And wings, whose colours glitter'd on the day, But silence here the beauteous angel broke (The voice of Music ravish'd as he spoke): "Thy prayer, thy praise, thy life to vice unknown, In sweet memorial rise before the throne: These charms success in our bright region find, On using second means to work His ends : And bids the doubting sons of men be still. What strange events can strike with more surprise, Than those which lately struck thy wondering eyes? Yet, taught by these, confess the Almighty just, And, where you can't unriddle, learn to trust. Who made his ivory stands with goblets shine, Has, with the cup, the graceless custom lost, The mean suspicious wretch, whose bolted door That Heaven can bless, if mortals will be kind. But now the child half-wean'd his heart from God; This night his treasured heaps he meant to steal, On sounding pinions here the youth withdrew, The bending Hermit here a prayer begun, "Lord, as in heaven, on earth Thy will be done." Then, gladly turning, sought his ancient place, And pass'd a life of piety and peace. THE THIEF AND THE CORDELIER. BY MATTHEW PRIOR. [MATTHEW PRIOR was born in 1664, according to some, in London, and to others at Wimbourne, in Dorsetshire. Having lost his father when very young, he was brought up by an uncle, a tavern-keeper at Charing Cross, who, after sending him for some time to Westminster School, took him to assist at his business. His classical knowledge, however, attracted the attention of the Earl of Dorset, who sent him to the University of Cambridge, where he obtained a fellowship, which he retained until his death. In conjunction with Montague, he wrote "The Country Mouse and City Mouse,” in ridicule of Dryden's “Hind and Panther," and in 1691, through the interest of his patron, the Earl of Dorset, was appointed secretary to the English Embassy at the Hague; then Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King William. He was afterwards made Secretary of State, but he gave up the appointment for a Commissionership of Trade. After the accession of Queen Anne, he negotiated the Treaty of Utrecht, and was then sent ambassador to France: but, when George I. came to the throne, he was recalled and committed to prison, where he remained for two years; and he was even threatened with impeachment, for having held private conferences with the French plenipotentiaries, which, as he showed, was usual in such cases. He died in 1721. Prior's tales are licentious; but his poems are pleasing, and full of good humour. Like Swift, he loved to versify the ordinary occurrences of life. He realized 4,000l. by one edition of his works, and an equal sum was presented to him by the Earl of Oxford, which left his old age independent.] WHO has e'er been at Paris, must needs know the Grève, Where honour and justice most oddly contribute To ease heroes' pains by a halter and gibbet. There death breaks the shackles which force had put on, Great claims are there made, and great secrets are known; And the king, and the law, and the thief, has his own; But my hearers cry out, What a deuce dost thou ail' Cut off thy reflections, and give us thy tale. Derry down, &c. 'Twas there, then, in civil respect to harsh laws, The 'squire, whose good grace was to open the scene, And often took leave, but was loath to depart. What frightens you thus, my good son? says the priest, O father! my sorrow will scarce save my bacon; Derry down, &c. Pough, prithee ne'er trouble thy head with such fancies; |