lours; the rofe no fcent: their palate for pleasure is fo deadened, and burnt out by the violent ftroke of higher tastes, as leaves no fenfibility for the fofter impreffions of thefe; much lefs for the relish of those philofophic, or moral, fentiments, which the verdant walk, clear stream, embowering fhade, pendant fruit, or rifing flower, thofe fpeechlefs, not powerlefs orators, ever praifing their great Author, infpire: Much lefs ftill for their religious inspirations. Who cannot look on a flower till he frightens himself out of infidelity? Religion is the natural growth of the works of God; and infidelity of the inventions of men.

ARREARS to the DISTRESSED.

H

OW deep are we in arrears to the diftreffed?

The distressed have, from reason, as just a demand on our fuperfluities, as we have, from law, on our ftewards for our eftates. But this is no play debt, and therefore without dishonour undifcharged.

THE

THE HERMIT*.

AR in a wild, unknown to public view,

Ffrom youth to age a rev'rend Hermit grew;

The mofs his bed, the cave his humble cell,
His food the fruits, his drink the cryftal well:
Remote from Man with God he pafs'd the days,
Fray'r all his business, all his pleasure praise.

A life fo facred, fuch ferene repose,
Seem'd heav'n itself, 'till one fuggeftion rofe;
That vice should triumph, virtue vice obey,
This fprung fome doubt of Providence's fway:
His hopes no more a certain profpect boast,
And all the tenour of his Soul is loft:
So when a smooth expanse receives imprest
Calm nature's image on its watʼry breast,
Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow,
And skies beneath with answering colours glow:
But if a ftone the gentle fea divide,
Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry side,
And glimm'ring fragments of a broken fun,
Banks, trees, and skies, in thick disorder run.

To clear this doubt, to know the world by fight, To find if books or fwains, report it right;

* Parnell.

(For

(For yet by fwains alone the world he knew,
Whose feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew)
He quits his cell the pilgrim-ftaff he bore,
And fix'd the fcallop in his hat before;
Then with the fun a rifing journey went,
Sedate to think, and watching each event.

The morn was wafted in the pathlefs grafs,
And long and lonesome was the wild to pass;
But when the Southern fun had warm'd the day,
A youth came posting o'er a croffing way;
His raiment decent, his complexion fair,
And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair.
Then near approaching, Father, hail! he cry'd;
And hai!, my fon! the rev'rend fire reply'd;
Words follow'd words, from question answer flow'd,
And talk of various kind deceiv'd the road;
"Till each with other pleas'd and loth to part,
While in their age they differ, join in heart :
Thus ftands an aged elm in ivy bound,
Thus youthful ivy clafps an elm around.

Now funk the fun; the clofing hour of day Came onward, mantled o'er with fober grey; Nature in filence bid the world repose:

When near the road a stately palace rose :

There by the moon through ranks of trees they pafs,
Whofe verdure crown'd their floping fides of grafs.
It chanc'd the noble master of the dome

Still made his houfe the wand'ring ftranger's home:

Yet

Yet ftill the kindness, from a thirst of praife,
Prov'd the vain flourish of expensive ease.
The pair arrive: the liv'ry'd fervants wait;
Their lord receives them at the pompous gate.
The table groans with coftly piles of food,
And all is more than hofpitably good.
Then led to reft, the day's long toil they drown,
Deep funk in fleep, and filk, and heaps of down.

At length 'tis morn, and at the dawn of day
Along the wide canals the Zephyrs play ;
Fresh o'er the gay parterres the breezes creep,
And shake the neighb'ring wood to banish fleep.
Up rife the guests, obedient to the call,
An early banquet deck'd the splendid hall;
Rich lufcious wine a golden goblet grac❜d,
Which the kind mafter forc'd the guests to taste.
Then pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go;
And, but the landlord, none had caufe of woe;
His Cup was vanifh'd; for in fecret guise
The younger guest purloin'd the glitt'ring prize.

As one who fpies a ferpent in his
way,
Glift'ning and basking in the summer ray,
Disorder'd stops to fhun the danger near,

Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear:
So feem'd the fire; when far upon the road,
The fhining Spoil his wiley partner fhow'd.
He ftop'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart,
And much he wish'd, but durft not ask to part :
Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard,
That gen'rous actions meet a bafe reward.

While thus they pass, the fun his glory shrouds,
The changing skies hang out their fable clouds;
A found in air prefag'd approaching rain,

And beasts to covert fcud a-cross the plain.
Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat
To feek for shelter at a neighb'ring feat.
'Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground,
And strong, and large, and unimprov❜d around;
Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere
Unkind and griping, caus'd a defart there.
As near the Mifer's heavy doors they drew,
Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew,
The nimble light'ning mix'd with show'rs began,
And o'er their heads loud-rolling thunder ran.
Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain,
Driv'n by the wind, and batter'd by the rain.
At length some pity warm'd the master's breast,
('Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a guest)
Slow creaking turns the door with jealous care,
And half he welcomes in the fhiv'ring pair;
One frugal faggot lights the naked walls,
And nature's fervour through their limbs recalls :
Bread of the coarfeft fort, with eager wine,
(Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine:
And when the tempest first appear'd to cease,
A ready warning bid them part in peace.

With still remark the pond'ring Hermit view'd
In one fo rich, a life so poor and rude;
And why should fuch (within himself he cry'd)
Lock the loft wealth a thousand want befide?