LXXXVI.

Yourselves with virtue thus and knowledge fraught: Of what, in ancient days of good or great Hiftorians, bards, philofophers, have taught; Join'd with whatever elfe of modern date Maturer judgment, fearch more accurate, Difcover'd have of Nature, Man, and God, May by new laws reform the time-worn ftate Of cell-bred difcipline, and fmoothe the road That leads thro' Learning's vale to Wisdom's bright abode.

By you

LXXXVII.

invited to her fecret bowers,

Then fhall Pædîa reafcend her throne

With vivid laurels girt and fragrant flowers;
While from their forked mount defcending down
Yon fupercilious pedant train fhall own

Her empire paramount, ere-long by her

Y-taught a leffon in their schools unknown,

"To Learning's richest treasures to prefer

The knowledge of the world, and man's great bufinefs

"there."

LXXXVIII.

On this prime science, as the final end
Of all her difcipline and nurturing care,
Her eye Pædîa fixing aye shall bend
Her every thought and effort to prepare
Her tender pupils for the various war,
Which Vice and Folly shall upon them wage,
As on the perilous march of life they fare
With prudent lore fore-arming every age

*Gainst Pleafure's treacherous joys, and Pain's embattled

rage.**

LXXXIX. Then

LXXXIX.

Then shall my youthful fons, to Wisdom led
By fair example and ingenuous praise,

With willing feet the paths of Duty tread;
Through the world's intricate or rugged ways
Conducted by Religion's facred rays;
Whofe foul-invigorating influence

Shall purge their minds from all impure allays
Of fordid selfishness and brutal fenfe,

And fwell th ennobled heart with blefs'd benevolence. XC.

Then also shall this emblematic pile,

By magic whilom fram'd to sympathize

With all the fortunes of this changeful ifle,

Still, as my fons in fame and virtue rife,

Grow with their growth, and to th' applauding skies
Its radiant cross uplift; the while, to grace 1
The multiplying niches, frefa fupplies

Of worthies fhall-fucceed, with equal pace
Aye following their fires in virtue's glorious race,

i

XCI.

Fir'd with th' idea of her future fame,

She rofe majestic from her lowly stead ;

While from her vivid eyes a sparkling flame,
Out-beaming, with unwonted light o'erfpread
That monumental pile; and as her head

To every front the turn'd, discover'd round
The venerable forms of heroes dead;

Who, for their various merit erft renown'd,

In this bright fane of glory thrines of honour found.

XCII. On

XCII.

On these that royal dame her ravish'd eyes
Would often feaft; and ever as the spy'd

Forth from the ground the lengthening structure rife
With new-plac'd statues deck'd on every fide,
Her parent-breaft would swell with generous pride.
And now with her in that fequefter'd plain,
The Knight awhile conftraining to abide,
She to the Fairy Youth with pleasure fain

Those sculptur'd chiefs did fhew, and their great livesTM explain.

FATHER FRANCIS'S PRAYER.

Written in Lord WESTMORLAND's Hermitage.

NE gay attire, ne marble-hall,

Ne arched roof, ne pictur'd wall;

Ne cook of Fraunce, ne dainty board,
Bestow'd with pyes of perigord ;
Ne power, ne fuch like idle fancies,
Sweet Agnes, grant to Father Francis;
Let me ne more myself deceive;
Ne more regret the toys I leave ;
The world I quit, the proud, the vain,
Corruption's and Ambition's train ;
But not the good, perdie, nor fair,
"Gainst them I make ne vow, ne prayer;
But fuch aye welcome to my cell,
And oft, not always with me dwell;

Then

Then caft, fweet Saint, a circle round,
And blefs from fools this holy ground;
From all the foes to worth and truth,
From wanton old, and homely youth;
The gravely dull, and pèrtly gay,
Oh banish these; and, by my fay,
Right well I wcèn that in this age,
Mine houfe fhall prove an hermitage.

AN INSCRIPTION ON THE CELL. {

.Beneath these mofs-grown roots, this ruftic cell,
Truth, Liberty, Content, fequefter'd dwell;
Say you, who dare our hermitage difdain,
What drawing-room can boaft fo fair a train?

AN INSCRIPTION IN THE CELL.

Sweet bird, that fing'ft on yonder spray,
Purfue unharm'd thy fylvan lay;

While I beneath this breezy fhade,
In peace repose my careless head;
And joining thy enraptur'd fong,
Inftruct the world-enamour'd throng,
That the contented harmless breakt
In folitude itself is bleft.

INSCRIP

INSCRIPTION on a SUMMER-HOUSE

Belonging to Mr. WEST, at WICKHAM, in KENT.

(An Imitation of AUSONIUS," Ad Villam.”)

N

OT wrapt in smoky London's fulphurous clouds, And not far diftant, stands my rural cot: Neither obnoxious to intruding crowds,

Nor for the good and friendly too remote.

And when too much repofe brings on the spleen,
Or the gay city's idle pleasures cloy;
Swift as my changing with, I change the scene;
And now the country, now the town enjoy.

CONTENTS