Not different have I seen in dreary vault Difplay'd, a coffin; on each fable fide The texture unmolefted feems entire. Fraudful, when touch'd it glides to duft away! And leaves the wondering fwain to gape, or stare, And with expreffive fhrug, and piteous sigh, Declare the fatal force of rolling years,
Or dire extent of frail mortality.
This aged vefture, fcorn of gazing beaux, And formal cits, (themfelves too haply fcorn'd) Both on its fleeve and on its skirt, retains Full many a pin wide-fparkling: for, if e'er Their well-known creft met his delighted eye, Though wrapt in thought, commercing with the sky, He, gently stooping, fcorn'd not to upraise, And on each fleeve, as confcious of their use, Indenting fix them; nor, when arm'd with thefe, The cure of rents and feparations dire,
And chafms enormous, did he view dismay'd Hedge, bramble, thicket, bush, portending fate To breeches, coat and hose! had any wight Of vulgar skill, the tender texture own'd; But gave his mind to form a sonnet quaint Of Silvia's fhoe-string, or of Cloe's fan, Or fweetly-fashion'd tip of Celia's ear. Alas! by frequent ufe decays the force Of mortal art! the refractory robe Eludes the taylor's art, eludes his own; How potent once, in union quaint conjoin'd!
See near his bed (his bed too falfely call'd The place of reft, while it a Bard fuftains; Pale, meagre, Mufe-rid wight! who reads in vain Narcotic volumes o'er) his candlestick,
Radiant machine, when from the plastic hand Of Mulciber, the mayor of Birmingham,
The engine issued; now alas difguis'd
By many an unctuous tide, that wandering down Its fides congeal; what he, perhaps, effays With humour forc'd, and ill-diffembled smile, Idly to liken to the poplar's trunk
When o'er its bark the lucid amber, wound
In many a pleafing fold, incrufts the tree. Or fuits him more the winter's candy'd thorn, When from each branch, anneal'd, the works of froft Pervasive, radiant ificles depend?
How fhall I fing the various ill that waits The careful fonneteer? or who can paint The shifts enormous, that in vain he forms To patch his panelefs window; to cement His batter'd tea-pot, ill-retentive vafe? To war with ruin? anxious to conceal Want's fell appearance, of the real ill Nor foe, nor fearful. Ruin unforeseen Invades his chattels; ruin will invade ; Will claim his whole invention to repair, Nor, of the gift, for tuneful ends design'd, Allow one part to decorate his fong. While ridicule, with ever-pointing hand Confcious of every shift, of every shift S
Indicative, his inmoft plot betrays,
Points to the nook, which he his study calls Pompous and vain! for thus he might esteem His cheft, a wardrobe; purse, a treasury; And fhews, to crown her full display, himself. One whom the powers above, in place of health, And wonted vigour; of paternal cot,
Or little farm; of bag, or fcrip, or staff, Cup, difh, fpoon, plate, or worldly utenfil, A poet fram'd; yet fram'd not to repine, And with the cobler's loftieft fite his own; Nor, partial as they seem, upbraid the fates, Who to the humbler mechanifm, join'd
Goods fo fuperior, fuch exalted blifs!
See with what seeming eafe, what labour'd peace, He, hapless hypocrite! refines his nail,
His chief amufement! then how feign'd, how forc'd, That care-defying fonnet, which implies
His debts difcharg'd, and he of half a crown
In full poffeffion, uncontested right
And property! Yet ah! whoe'er this wight Admiring view, if fuch there, be, distrust
The vain pretence; the fmiles that harbour grief As lurks the ferpent deep in flowers enwreath'd. Forewarn'd, be frugal; or with prudent rage Thy pen demolish; chufe the truftier flail, And blefs thofe labours which the choice infpir'd. But if thou view'ft a vulgar mind, a wight Of common fenfe, who seeks no brighter name, Hi envy, him admire, him, from thy breast,
Prefcient of future dignities, falute
Sheriff, or mayor, in comfortable furs
Enwrapt, fecure: nor yet the laureat's crown In thought exclude him! He perchance fhall rife To nobler heights than forefight can decree.
When, fir'd with wrath, for his intrigues display'd In many an idle fong, Saturnian Jove
Vow'd fure deftruction to the tuneful race; Appeas'd by suppliant Phoebus, "Bards, he said, Henceforth of plenty, wealth, and pomp debarr'd, But fed by frugal cares, might wear the bay Secure of thunder."-Low the Delian bow'd, Nor at th' invidious favour dar'd repine.
THE EFFECTS OF SUPERSTITION.
T length fair peace with olive crown'd regains Her lawful throne, and to the facred haunts Of wood or fount the frighted Mufe returns. Happy the Bard, who, from his native hills, Soft mufing on a fummer's eve, furveys His azure ftream, with penfile woods enclos'd! Or o'er the glaffy furface, with his friend, Or faithful fair, through bordering willows green Wafts his fmall frigate. Fearless he of fhouts, Or taunts, the rhetoric of the watery crew That ape confufion from the realms they rule! S 2
Fearless of these; who fhares the gentler voice Of peace and music; birds of sweetest song Attune from native boughs their various lay, And chear the forest; birds of brighter plume With busy pinion skim the glittering wave, And tempt the fun; ambitious to display Their several merit, while the vocal flute, Or number'd verse, by female voice endear'd, Crowns his delight, and mollifies the scene. If folitude his wandering steps invite
To some more deep recess (for hours there are, When gay, when focial minds to friendship's voice, Or beauty's charm, her wild abodes prefer);
How pleas'd he treads her venerable shades, Her folemn courts! the centre of the grove! The root-built cave, by far-extended rocks Around embofom'd, how it foothes the foul! If scoop'd at firft by fuperftitious hands The rugged cell receiv'd alone the fhoals Of bigot minds, religion dwells not here, Yet virtue pleas'd, at intervals, retires: Yet here may wisdom, as she walks the maze, Some ferious truths collect, the rules of life, And ferious truths of mightier weight than gold! I afk not wealth; but let me hoard with care, With frugal cunning, with a niggard's art, A few fix'd principles; in early life, Ere indolence impede the fearch, explor'd. Then, like old Latimer, when age impairs
My judgment's eye, when quibbling schools attack
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