Bright plumes of every dye, that round him flow,
Vest, robe, and wings, in varied luftre show.
He looks, and forward steps with mien divine;
A
grace celestial gives him all to shine.

710
He speaks-Nature is ravish'd at the found,
The forests move, and streams ftand listening round !

Thus he. As incorruption I assum'd,
As instant in immortal youth I bloom'd!
Renew'd, and chang'd, I felt my vital springs, 715
With different lights discern'd the form of things;
To earth my passions fell like mists away,
And reason open'd in eternal day.

Swifter than thought from world to world I flew,
Celestial knowledge shone in every view.

720
My food was truth-what transport could I miss ?
My prospect, all infinitude of bliss.
Olympia met me first, and, smiling gay,
Onward to mercy led the shining way;
As far transcendant to her wonted air,

725
As her dear wonted self to many a fair !
In voice, and form, beauty more beauteous Mows,
And harmony still more harmonious

grows.
She points out fouls, who taught me friendship's charms,
They gaze, they glow, they spring into my arms! 730
Well pleas'd, high ancestors my view command ;
Patrons and patriots all; a glorious band !
Horatio too, by well-born fate refin'd,
Shone out white-rob’d with saints, a spotless mind!
What once, below, ambition made him miss,

735 Humility here gain’d, a life of bliss !

Though

Though late, let finners then from sin depart!
Heaven never yet despis'd the contrite heart.
Last Mhone, with sweet, exalted lustre gracid,
The SERAPH-BARD, in highest order plac'd! 740
Seers, lovers, legislators, prelates, kings,
All raptur'd listen, as he raptur'd fings.
Sweetness and strength his look and lays employ,
Greet smiles with smiles, and every joy with joy:
Charmful he rose; his ever-charmful tongue 745
Joy to our second hymeneals lung;
Still as we pass'd, the bright, celestial throng
Hail'd us in social love, and heavenly fong.

Of that 110 more! my deathless friendship see!
I come an Angel to the Muse and Thee.

750 Thele lights, that vibrate, and promiscuous shine, Are emanations all of forms divine, And here the Muse, though melted from thy gaze, Stands among fpirits,' mingling rays with rays. If thou would'st peace attain, my words attend, 755 The last, fond words of thy departed friend! True joy's a seraph, that to heaven aspires, Unhurt it triumphs mid' celestial choirs. But should no cares a mortal state molest, Life were a state of ignorance at best,

760 Know then, if ills oblige thee to retire, Thofe ills folemnity of thought inspire. Did not the soul abroad for objects roam, Whence could she learn to call ideas home? Justly to know thyself, peruse mankind; 765 To know thy God, paint nature on thy mind :

Without

Without such science of the worldly scene,
What is retirement ? --Empty pride or fpleen:
But with it wisdom. There shall cares refine, ,
Render’d by contemplation half-divine.

770
Trust not the frantic, or mysterious guide,
Nor stoop a captive to the schoolman's pride.
On nature's wonders fix alone thy zeal!
They dim not reason, when they truth reveal ;
So shall religion in thy heart endure,

775 From all traditionary falsehood pure; So life make death familiar to thy eye, So shalt thou live, as thou may'st learn to die; And, though thou view'st thy worst oppreffor thrive, From transient woe, immortal bliss derive. Farewell. Nay, stop the parting tear!--I go! But leave the Muse thy comforter below. He said. Instant his pinions upward foar, He lessening as they rise, till seen no more.

While Contemplation weigh'd the mystic view, 785 The lights all vanilli’d, and the vision flew.

780

THE
THE reader will easily perceive these verses were

begun, when my heart was gayer than it has been of late; and finished in hours of the deepest melancholy.

I hope the world will do me the justice to believe, that no part of this flows from

any
real

anger against the Lady, to whom it is inscribed. Whatever undeserved severities I may have received at her hands, would ne deal so candidly as acknowledge truth, the very well knows, by an experience of many years, that I have ever behaved myself towards her, like one who thought it his duty to support with patience all afflictions from that quarter. Indeed, if I had not been capable of forgiving a Mother, I must have blushed to receive pardon myself at the hands of my Sovereign.

Neither, Neither, to say the truth, were the manner of my birth all, should I have any reason for complaintWhen I am a little disposed to a gay turn of thinking, I consider, as I was a Derelict from my cradle, I have the honour of a lawful claim to the best protection in Europe. For being a spot of earth, to which nobody pretends a title, I devolve naturally upon the King, as one of the rights of his Royalty.

While I presume to name his Majesty, I look back, with confusion, upon the mercy

I have lately experienced; because it is impossible to remember it, but with something I would fain forget, for the sake of my future peace, and alleviation of my past misfortune.

I owe my life to the Royal Pity, if a wretch can, with propriety, be said to live, whose days are fewer than his forrows; and to whom death had been but a redemption from misery.

But I will suffer my pardon as my punishment, till that life, which has fo graciously been given me, shall become considerable enough not to be useless in his service to whom it was forfeited. Under influence of these sentiments, with which His Majesty's great goodness has inspired me, I consider my loss of fortune and dignity as my happiness; to which, as I am born without ambition, I am thrown from them without repining-Poffering those advantages, my care had been, perhaps, how to enjoy life; by the want of them I am taught this nobler lesion, to study how to deserve it.

RICHARD SAVAGE,

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