Hence lights refracted run through diftant skies,
Changeful on azure plains in quivering dyes!
So thy mind darted through its earthy frame,
A wide, a various, and a glittering flame.

Now a new scene enormous luftre brings,
Now feraphs fhade thee round with filver wings;
In angel-forms thou feeft thy Rochford fhine;
In each fweet form is trac'd her beauteous line!
Such was her foul, ere this felected mould
Sprung at thy wifh, the sparkling life t' infold!
So amidst cherubs fhone her fon refin'd,
Are infant-flesh the new-form'd foul enfhrin'd!
So fhall a fequent race from Rochford rife,
The world's fair pride-Defcendants of the skies.

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40

45

M

TO THE EXCELLENT

IRA N D A, CONSORT OF AARON HILL, ESQ

ON READING HER POEMS.

ACH foftening charm of Clio's fmiling fong, Montague's foul, which fhines divinely ftrong, Thefe blend, with graceful ease, to form thy rhyme, Tender, yet chaste; sweet-founding, yet fublime; Wisdom and wit have made thy works their care, Each paffion glows, refin'd by precept, there: To fair Miranda's form each grace is kind; The Mufes and the Virtues tune thy mind.

VERSES

VERS E S

то A

YOUNG

LADY.

POLLY, from me, though now a love-fick youth,

Nay, though a poet, hear the voice of truth!

Polly, you're not a beauty, yet you 're pretty;
So grave, yet gay; fo filly, yet fo witty;
A heart of foftnefs, yet a tongue of satire ;
You've cruelty, yet, ev'n with that, good-nature :
Now you are free, and now referv'd awhile;
Now a forc'd frown betrays a willing smile.
Reproach'd for abfence, yet your fight deny'd;
My tongue you filence, yet my filence chide.
How would you praise me, should your fex defame!
Yet, fhould they praise, grow jealous, and exclaim.
If I despair, with some kind look you bless;
But if I hope, at once all hope fupprefs.

5

You scorn; yet fhould my paffion change, or fail, 15
Too late you'd whimper out a fofter tale.
You love; yet from your lover's wish retire;
Doubt, yet difcern; deny, and yet desire.

Such, Polly, are your fex-part truth, part fiction,
Some thought, much whim, and all a contradiction. 20

THE

GENTLE MA N.

A

ADDRESSED то

JOHN JOLIFFE, ESQ.

Decent mein, an elegance of drefs,

Words, which, at ease, each winning grace ex

prefs;

A life, where love, by wisdom polish'd, shines,
Where wisdom's felf again, by love, refines;
Where we to chance for friendship never truft,
Nor ever dread from fudden whim disgust;
The focial manners, and the heart humane;
A nature ever great, and never vain ;
A wit, that no licentious pertnefs knows;
The fenfe, that unaffuming candour shows ;
Reason, by narrow principles uncheck'd,
Slave to no party, bigot to no fect;
Knowledge of various life, of learning too;

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10

Thence tafte; thence truth, which will from tafte enfue:

Unwilling cenfure, though a judgment clear;

A fmile indulgent, and that fmile fincere;
An humble, though an elevated mind;
A pride, its pleasure but to serve mankind!
If these esteem and admiration raise ;

Give true delight, and gain unflattering praise,
In one wish'd view, th' accomplish'd man we fee;
These graces all are thine, and thou art He.

15

20

CHARAC

CHARACTER

O F THE

REV.

JAMES

FOSTE R.

FROM Codex hear, ye ecclefiaftic men, This paftoral charge to Webfter, Stebbing, Ven; Attend, ye emblems of your P's mind ! Mark Faith, mark Hope, mark Charity, defin'd; On terms, whence no ideas ye can draw, Pin well your faith, and then pronounce it law; First wealth, a crofier next, your hope enflame; And next church - power-a power o'er confcience,

claim;

In modes of worship right of choice deny;

Say, to convert, all means are fair;—add, why ? 'Tis charitable-let your power decree,

That Perfecution then is Charity;

5

10

Call reafon error; forms, not things, display;

Let moral doctrine to abftrufe give way;

Sink demonstration; mystery preach alone;

15

Be thus Religion's friend, and thus your own.
But Fofter well this honeft truth extends
Where Mystery begins, Religion ends.

In him, great modern miracle! we see

A prieft, from avarice and ambition free;
One, whom no perfecuting spirit fires;
Whose heart and tongue benevolence inspires :
Learn'd, not affuming; eloquent, yet plain;

20

Meek, though not timorous; confcious, though not

vain;

Without craft, reverend; holy, without cant;

Zealous for truth, without enthusiast rant.
His faith, where no credulity is seen,
"Twixt infidel and bigot, marks the mean;

His hope, no mitre militant on earth,

25

'Tis that bright crown, which heaven referves for worth. A priest, in charity with all mankind,

His love to virtue, not to fect confin'd:

Truth his delight; from him it flames abroad,
From him, who fears no being, but his God:
In him from Chriftian, moral light can fhine;
Not mad with mystery, but a found divine;
He wins the wife and good, with reafon's lore
Then ftrikes their paffions with pathetic power;

Where vice erects her head, rebukes the page;

Mix'd with rebuke, perfuafive charms engage;

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40

Charms, which th' unthinking must to thought excite;
Lo! vice lefs vicious! virtue more upright:

Him copy, Codex, that the good and wife,
Who fo abhor thy heart, and head despise,

May fee thee now, though late, redeem thy name, 45
And glorify what else is damn'd to fame,

But