Thou guide by which the nobler arts excel, Thou nurse of every virtue-fare thee well. Farewell! and oh! where'er thy voice be tried, On Tornea's clifts or Pambamarca's side,

Whether where equinoctial fervours glow
Or winter wraps the polar world in snow,
Still let thy voice, prevailing over time,
Redress the rigours of the inclement clime.
Aid slighted truth: with thy persuasive strain
Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain;
Teach him, that states of native strength possess'd
Though very poor, may still be very bless'd ;
That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay,
As ocean sweeps the labour'd mole away—
While self-dependent power can time defy,
As rocks resist the billows and the sky.

420

430

LYRICAL AND

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

TO AN IMPERTINENT MUSICIAN.—

EXTEMPORE,1

OUR herald hath proclaim'd this saying:
'See Æsop dancing '—and his monkey playing.

THE CLOWN'S REPLY.?

JOHN TROTT was desired by two witty peers

To tell them the reason why asses had ears!
'An't please you,' quoth John, 'I'm not given to letters,
Nor dare I pretend to know more than my betters;
Howe'er, from this time I shall ne'er see your graces-
As I hope to be sav'd!-without thinking on asses.'

From The miscellaneous works, 1801.

Life, p. 5. Oliver,

while a pupil at Elphin, was requested to dance a hornpipe. The musician, a youth also, ventured to compare him to Æsop; but was promptly met by retaliation!

2 From the Poems and plays, Dublin, Price etc., 1777.-The verses are dated at Edinburgh, 1753. No authority is cited.