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GRANT me oh heav'n! (I af not wealthy
Grant me but innocence and health!
Ah! what is grandeur link'd to vice?
"Tis only virtue gives it price.

IF mifery be the effect of virtue, it ought to be reve renced; if of ill fortune, it ought to be pitied; and if of vice, not to be infulted; becaufe it is, perhaps, itself a punishment adequate to the crime by which it was produced:

DID thofe whom heaven has bleffed with affluence, but vifit the fecret recefles of poverty, thofe dreary abodes of forrow, where infantile weaknefs, and the decrepitude of age, languifh under the preffure of affliction, without a friendto help, or an eye to pity, how painful would be their feelings till they had rendered them joyful by diffufing comfort to the wretched. Did they but behold a numerous family of little innocents, furrounding the knees of an afflicted mother, and crying for bread, how ftrong would be their fympathy Did they but behold the mother pale, and. emaciated with want, expreffive anguish painted on her countenance, while endeavouring to filence her children's clamours with the bare fuftenance of words, what tender. emotions it would raife in their breafts!.

THAT frequent intercourfes which the Supreme Being conftitute the utmost happiness of man, is a propofition, which ftands in no need of proof from philofophical inquiries, refined argumentations, and laboured inferences. A. very restricted understanding can comprehend this important. truth. An arrant peafant, without previous information, is fully aware of the vaft emoluments, which accrue from an intimacy with an earthly monarch: what then must be thofe exalted privileges, which redound from the favour and friendship of the Almighty Sovereign of the univerfe!

CONSCIENCE acts in the breaft of men as an able phyfician, an experienced tutor, and a faithful friend; what can we do better then, but daily liften to and obferve its admonitions.

FLOWERS.

FLOWERS.

LET Sages, with fuperfluous pains,
The learned page devour;
While Florio better knowledge drains
From each inftructive flow'r.

His fav'rite Rofe his fear alarms,
All op'ning to the fun;
Like vain coquettes, who fpread their charms,
And fhine to be undone.

The Tulip, gaudy in its dress,

And made for nought but fhow;
In every fenfe, may well exprefs,
The glittering, empty beau!

The Snow-drop firit but peeps to light,
And fearful fhews its head;

Thus modest merit fhines more bright,
By felf-diftruft misled.

Th' Auric'la, which thro' labour rose,
Yet fhines complete by art,

The fource of education fhews,
How much it can impart.

He marks the Senfitive's nice fit;
Nor fears he to proclaim,

If each man's darling vice were hit,
That he would act the fame.

Beneath each common hedge, he views
'The Violet, with care;
Hinting we should not worth refuse,
Altho' we find it there.

The Tuberofe that lofty fprings,
Nor can fupport its height,
Well reprefents imperious kings;
Grown impotent by might.

Fragrant,

Fragrant, tho' pale, the Lily blows,
To teach the female breast,

How virtue can its fweets difclofe
In all complexions drest.

To every bloom that crowns the year,
Nature fome charm decrees;

Learn hence, ye Nymphs, her face to wear,
Ye cannot fail to pleafe.

EVERY. flower contains in it the most edifying rhetoric, to fill us with admiration of its omnipotent Creator.

A DUTCH Ambaffador, at a certain Court, receiving at his departure the portrait of the king, enriched with diamonds, afked what this fine thing might be worth: Being told that it might amount to about two thousand pounds. "And why," cries he, " cannot his Majesty keep the picture, and give me the money?"-This fimplicity may be ridiculed at firft; but when we come to examine it more closely, men of fenfe will at once confefs, that he had reafon in what he said, and that a purse of two thousand guineas is much more ferviceable than a picture.

VIRTUE is the only path to true glory, and however innocence may for a time be depreffed, a fteady perfeverance will lead it to a certain victory.

A CHINESE Emperor, who lived in the last century, upon an occafion of extraordinary joy, forbad his fubjects to make the ufual illuminations, either with a defign of fparing their fubftance, or of turning them to fome more durable indication of joy, more glorious for him, and more advantageous to his people.

THE natural difcontent of inferiority will feldom fail to operate, in fome degree of malice, againft him who profelles to fuperinterd the conduct of others; efpecially if he feats himself uncalled in the chair of judicature, and exercises authority by his own commiflion.

INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY is the road to wealth, and virtue to happiness.

COMPLETE fubftantial happiness is not the produce of a terrestrial foul. While we tread the paths of human life, and are encompaffed with human frailties, the avenues through which happiness beams on the foul, will not in a fufficient degree fatisfy or fill up our intellectual capacities, but ftill fuch a portion of it is within our reach as will render this ftate of existence eafy and tranquil. The Sovereign Lord and Governor of univerfal nature has wifely ordained, that, amidit the highest gratifications we can enjoy in this world, fome alloy fhould be experienced. By these means the mind is led to afpire after the attainment of that more perfect bliss, which, in the wife determinations of his counsel, we were formed to enjoy, when time and its deceptive scenes fhall terminate for ever.

LIPSIUS was a great admirer of the ftoical philofophy. On his death-bed, his friends told him, " they need not "offer any arguments to him, whofe philofophy was fuf"ficient to fupport him, and teach him patience." Ah, faid the dying man, lifting up his eyes, "Dear Lord Jefus "Chrift, give me the Christian patience!"

AS Benevolence is the most fociable of all virtues, fo is it of the largest extent; for there is not any man, either fo great or fo little, but he is yet capable of giving or receiving benefits.

LET us always ufe God's bleffings, as bounties, with moderation and temperance, and remember the poor; for God has given to fome, too little for their convenience, and to others, more than they need, that neither fide may want an occafion for exercising their virtue. He beltows upon us for the relief of our brethren, that we may obtain his mercy. And on the other hand, the poor when they are refreshed by our liberality, give God thanks for putting it into our hearts, and recommend us to him in their prayers.

A SKETCH

A SKETCH OF WINTER.

-THEN doubling clouds the wintry skies deform,
And wrapt
in vapour, comes the warring ftorm,
With fnows furcharg'd from tops of mountains fails;
Loads leaflefs trees, and fills the whiten'd vales:
Then defolation ftrips the faded plains;
Then tyrant Death o'er vegetation reigns;
The birds of heav'n to other climes repair,
And deep'ning glooms invade the turbid air:
Nor then, unjoyous, winter's rigours come,
But find them happy and content with home;
Their granʼries fill'd; the task of culture past.
Warm at their fire, they feel the howling blaft,
With patt'ring rain and fnow, or driving fleet,
Rave idly loud, and at their window beat;
Safe from its rage, regardless of its roar,
In vain the tempeft rattles at the door.

The tame brutes fhelter'd, and the feather'd brood,
From them more provident demand their food:
'Tis then the time from hoarding cribs to feed
The ox laborious, and the noble steed;
'Tis then the time to tend the bleating fold,
To ftrew with litter and to fence from cold.
The cattle fed-the fuel pil'd within,
At fetting day the blissful hours begin:
'Tis then, fole owner of his little cot,
The farmer feels his independent lot,

Hears with the crackling blaze that lights the wall
The voice of gladness and of nature call,
Beholds his children play, their mother smile,
And taftes with them the fruits of fummer's toil.

THE impertinent and the captious are, perhaps, more offenfive at the time they are not impertinent or captious, than when they are. The falling of Damocles's fword on one's head might give less pain, than to fit under it in continual fear of its falling.

LET no one be weary of rendering good offices; for by obliging others we are really kind to ourselves.