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Falfe eloquence, big empty found,

Like fhowers, that rush upon the ground,
Little beneath the furface goes,

All streams along and muddy flows.
This finks, and fwells the buried grain,
And fructifies like fouthern rain.

His art, well hid in mild discourse,
Exerts perfuafion's winning force,
And nervates fo the good design,
That king Agrippa's cafe is mine.
Well-natur'd, happy shade, forgive!

Like

you I think, but cannot live.

Thy scheme requires the world's contempt,
That, from dependence life exempt;

And constitution fram'd so strong,

This world's worst climate cannot wrong.
Not fuch my lot, not Fortune's brat,
I live by pulling off the hat;
Compell'd by station every hour
To bow to images of power;
And, in life's busy scenes immers'd,
See better things, and do the worst.
Eloquent Want, whofe reafons fway,
And make ten thousand truths give way,

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While I your scheme with pleasure trace,
Draws near, and ftares me in the face.
Confider well your state, she cries,
Like others kneel, that you may rife;
Hold doctrines, by no fcruples vex'd,
To which preferment is annex'd,
Nor madly prove, where all depends,
Idolatry upon your friends.

See, how you like rueful face,

my

Such you muft wear, if out of place.

Crack'd is your brain to turn reclufe

Without one farthing out at use.

They, who have lands, and safe bank-stock;

With faith fo founded on a rock,

May give a rich invention eafe,

And conftrue fcripture how they please.

The honour'd prophet, that of old

Us'd heav'n's high counfels to unfold,

Did, more than courier angels, greet

The crows, that brought him bread and meat.

PRE

PRE-EXISTENCE:

A POEM,

In Imitation of MILTON.

Has quoniam cali nondum dignamur honore,
Quas dedimus certè terras habitare finamus.

'OW had th' archangel trumpet, rais'd fublime

Now

Above the walls of heav'n, begun to found; All æther took the blaft, and hell beneath Shook with celeftial noife; th' almighty hoft Hot with purfuit, and reeking with the blood Of guilty cherubs smear'd in sulphurous dust, Pause at the known command of founding gold. At first they close the wide Tartarian gates, Th' impenetrable folds on brazen hinge Roll creaking horrible; the din beneath

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O'ercomes the roar of flames, and deafens hell.
Then through the folid gloom with nimble wing
They cut their fhining traces up to light;
Return'd upon the edge of heavenly day,

Where thinnest beams play round the vast obscure,
And with eternal gleam drive back the night.
They find the troops less stubborn, less involv'd
In crime and ruin, barr'd the realms of peace,
Yet uncondemn'd to baleful feats of woe,
Doubtful and fuppliant; all the plumes of light
Moult from their fhuddering wings, and fickly fear
Shades every face with horror; confcious guilt
Rolls in the livid eye-ball, and each breast
Shakes with the dread of future doom unknown.
'Tis here the wide circumference of heaven
Opens in two vaft gates, that inward turn
Voluminous, on jafper columns hung

By geometry divine: they ever glow
With living sculptures, that arise by turns
-T'imboss the shining leaves, by turns they fet
To give fucceeding argument their place;
In holy hieroglyphics on they move,

The gaze of journeying angels, as they pass

Oft looking back, and held in deep furprize.

Here

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Here stood the troops diftinct; the cherub guard
Unbarr'd the splendid gates, and in they roll
Harmonious; for a vocal spirit fits

Within each hinge, and, as they onward drive,
In just divisions breaks the numerous jarr
With fymphony melodious, fuch as spheres
Involv'd in tenfold wreaths are faid to found.
Out flows a blaze of glory; for on high
Tow'ring advanc'd the moving throne of God,
Vaft and majestic; on each radiant fide
The pointed rays flope glittering; at the foot
Glides a full tide of day, that onward pours,
In liquid torrents through the black abyss,
Sparkling among reluctant shapes which thence
Retire confus'd; as when Vefuvio shakes
With inward torments, and difgorges flames,
O'er the vast mountain's ridge the burning waves
Drive their refulgent curls, and on they roll
Sweeping the glowing flames down to the fea;
Th' affrighted fea leaps back with hideous roar
To give the fire its courfe; thus Chaos wild
Hiffing recoils to let in floods of light.

. Above the throne, th' ideas heavenly bright Of past, of present, and of coming time

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