Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

Their name, their years, fpelt by th' unletter'd Mufe;
The place of fame and elegy supply:

And many a holy text around she strews,
That teach the ruftic moralift to dye.

For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
This pleafing anxious being e'er refign'd,
Left the warm precincts of the chearful day,
Nor caft one longing ling'ring look behind?

On fome fond breast the parting foul relies,
Some pious drops the clofing eye requires;
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
Ev'n in our Ashes live their wonted Fires.

For thee, who mindful of th' unhonour'd Dead
Doft in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely Contemplation led,
Some kindred Spirit fhall inquire thy fate,

Haply fome hoary-headed Swain may say,
'Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
Brushing with hafty fteps the dews away

[ocr errors]

• To meet the fun upon the upland lawn.

There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
That wreathes its old fantastick roots fo high,
'His liftless length at noon tide wou'd he stretch,
And pore upon the brook that babbles by.

[blocks in formation]

Hard by yon wood, now fmiling as in fcorn, I Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he wou'd rove; • Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn, • Or craz'd with care, or crofs'd in hopeless love.

• One morn I mifs'd him on the custom'd hill,

[ocr errors]

Along the heath and near his fav'rite tree;

Another came; nor yet befide the rill,

Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;

• The next with dirges due in fad array,

[ocr errors]

Slow through the church-way path we faw him born, Approach and read (for thou can't read) the lay, Grav'd on the ftone beneath yon aged thorn.

[blocks in formation]

ERE refts his head upon the lap of Earth,

HE

A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown,
Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

Large was his bounty, and his foul fincere,
Heav'n did a recompence as largely fend:

He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,

He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.

No farther feek his merits to difclofe,

Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,

(There they alike in trembling hope repofe)

The bofom of his Father and his God.

HYMN

HYMN to ADVERSITY.

By the Same.

AUGHTER of Jove, relentless Power,

DAU

Thou Tamer of the human breast,

Whofe iron fcourge and tort'ring hour

The Bad affright, afflict the Beft!

Bound in thy adamantine chain

The Proud are taught to taste of pain,
And purple tyrants vainly groan

With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone."

When first thy Sire to fend on earth
Virtue, his darling Child, defign'd,
To thee he gave the heav'nly Birth,
And bad to form her infant mind.
Stern rugged Nurfe! thy rigid lore
With patience many a year fhe bore:

What forrow was, thou bad'ft her know,

And from her own fhe learn'd to melt at others' woe.

Scared at thy frown terrific, fly

Self-pleafing Folly's idle brood,

Wild Laughter, Noise, and thoughtless Joy,

And leave us leisure to be good.

Light they difperfe, and with them go

The fummer Friend, the flatt'ring Foe;

By vain Profperity received,

To her they vow their truth, and are again believed.

[blocks in formation]

Wisdom in fable garb array'd,

Immers'd in rapt'rous thought profound, And Melancholy, filent maid

With leaden eye, that loves the ground, Still on thy folemn steps attend :

Warm Charity, the gen'ral friend,

With juftice to herself severe,

And Pity, dropping soft the fadly-pleafing tear.

Oh! gently on thy Suppliant's head,
Dread Goddess, lay thy chaft'ning hand!

Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad,

Nor circled with the vengeful Band (As by the Impious thou art feen)

With thund'ring voice, and threat'ning mien,
With screaming Horror's funeral cry,
Despair, and fell Disease, and ghaftly Poverty.

Thy form benign, oh Goddess, wear,
Thy milder influence impart,

Thy philofophic Train be there

To foften, not to wound my heart, The gen'rous fpark extinct revive, Teach me to love, and to forgive,

Exact my own defects to scan,

What others are to feel, and know myfelf a man.

EDU.

EDUCATION.

A PO E M:

IN TWO CANTOS.

Written in Imitation of the Style and Manner of
SPENSER'S FAIRY QUEEN.

Infcribed to Lady LANGHAM, Widow of Sir JOHN
LANGHAM, Bart.

By GILBERT WEST, Efq;

Unum ftudium vere liberale eft, quod liberum facit. Hoc fapientia fludium eft, fublime, forte, magnanimum: ca. tera pufilla & puerilia funt.-Plus fcire velle quàm fit fatis intemperantiæ genus eft. Quid, quòd ifta liberalium artium confectatio moleflos, verbofos, intempeftivos, fibi placentes facit, & ideo non dicentes neceffaria, quia fupervacua didicerunt. SEN. Ep. 88.

[ocr errors]

Goodly DISCIPLINE! from heav'n y-fprong!
Parent of Science, queen of Arts refin'd!
To whom the Graces, and the Nine belong:

O! bid thofe Graces, in fair chorus join'd

« ПредишнаНапред »