polish'd wife
Should deck the feaft of human life.
Wit, a poor flanding dish would prove,
Tho' 'tis an excellent remove;
Howe'er your tranfient guests may praise
Your gay parade on gala days,
Yet know your husband still will wish
Good-nature for his standing dish.
Still, in life's Fafti, you prefume
Eternal holidays will come;
But, in its higheft, happieft lot,
Oh! let it never be forgot

Life is not an olympic game,

Where sports and plays muft gain the fame;

Each month is not the month of May,

Nor is each day a holiday.

Tho' wit may gild life's atmosphere,
When all is lucid, calm, and clear,
In bleak affliction's dreary hour,
'I he brightest flash muft lofe its pow'r;
While temper, in the darkest skies,
A kindly light and warmth fupplies.
Divine Good-nature! 'tis decreed,
The happiest till thy charm fhou'd need,
Sweet architect! rais'd by thy hands,
Fair concord's temple firmly ftands:
Tho' fenfe, tho' prudence, rear the pile,
Tho' each approving virtue fiile,

Some

Some fudden guft, nor rare the cafe,
May shake the building to its base,
Unless to guard against surprises,
On thy firm arch the ftructure rises.

WE find, that the best scholars are the least oftentatious. It will ever be fo, where erudition is accompanied with judgment, and matured by reflection. Take care to preferve fober fenfe, and unaffuming manners; far from giving difguft, by literary attainments, to any person whose regard is of moment, you will give pleasure to every thinking man and woman of your acquaintance.

WHEN in converfation you claim no kind of pre-eminence, but instead of pretending to teach, are willing to learn; instead of courting applaufe, are ready to confer it; inftead of proudly directing, are content quietly to follow the current of difcourfe; every body will be delighted with your deportment; will liften with attention, and even deference, to one who has thus learnt, that the nobleft improvement of fuperior knowledge is fuperior humility.

WHEN we are to talk upon matters of importance, falfe delicacy must give way to truth, and ceremony be facrificed to candour. An honeft freedom is the privilege of ingenuity; and the mind which is above the practice of deceit, can never floop to flattery.

IT is eafy for the imagination, operating on things not yet exifting, to please itself with fcenes of unmingled felicity, or plan out courfes of uniform virtue: but good and evil are in real life infeparably united; habits grow stronger by indulgence; and reafon lofes her dignity, in proportion as fhe has oftner yielded to temptation: "He that cannot "live well to-day, (fays Martial) will be lefs qualified to live well to-morrow."

OF all charities, that of employing the poor is the most charitable. It is in a manner to double the obligation by leffening it, it being more grateful to any man to put him

in a capacity of relieving himself, than to make him a penfioner to others, and it is turning a bounty into a reward.

SUCH are the viciffitudes of the world, through all its parts, that day and night, labour and reft, hurry and retirement, endear each other; fuch are the changes that keep the mind in action; we defire, we purfue, we obtain, we are fatisfied, we defire fomething elfe, and begin a new pursuit.

OUR fouls must first fuffer, and relent in the furnace of affliction, beneficently appointed for us by our Maker, before they can be purified from their fenfual defires, and mistaken notions of happiness: and hence it becomes intelligible to our reason, that through much trouble we are to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

WEALTH is nothing in itself, it is not useful but when it departs from us; its value is found only in that which it can purchase, which, if we fuppofe it put to its beft ufes by thofe that poffefs it, feems not much to deferve the defire or envy of a wise man. It is certain, that, with regard to corporeal enjoyment, money can neither open new avenues to pleasure, nor block up the paffages to anguish. Disease and infirmity ftill continue to torture and enfeeble, perhaps exafperated by luxury, or promoted by foftnefs. With respect to the mind, it has rarely been obferved that wealth contributes much to quicken the discernment, enlarge the capacity, or elevate the imagination; but may, by hiring flattery, or laying diligence afleep, confirm error, and harden ftupidity.

THE fcenes of trouble, which afflict the great,
Teach private life to prize its humble state.

"TIS an agreeable representation, which a French writer gives of the fituation of his own mind. "I love Virtue, (fays he) without aufterity; pleafure without effeminacy; "and life without fearing its end."

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VOL. II.

R

WEALTH

WEALTH cannot confer greatnefs; for nothing can make that great, which the decree of nature has ordained to be little The bramble may be placed in a hot-bed, but can never become an oak.

IN adverfe fortune, moderation does not only preferve us from contempt, but affifts us frequently in finding remedies for our greatest misfortunes.

HYMN.

THE glorious armies of the fky
To thee, Almighty King,
Triumphant anthems confecrate,
And hallelujahs fing.

But still their most exalted flights
Fall vaftly fhort of thee:
How diftant then must human praise,
From thy perfections be!

Yet how, my God, fhall I refrain,
When to my ravish'd sense,
Each creature, ev'ry where around,
Difplays thy excellence!

The active lights that fhine above,
In their eternal dance,
Reveal their skilful Maker's praise
With filent elegance.

The blushes of the morn confefs
That thou art still more fair,
When in the east its beams revive,
To gild the fields of air.

The fragrant, the refreshing breeze,
Of ev'ry flow'ry bloom,

In balmy whispers own, from thee
Their pleasing odours come.

The

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