Sir, don't be dishearten'd; although it be true,
Th' operation is painful, and hazardous too,

'Tis no more than what many a man has

gone thro'. And then, as for years, you may yet be call'd young, Your life after this may be happy and long.

Don't flatter me, Tom, was the father's reply,
With a jeft in his mouth and a tear in his eye;
Too well by experience, my veffels, thou know'ft,
No fooner are tap'd, but they give up the ghost.

SEEK

In Afiatic climes, where Tigris' wave, Mix'd with Euphrates in tumultuous joy, Doth the broad plains of Babylonia lave.

II.

'Tis gone with all its charms; and like a dream,
Like Babylon itself, is fwept away;

Bestow one tear upon the mournful theme,
But let it not thy gentle heart dismay.

III.

For know where-ever love and virtue guide,
They lead us to a state of heav'nly blifs,
Where joys unknown to guilt and shame prefide,
And pleasures unalloy'd each hour increase.
IV.

Behold, that grove, whofe waving boughs admit,
Through the live colonade, the fruitful hill,

A moving profpect with fat herds réplete,
Whose lowing voices all the valley fill.

V.

There, through the fpiry grass where glides the brook,
(By yon tall poplar which erects its head
Above the verdure of the neighb'ring oak,)
And gently murmurs o'er th' adjoining mead;
VI.

Philander and Cleora, happy pair,

Taste the cool breezes of the gentle wind; Their breafts from guilt, their looks are free from care, Sure index of a calm contented mind.

VII.

'Tis here in virtuous lore the ftudious fair

Informs her babes, nor fcorns herself t' improve, While in his fmile fhe lives, whofe pleafing care Dispenses knowledge from the lips of love.

VIII. No

VIII.

No wild defires can spread their poison here,
No difcontent their peaceful hours attend;
Falfe joys, nor flatt'ring hopes, nor fervile fear,
Their gentle minds with jarring paffions rend.
IX.

Here oft in pleafing folitude they rove,

Recounting o'er the deeds of former days;
With inward joy their well-fpent time approve,
And feel a recompence beyond all praise.
X.

Or in fweet converfe through the grove, or near
The fountain's brink, or where the arbour's shade
Beats back the heat, fair Virtue's voice they hear,
More mufical by fweet digreffions made.

XI.

With calm dependence every good they taste,
Yet feel their neighbours' wants with kind regret,
Nor cheer themselves alone, (a mean repast!)

But deal forth bleffings round their happy feat.

XII.

'Tis to fuch virtue, that the pow'r fupreme

The choiceft of his bleffings hath defign'd, And shed them plenteous over every climé,

The calm delights of an untainted mind.

XIII. Ere

Ere yet

XIII.

the fad effects of foolish pride,

And mean ambition ftill employ'd in strife,

And luxury did o'er the world prefide,

Deprav'd the taste, and pall'd the joys of life.
XIV.

For fuch the Spring, in richest mantle clad,
Pours forth her beauties through the gay parterre ;
And Autumn's various bofom is o'erspread
With all the blufhing fruits that crown the

XV.

year.

Such Summer tempts, in golden beams array'd,
Which o'er the fields in borrow'd luftre glow,
To meditate beneath the cooling fhade

Their happy state, and whence their bleffings flow.
XVI.

E'en rugged Winter varies but their joy,

Painting the cheek with fresh vermilion-hue;

And those rough frosts which softer frames annoy With vig'rous health their slack'ning nerves renew. XVII.

From the dark bofom of the dappled Morn

To Phoebus fhining with meridian light,

Or when mild Ev'ning does the sky adorn,

Or the pale moon rides through the spangled night.

XVIII. The

XVIII.

The varying fcenes in every virtuous foul

Each pleasing change with various pleasures bless,

Raife cheerful hopes, and anxious fears controul,
And form a Paradife of inward peace.

HO' ftrength of genius, by experience taught,

THO

Gives thee to found the depth of human thought,

To trace the various workings of the mind,

And rule the secret springs that rule mankind;
Rare gift! yet, Walpole, wilt thou condefcend
To liften, if thy unexperienc'd friend

Can aught of use impart, though void of skill,
And raise attention by fincere good will:
For friendship sometimes want of parts supplies,
The heart
may furnish what the head denies.

As,