Ere to the deftin'd work fhe goes,
She deems it best to pluck a rose.

The hiffing geefe, as forth fhe went,
Gave omens of the dire event;

The herds, that graz'd the neighb'ring plain,
Look'd up, and fnuff'd the coming rain;
The bird that fcreams at midnight hours,
(Diviner of approaching showers)
Full on the left, with hideous croak,
Stood flutt'ring on a blasted oak.

Amazement feiz'd the trembling dame,
When first she saw the plenteous ftream:
She wonder'd much, and much she fear'd;
And think how Niobe appear'd,
When chang'd into a rock she stood,
And at her feet the headlong flood,
With downward force impetuous ran,
High foaming, o'er the delug'd plain:
So look'd the dame, when all around
The torrent fmoak'd upon the ground ;
Still spreading wider than before,

It seem'd a fea without a fhore.

Your bards that wrote in heathen days,
Had fuch a theme employ'd their lays,
Had tortur'd their inventive brain,
With dire portents to fill the strain;
Had bid the neighb'ring river mourn
His alter'd ftream, and tainted urn;

Or

1

Or made the Naiads lift their heads,
Aftonifh'd from their watʼry beds,

And, feated on the river's fide,

Squeeze from their locks the briny tide.50
But little kill'd in Pagan lore,

I país fuch idle fancies o'er:

Truth is my care, whofe lovely faced
Shines brightest in the plaineft dress.

At eve the torrent stopt its courfe;
Stung with vexation and remorse,
The dame laments her fruitless cost,
Her hopes deceiv'd, her labour loft.
Nor think that here her fuff'rings end,
Reproach and infamy attend:
Surrounding boys, where'er fhe came,
With infults loud divulge her shame;
And farmers ftop her with demands
Of recompence for damag'd lands.

1.

What though its prospects now appear
So pleasing and refin'd;

Yet groundless hope, and anxious fear,
By turns the bufy moments fhare,
And prey upon the mind.

Since then falfe joys our fancy cheat
With hopes of real bliss;

Ye guardian powers that rule my fate
The only wish that I create,

Is all compriz'd in this:

May I through life's uncertain tide,
Be ftill from pain exempt;

May all my wants be ftill fupply'd,
My state too low t' admit of pride,
And yet above contempt!

But fhould your Providence divine
A greater blifs intend;

May all those bieffings you defign,
(If e'er thofe bleffings fhall be mine)

Be center'd in a friend!

THE

THE BEARS AND BEES. A FABLE.

BY THE SAME.

S two young bears in wanton mood

A an

Forth-iffuing from a neighbouring wood,
Came where th' industrious Bees had ftor'd
In artful cells their luscious hoard;
O'erjoy'd they feiz'd with eager hafte
Luxurious on the rich repast.

Alarm'd at this, the little crew

About their ears vindictive flew.

The beasts, unable to fustain

Th' unequal combat, quit the plain;
Half blind with rage, and mad with pain,
Their native fhelter they regain;
There fit, and now, discreeter grown,
Too late their rashness they bemoan;
And this by dear experience gain,
That pleasure's ever bought with pain.
So when the gilded baits of vice
Are plac'd before our longing eyes,
With greedy haste we snatch our fill,
And swallow down the latent ill :'

But when experience opes our eyes,
Away the fancy'd pleasure flies;
It flies, but oh! too late we find
It leaves a real sting behind.

HYMN то THE

CREATOR.

BY THE SAME.

OD of my health! whose bounteous care

Go

First gave me power to move,

How fhall my thankful heart declare
The wonders of thy love!

While, void of thought and sense, I lay

Duft of my parent earth,

Thy breath inform'd the fleeping clay,

And call'd me into birth.

From thee my parts their fashion took,

And, ere my life begun,

Within the volume of thy book

Were written one by one.

Thy eye

beheld in open view

The yet unfinish'd plan;

The shadowy lines thy pencil drew

And form'd the future man.

Oh!