For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
This pleafing anxious being e'er refign'd,
Left the warm precincts of the chearful day,
Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?

On fome fond breast the parting foul relies,
Some pious drops the clofing eye requires;
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
Ev'n in our Afhes live their wonted Fires.

For thee, who mindful of th' unhonour'd Dead
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely Contemplation led,
Some kindred Spirit fhall inquire thy fate,

Haply fome hoary-headed fwain may say,
'Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
'Brushing with hafty steps the dews away

To meet the fun upon the upland lawn.

There at the foot of yonder nodding beech

That rears its old fantastic roots fo high,

'His liftless length at noon-tide would he stretch,

'Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in fcorn,
'Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove;
'Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,
'Or craz'd with care, or crofs'd in hopeless love.

'One morn I mifs'd him on the custom'd hill,

'Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;

"The next with dirges due in fad array,

'Slow through the church-way path we saw him born, Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay, 'Grav'd on the ftone beneath yon aged thorn.

The EPITAPH.

"ERE refts his head upon the lap of Earth,

HERE

A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown, Fair Science frown'd not on his bumble birth, And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

Large

Large was his bounty, and his foul fincere,
Heav'n did a récompence as largely fend

He gave to Mis'ry all be bad, a tear,

He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.

No farther feek his merits to difclofe,

Or draw his frailties from their dread abode, (There they alike in trembling hope repose) The bofom of his Father and his God.

HYMN to ADVERSITY.

D

By the Same.

AUGHTER of Jove, relentless Pow'r,

Thou Tamer of the human breast,

Whose iron scourge and tort'ring hour

The Bad affright, afflict the Best!

Bound in thy adamantine chain

The Proud are taught to taste of pain,

And purple tyrants vainly groan

With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone.

When

When first thy Sire to fend on earth
Virtue, his darling Child, defign'd,
To thee he gave the heav'nly Birth,

And bade to form her infant mind.
Stern 'rugged nurfe! thy rigid lore
With patience many a year fhe bore:

What forrow was, thou bad'ft her know,

And from her own fhe learn'd to melt at others' woe.

Scared at thy frown terrific, fly

Self-pleafing Folly's idle brood,

Wild Laughter, Noife, and thoughtless Joy,

And leave us leisure to be good.

Light they difperfe, and with them go

The fummer Friend, the flattering Foe;

By vain Prosperity received,

To her they vow their truth, and are again believed.

Wisdom in fable garb array'd,

.

Immers'd in rapt'rous thought profound,

And Melancholy, filent maid

With leaden eye, that loves the ground,

Still on thy folemn steps attend:

Warm Charity, the gen'ral friend,

1

With

With Justice to herself fevero,

And Pity, dropping foft the fadly-pleafing tear,

Oh! gently on thy Suppliant's head,

Dread Goddess, lay thy chaft'ning hand!

Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad,

Nor circled with the vengeful Band

(As by the Impious thou art seen)

With thund'ring voice, and threat'ning mien,
With screaming Horror's funeral cry,
Depair, and fell Disease, and ghastly Poverty.

Thy form benign, oh Goddess, wear,

Thy milder influence impart,

Thy philofophic Train be there

To foften, not to wound my heart,
The gen'rous fpark extinct revive,
Teach me to love, and to forgive,

Exact my own defects to scan,

What others are to feel, and know myself a man.

EDU