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النشر الإلكتروني

Art thou not man, and dar'ft thou find
A blifs which leans not to mankind?
Prefumptuous thought and vain!

Each blifs unfhar'd is unenjoy'd;
Each pow'r is weak unless employ'd
Some focial blifs to gain.

Shall light and fhade, and warmth, and air,
With thofe exalted joys compare,
Which active virtue feels:
When on the drags as lawful prize
Contempt, and indolence, and vice,
At her triumphant wheels?

As reft to labour ftill fucceeds
To man, whilft virtue's glorious deeds
Employ his tolfome day.

This fair variety of things
Are merely life's refreshing springs
To footh him on his way.

Enthufiaft-unftring thy lyre;
In vain thou fing'ft if none admire,
How fweet fo e'er thy ftrain:
And is not thy o`erflowing mind,
Unless thou mixeft with thy kind
Benevolent in vain?

Enthufiaft-try ev'ry fenfe,
If not thy blifs, thy excellence
Thou yet haft learn'd to scan:
At least thy wants, thy weakness know;
And fee them all uniting fhow,

That man was made for man.

A MAN who lives apparently without religion, declares to the world, that he is without virtues, however he may otherwife conceal his vices.

EVERY one complains of his memory, but no one of his judgment.

WISDOM allows nothing to be good, that will not be fo for ever; no man to be happy, but he that needs no other happinefs than what he has within himself; no man to be great or powerful, that is not master of himself.

IT is easier to be wife for others, than for ourselves.

AS it is the character of great wits to fay much in a few words; fo little wits, on the contrary, talk a great deal, and yet fay little to purpose.

THOU bounteous Giver of all good, Thou art, of all thy gifts, thyfelf the crown! Give what thou canft, without thee we are poor; And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away,

VIRTUE and Friendship, above all things, purchase to men love and good-will.

FRIENDSHIP improves happiness, and abates mifery, by the doubling our joy, and dividing our grief.

IF the extent of the human view could comprehend the whole frame of the univerfe, perhaps it would be found invariably true, that Providence has given that in greateft plenty, which the condition of life makes of greateft ufe; and that nothing is penuriously imparted, or placed from the reach of man, of which a more liberal diftribution, or a more cafy acquifition, would increase real and rational felicity.

HE that is pleafed with himfelf, eafily imagines he fhall please others,

TO do the best can feldom be the lot of man; it is fufficient if, when opportunities are prefented, he is ready to do good. How little virtue could be practifed if beneficence were to wait always for the moit proper objects, and the nobleft occafions; - occafions that may never happen, and objects that may never be found?

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THAT

THAT charity is beft, of which the confequences are moit extenfive.

THOSE who raise envy will eafily incur cenfure.

"HE that endeavours to free himfelf from an ill habit, (fays Bacon) must not change too much at a time, left he should be difcouraged by difficulty; nor too little, for then he will make but flow advances."

WHAT cannot be repaired is not to be regretted.

Written on the SEA SHORE.

THOU reftlefs fluctuating deep,
Expreffive of the human mind;
In thy for ever varying form,
My own inconftant felf I find.
How foft now flow thy peaceful waves,
In just gradations to the shore :
While on thy brow, unclouded shines
The regent of the midnight hour.

Bleft emblem of that equal ftate,
Which I this moment feel within:
Where thought to thought fucceeding rolls,
And all is placid and ferene.

As o'er thy fmoothly flowing tide,

Their light the trembling moon-beams dart,

My lov'd Eudocia's image fmiles,

And gayly brightens all my heart.

But, ah! this flatt'ring fcene of peace,
By neither can be long poffeft,
When Eurus breaks thy tranfient calm,
And rifing forrows shake my breast.
Obfcur'd thy Cynthia's filver ray,
When clouds oppofing intervene :
And ev'ry joy that friendship gives,
Shall fade beneath the gloom of spleen.

HE

HE that indulges negligence, will quickly become ignorant of his own affairs; and he that trufts without referve, will at last be deceived,

MUCH of the pain and pleasure of mankind, arifes from the conjectures which every one makes of the thoughts of others. We enjoy praise which we do not hear, and resent contempt which we do not fee.

COMPOSITIONS merely pretty, have the fate of other pretty things, and are quitted in time for fomething ufeful. They are flowers, fragrant and fair, but of short duration; or they are bloffoms only to be valued as they foretell fruits.

WHATEVER is great, defirous, or tremendous, is comprised in the name of the Supreme Being. Omnipotence cannot be exalted; infinity cannot be amplified ;, perfection cannot be improved..

NATURE makes us poor only, when we want neceffaries; but cuftom gives the name of poverty to the want of fuperfluities.

FACTION feldom leaves a man honeft, however it: might find him.

THAT praife is worth nothing of which the price is known.

Extract from a POEM, entitled the Book of NATURE,

HAIL hofpitable fhades, and lofty hills!

Ye flowrets gay, ye cryftal murm'ring rills!
Where'er I look new beauties ftrike my eyes,›
And bright variety around me lies.

But ftay, nor think that this delicious fcene,,
Thefe groves, thefe brooks, hills, vales, & meadows
Are to be view'd with fuch a felfish fight,
As objects only form'd for thy delight,

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green,

Think't

Think't thou yon fun, that gilds the western kies,
Or that full orb, which there thou feeft rise
In filent majesty, were plac'd on high,

Only to mark thy hours, and please thine eye,
Mature thy fruit, to light thee and to warm,
Recruit thy fpirits, and thy fenses charm?
All thefe, no doubt, were in th' intention join'd
Of their Creator: favour to mankind,
One great end of creation, but, not fole,
For boundless goodness comprehends the whole.
The raven asks, nor asks in vain his share :
Whate'er or range the earth, or beat the air,
Or cut the liquid wave, partake the boon.
Nor think this world of wonders all thy own.
'Tis nature's book, and, if but read aright,
Will fet thy duty clearly in thy fight;
Will lead thee upwards to the one great fource,
And check thy headlong paffions in their course.
A copious volume, where each line difplays
A fubject for aftonishment and praise !

Where wisdom, power, goodness, beauty, fhine,
And not a ftroke but proves the "hand divine."
Behold a God in all!—nor let thy foot
Indignant, crush the fnail that marrs thy fruit,
Without adverting to its Maker's fkill,
And filent looking up, for leave to kill.

Whene'er the flow'ry path thy feet shall lead
In many windings thro' the verdant mead;
Whene'er thy fteps, with mufing filence, rove
Thro' the cool fhade of fome fequefter'd grove:
Or when with head reclin'd, and vacant look,
Supine thou liften'ft to the bubbling brook;
Can thefe no fubject for thy thoughts fupply,
Can flow'rs ferve only to delight the eye?
'Tis almoft virtue to delight in these,
They find, or fure must leave a foul in peace..
Frequent them often, but, not like the brute
That grazes nigh thee, happy, yet ftill mute.
There fcan thy actions, fet thy notions right,
And make thy hope of future bliss more bright;

For

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