O fay, my Hill, in what propitious sphere, Gain we the friend, pure, knowing, and fincere? 10 'Tis where the worthy and the wife retire; There wealth may learn its use, may love inspire ; Oft when you faw my youth wild error know, You call'd my lays and wrongs to early fame; 15 20 25 Welcome the wound, when bleft with fuch relief! 30 Afpiring genius, condefcending love. 35 All All-winning mild to each of lowly state; To equals free, unfervile to the great; 40 Greatness you honour, when by worth acquir'd; O trace that friend with me!-he's yours!-he's mine! The world's-beneficent behold him shine! Is wealth his sphere? If riches, like a tide, Is knowledge his? Benevolently great, In love diffusive, as in light refin'd, The liberal emblem of his Maker's mind. 50 $55 60 Is power his orb? He then, like power divine, 65 On all, though with a varied ray, will shine. Ere Ere power was his, the man, he once carefs'd, His friend, unequal to th'incumbent weight? The friend of truth; the friend of human race. fest; This, this the fpirit, which informs thy breaft. Through fortune's cloud thy genuine worth can fhire What would't thou not, were wealth and greatne thine? AN In Answer to his from the Country †. NOW various birds in melting concert fing, And hail the beauty of the opening spring: Now to thy dreams the nightingale complains, Till the lark wakes thee with her cheerful trains; Wakes, in thy verfe and friendship ever kind, Melodious comfort to my jarring mind. 5 10 Oh could my foul through cepths of knowledge fee, Could I read nature and mankind like thee, I fhould o'ercome, or bear the fhocks of fate, And e'en draw envy to the humblest state. Thou canst raise honour from each it event, From fhocks gain vigour, and from want content. Think not light poetry my life's chief care! The Mufe's manfion is, at best, but air; But, if more folid works my meaning forms, Th'unfinish'd structures fall by fortune's storms. Oft have I faid we falfely thofe accuse, Whofe god-like fouls life's middle state refuse. Self-love, 1 cry'd, there feeks ignoble reft; 15 Care fleeps not calm, when millions wake unbleft; 20 M t See Dyer's Prems. Mean Mean let me fhrink, or spread sweet shade o'er all, Low as the fhrub, or as the cedar tall! 'Twas vain! 'twas wild-I fought the middle ftate, And found the good, and found the truly great. Though verfe can never give my soul her aim; 25 Though action only claims fubftantial fame; Though fate denies what my proud wants require, Yet grant me, heaven, by knowledge to aspire: Thus to enquiry let me prompt the mind; Thus clear dimm'd truth, and bid her blefs mankind; 50 From the pierc'd orphan thus draw shafts of grief, Arm want with patience, and teach wealth relief! To ferve lov'd liberty infpire my breath! Or, if my life be ufelefs, grant me death; For he, who ufeless is in life furvey'd, Burthens that world, his duty bids him aid. Say, what have honours to allure the mind, But, who to birth alone would honours owe? As the child's dearer for the mother's pain. The Great I would not envy nor deride; Nor ftoop to fwell a vain Superior's pride; N |