Could it a real joy impart ?
Great guilt knew never joy at heart.
Is happiness your point in view?
(I mean the intrinfic and the true)
She nor in camps or courts refides,
Nor in the humble cottage hides;
Yet found alike in ev'ry fphere;
Who finds content, will find her there.
O'erspent with toil, beneath the shade,
A peasant refted on his spade.
Good gods! he cries, 'tis hard to bear
This load of life from year to year.
Soon as the morning ftreaks the skies,
Industrious labour bids me rise;
With fweat I earn my homely fare,
And ev'ry day renews my care.
Jove heard the discontented ftrain,
And thus rebuk'd the murm'ring fwain.
Speak out your wants then, honeft friend :
Unjuft complaints the gods offend.
If you repine at partial fate,
Inftru&t me what could mend your
Mankind in every station fee.
What wish you tell me what you'd be.
So faid, upborne upon a cloud,
The clown furvey'd the anxious croud.
Yon face of care, fays Jove, behold,
His bulky bags are fill'd with gold.
See with what joy he counts it o'er!
That fum to-day hath fwell'd his store.
Were I that man, (the Peasant cry'd)
What bleffing could I ask beside ?
Hold, fays the God; first learn to know
True happiness from outward fhow.
This optic glafs of intuition ;-
Here, take it, view his true condition.
He look'd, and faw the mifer's breaft,
A troubled ocean, ne'er at reft;
Want ever ftares him in the face,
And fear anticipates difgrace:
With confcious guilt he faw him start;
Extortion gnaws his throbbing heart;
And never, or in thought or dream,
His breaft admits one happy gleam.
May Jove, he cries, reject my pray'r,
And guard my life from guilt and care.
My foul abhors that wretch's fate.
O keep me in my humble ftate!
But fee, amidst a gaudy crowd,
Yon minifter fo gay and proud,
On him what happiness attends,
Who thus rewards his grateful friends!
First take the glass, the God replies;
Man views the world with partial eyes.
Good gods! exclaims the ftartled wight,
Defend me from this hideous fight!
Corruption with corrofive smart,
Lies cank'ring on his guilty heart:
I fee him, with polluted hand,
Spread the contagion o'er the land
Now av'rice with infatiate jaws,
Now rapine with her harpy claws,
His bofom tears. His confcious breast
Groans with a load of crimes opprest.
See him, mad and drunk with power,
Stand tott'ring on ambition's tower.
Sometimes, in fpeeches, vain and proud,
His boats infult the nether crowd;
Now, feiz'd with giddiness and fear,
He trembles left his fall is near.
Was ever wretch like this, he cries!
Such mifery in fuch disguise!
The change, O JOVE, I difavow;
Still be my lot the spade and plough.
He next, confirm'd by speculation,
Rejects the lawyer's occupation;
For he the statesman feem'd in part,
And bore fimilitude of heart.
Nor did the foldier's trade inflame
His hopes with thirst of spoil and fame :
The miseries of war he mourn'd;
Whole nations into defarts turn'd.
By these have laws and rights been brav'd;
By thefe was free-born man inflav'd ;
When battles and invafion cease,
Why fwarm they in the lands of peace?
Such change (fays he) may I decline;
The scythe and civil arms be mine!
Thus, weighing life in each condition,
The Clown withdrew his rash petition.
When thus the God: How mortals err !
If you true happiness prefer,
'Tis to no rank of life confin'd,
But dwells in ev'ry honeft mind.
Be justice then your fole pursuit.
Plant virtue, and content's the fruit.
So Jove, to gratify the Clown,
Where firft he found him fet him down.
The MAN, the CAT, the DOG, and the FLY.
TO MY NATIVE COUNTRY.
AIL, happy land, whofe fertile grounds.
The liquid fence of NEPTUNE bounds;
By bounteous nature set apart,
The feat of industry and art!
O BRITAIN ! chofen port
May lux'ry ne'er thy fons invade;
G 2
May never minister (intent
His private treasures to augment)
Corrupt thy ftate. If jealous foes
Thy rights of commerce dare oppose,
Shall not thy fleets their rapine awe ?
Who is't prefcribes the ocean law?
Whenever neighb'ring states contend,
'Tis thine to be the gen❜ral friend.
What is't, who rules in other lands?
On trade alone thy glory stands.
That benefit is unconfin'd,
Diffufing good among mankind:
That firft gave luftre to thy reigns,
And scatter'd plenty o'er thy plains:
'Tis that alone thy wealth fupplies,
And draws all EUROPE's envious eyes.
Be commerce then thy fole defign;
Keep that, and all the world is thine.
When naval traffic plows the main,
Who shares not in the merchant's gain?
'Tis that fupports the regal ftate,
And makes the farmer's heart elate :
The num'rous flocks, that clothe the land,
Can scarce fupply the loom's demand;
Prolific culture glads the fields,
And the bare heath a harvest yields.
Nature expects mankind should share
The duties of the public care.
|