Not wealth, but Pity fwells the bursting groan; Not pow'r, but whispering Nature prompts the tear.

Say, gentle mourner, in yon mouldy vault,

Where the worm fattens on fome fcepter'd brow, Beneath that roof with fculptured marble fraught, Why fleeps unmoved the breathlefs dust below?

Sleeps it more sweetly than the fimple swain, Beneath fome moffy turf that rests his head? Where the 'lone Widow tells the Night her pain, And Eve' with dewy tears embalms the dead.

The lily, fcreen'd from ev'ry ruder gale,
Courts not the cultur'd fpot where roses spring;
But blows neglected in the peaceful vale,
And scents the zephirs balmy breathing wing.

The bufts of grandeur, and the pomp of power,
Can these bid Sorrow's gufhing tears fubfide?
Can thefe avail, in that tremendous hour,
When Death's cold hand congeals the purple tide?

Ah no!—the mighty names are heard no more: Pride's thought fublime and Beauty's kindling bloom

Serve but to fport one flying moment o'er,

And swell with pompous verse the 'fcutchon'd tomb.

For me:-may

Paffion ne'er my foul invade,

Nor be the whims of towering Frenzy giv'n;

Let Wealth ne'er court me from the peaceful fhade, Where Contemplation wings the foul to heav'n!

O guard me safe from Joy's enticing fnare;
With each extreme that Pleasure tries to hide,
The poison'd breath of flow-confuming Care,
The noise of Folly, and the dreams of Pride!

But oft when Midnight's fadly folemn knell Sounds long and distant from the sky-topt tower, Calm let me fit in Profper's lonely cell *,

Or walk with MILTON thro' the dark Obscure.

Thus when the tranfient dream of life is fled,
May some fad friend recall the former years;
Then ftretch'd in filence o'er my dufty bed,
Pour the warm gufh of fympathetic tears!

See SHAKESPEARE'S Tempeft.

A.Walker del. et fculp.

ODE to the GENIUS of SHAKESPEARE.

R

I. I.

APT from the glance of mortal eye,

Say, burfts thy Genius to the world of light?
Seeks it yon ftar-befpangled sky?

Or skims its fields with rapid flight?

Or mid' yon plains where Fancy strays,
Courts it the balmy-breathing gale ?
Or where the violet pale

Droops o'er the green-embroidered stream;

Or where young Zephir ftirs the ruftling sprays,
Lies all diffolv'd in fairy dream.

O'er

O'er yon

bleak defert's unfrequented round

See'ft thou where Nature treads the deepening gloom,

Sits on yon hoary tow'r with ivy crown'd,

Or wildly wails o'er thy lamented tomb;

Hear'st thou the folemn music wind along?
Or thrills the warbling note in thy mellifluous fong?

I. 2.

Oft while on earth 'twas thine to rove
Where'er the wild-eyed Goddefs lov'd to roam,
To trace ferene the gloomy grove,

Or haunt meek Quiet's fimple dome;
Still hovering round the Nine appear,
That pour the foul-transporting strain;
Join'd to the Love's gay train,

The loofe-rob'd Graees crown'd with flow'rs,
The light-wing'd gales that lead the vernal year,
And wake the rofy-featured Hours.

O'er all bright Fancy's beamy radiance shone,
How flam'd thy bofom as her charms reveal!
Her fire-clad eye fublime, her ftarry zone,
Her treffes loofe that wanton'd on the gale;
On Thee the Goddefs fix'd her ardent look,

Then from her glowing lips these melting accents

broke:

I. 3.

"To Thee, my favourite fon, belong
"The lays that fteal the liftening hour
"To pour the rapture-darting fong,
"To paint gay Hope's Elysian bower:
"From Nature's hand to fnatch the dart,
"To cleave with pangs the bleeding heart,
"Or lightly sweep the trembling string,
"And call the Loves with purple wing
"From the blue deep where they dwell
"With Naiads in the pearly cell,
"Soft on the fea-born Goddess gaze*
"Or in the loofe robe's floating maze,
"Diffolv'd in downy flumbers reft;
"Or flutter o'er her panting breast.
"Or wild to melt the yielding foul,
"Let Sorrow clad in fable stole

"Slow to thy mufing thought appear;

"Or penfive Pity pale ;

"Or Love's defponding tale

“Call from th' intender'd heart the sympathetic tear."

* Venus.

II. 1.