"Tis not from length of years our pleasures flow, "Nor to the gods alone our bliss we owe. “Our happiness, and pain depend on us : "Man's his own good, or evil genius. "Great ills by art we lighten, or remove, 66 Much to ourselves is due, though much to Jove. 66 Fortune to industry is ever kind, And, though by the blind vulgar painted blind, "Is still more equal than the crowd suppose, "Who judge of happiness by outward shows "She smiles on all conditions, each may be "A man of pleasure in his own degree. "Yet few with art their happiness pursue, "Though all mankind have happiness in view, "And every sense seems made by nature's skill "For giving pleasure and avoiding ill. } "Nature "Nature our common mother has been kind, "And for a race of joy her fons defign'd, "Who long to reach the goal, yet lazy, lag behind, "Or wholly blind, or doubtful how t' advance, 66 They leave the work of industry to chance. "And of those few who with more active strife "Pursue this great, important end of life, "Some, too impatient, know not how to wait; "Or aim at things beyond their human state: "These last through too much delicacy fall, "And by refining rob themselves of all. "Shun then, Achilles, fhun the faults of fuch, "Who still propose too little, or too much. "Stretch not your hopes too far, nor yet despair, "But above all, of indolence beware. "Attend to what you do, or life will seem "But a mere vifion, or fantastic dream, "Pafs'd in ideas of delight, at beft: "While real pleasure's loft in doubtful reft. ૩. " But "But you, afpiring youth, by nature seem "Addicted to an oppofite extreme; "Impetuous, and restless, foon inflam'd, "And, like a generous courfer, hardly tam'd; "In all things violent: but, O! disdain, "Brave prince, to let ufurping paffion reign, "In one rash moment facrificing more "Than years of fad repentance may restore. "As Thracian winds the Euxine fea moleft, "So wrath, and envy, from an human breast "Drive Halcyon peace, and banish kindly rest. "And no fecurity for joy is found, "But in a mind that's tractable and found. "Suppress the first emotions of your ire, "And smother in its birth the kindling fire. "Ere anger yet poffeffes all your foul, "Ere yet your bofom heaves, and eyeballs roll, "Think on the useful precepts, I have taught, "And meet the rifing heat with wholsome thought. "Or feek the facred Mufes with your lyre, "Who with sweet peace to lonely shades retire; "Gods, and the fons of gods, the heroes, fing, "While hills and vallies with their praises ring; } "Thefe "These learn to imitate, and those adore, "And sweetly to yourself, yourself restore; Mufic, and verse, and folitude controul "Impetuous fury, and compofe the foul. "For this, I early taught you how to fing, "And form'd your fingers to the trembling string; "For 'tis not all sweet pleasure's path to fhow: "The art of confolation man fhould know: "Our joys are short, and broken; and in vain "To conftant blifs would human race attain: "Be oft contented to be free from pain. "There is a deity, ordain'd by fate "To damp our joys immoderately great, "If fortune gives, what rarely we obtain, An equal fhare of pleasure, and of pain, "Our portion is o'erpaid, the reft you'll find "But fond ideas of the wanton mind; "Which now vain fcenes of godlike pleasure shows, "And now creates imaginary woes. "When fad, your ills examine and compare, Judge of your own by what another's are. Confider "Confider greater wretches, and the fates "Who quits the peaceful fhore, and ploughs the main, Big waves and mighty tempefts must sustain. "Let not fuch fond ambition to be bleft, "The humbler pleasures in your power moleft; "Yet cherish hope; for without hope there's none; "Tafte hope; but be not fed with that alone. "Some their whole lives in expectation spend, "As life were not begun, or ne'er would end: "Fondly from day to day themselves deceive, "Not living, but intending still to live; "While they neglect the joys they might poffefs, For empty dreams of future happiness. "Let |