"These learn to imitate, and those adore, "And fweetly to yourself, yourself restore; Mufic, and verse, and folitude controul "Impetuous fury, and compose the foul. "For this, I early taught you how to fing, "And form'd your fingers to the trembling string; "For 'tis not all sweet pleasure's path to fhow: "The art of confolation man should know: "Our joys are short, and broken; and in vain "To conftant blifs would human race attain : "Be oft contented to be free from pain. "There is a deity, ordain'd by fate "To damp our joys immoderately great, "If fortune gives, what rarely we obtain, "An equal share of pleasure, and of pain, "Our portion is o'erpaid, the rest you'll find "But fond ideas of the wanton mind; "Which now vain fcenes of godlike pleasure shows, "And now creates imaginary woes. "When fad, your ills examine and compare, Judge of your own by what another's are. Confider "Confider greater wretches, and the fates "Of mighty heroes, and of mighty states : "Thus real evils in their proper light "Appear, the false thus vanish out of fight. "Nor aim at pleasures difficult to gain, "Choose rather what you may with ease obtain. "Who fcorns to trifle, is by pride abus'd: "I pity him who ne'er can be amus'd; "But flighting pleasures moderate and small, "Must live in rapture, or not live at all. "Great pleasures still are near ally'd to pain: "Who quits the peaceful fhore, and ploughs the main, Big waves and mighty tempests must sustain. 66 Let not fuch fond ambition to be bleft, The humbler pleasures in your power moleft; "Yet cherish hope; for without hope there's none: Taste hope; but be not fed with that alone. "Some their whole lives in expectation spend, "As life were not begun, or ne'er would end: Fondly from day to day themselves deceive, "Not living, but intending still to live; "While they neglect the joys they might possess, "Let nature in your pleasures be your guide, "Nor fuffer art her genuine charms to hide : "Her beauties with unwearied eyes we fee; "The truth of beauty is fimplicity. "Live not by imitation, fervile state! "Nor on the fashion for your pleasures wait. "Man, otherwise so selfish, or fo proud, "Submits his tafte to the fantaftic crowd, "And lives not for himself; do you pursue "Your own defires, and to yourself be true. "As bees extract their sweets from every flow'r, "So you your joys from all things in your pow'r, "With induftry and management produce; "The meaneft trifles are fometimes of use. "Yet know well what you do, and when 'tis done, "Nor at all hours to every pleasure run; "But mix with art your pleasures, and your toils; "For pleasures have their seasons, and their foils. "Thus when the earlieft dawn of eastern light "Proclaims the finish'd empire of the night, "Hafte to the field, Achilles, nor difdain "To chace the foaming monfter o'er the plain, "Or teach the untam'd steed to feel the rein; "Or "Or let your car and arms your nerves prepare, "Or for Olympic games or future war: "Then, whether arts or glory fire your mind, "Will thoughts more generous rife, or more refin'd; "Aurora to the Mufes ftill is kind. "At noon, a simple short repaft be made; "A fhorter flumber in the cooling shade; "What's gay and light th' unbended mind employs, "Or sports, or paft delights, or future joys. "But when the ev'ning-ftar begins to rife, "When Phoebus' fainting steeds forsake the fkies, "Still chearful at the well-fpread board be found, "Amidst bright friends, and with fresh garlands crown'd, "While wine, and Thais with her voice and lyre, "Banish old forrows, and new joys inspire. "Thus when from toils of empire you are free, "Nor camp, nor council claim your liberty, "The morn to labour and the Muses give; At noon with temperance and quiet live; "Ceres' and Bacchus' gifts at ev'ning prove; 66 Thus, thus, Pelides, drive your cares away, "Nor fear the evil, 'till the evil day, "What "What though on Simois' or Scamander's fhore, "Far off from home, the Greeks your death deplore? No matter where, or when; it once must be, "And nothing can revoke the firm decree. Though Thetis' fon, though third from mighty Jove, "Eternal monarch of the realms above, "Nor Jove, nor Thetis, can your days recal, "Or for an hour defer your deftin'd fall. "Mean while a looser rein to pleasure give : "Time flies in hafte, be you in hafte to live: "Seize on the precious minutes, as they fleet; "Your life, however fhort, will be compleat, "If at the fatal moment you can say, “I've liv'd, and made the most of every day! Learn, gen'rous prince, what's little understood, "The godlike happiness of doing good. "How glorious to defend, and to bestow! "From nobler fprings can human pleasure flow? "A folid good which nothing can destroy, "The best prerogative the great enjoy. "For this, remember, monarchs first were made, "For this, young prince, be lov'd, and be obey'd, "At |