"What though the gods a Neitor's age deny! "Let management a longer life fapply,

"And learn, at leaft, to live, before you die.
"A little tract, well till'd, more profit yields
"Than realms of wild, uncultivated fields.
" "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,
"And art our meaneft pleasures may improve:
"Much to ourfelves is due, though much to Jove.
"Think not, young prince, your elevated ftate,
"Birth, honours, or the empty name of great,
"Can fix your joys: they're ill fecur'd, unless
"You know yourself to form your happiness,
"Which in the fhepherd's humble hut is found,
"While palaces with difcord ftill refound.
"Fortune to industry is ever kind,

"And, though by the blind vulgar painted blind,
"Is ftill more equal than the crowd suppose,
"Who judge of happiness by outward shows;
"She fmiles on all conditions, each may be
"A man of pleasure in his own degree.

"Yet few with art their happiness purfue, Though all mankind have happiness in view, "And every fense 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,
" They leave the work of industry to chance.
"And of thofe few who with more active ftrife
"Purfue 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 fuck,
"Who ftill propofe 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,

"Pass'd in ideas of delight, at best :

"While real pleasure's loft in doubtful rest.
"In fhort, learn when, and how to bear; in vain
"He pleasure feeks, who is afraid of pain`;
"Pleasure's a serious thing, and cheaply bought

cr

By labour, patience, management, and thought. "But you, afpiring youth, by nature feem "Addicted to an oppofite extreme; "Impetuous, and reftlefs, foon inflam'd, "And, like a generous courfer, hardly tam'd;

}

"In

"In all things violent: but, O! difdain,
"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 sea 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.

"Supprefs the first emotions of your ire, And fmother in its birth the kindling fire. "Ere anger yet poffeffes all your soul, "Ere yet your bosom heaves, and eyeballs roll, ❝ Think on the useful precepts, I have taught. "And meet the rifing heat with wholfome 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 praifes ring: "These learn to imitate, and those adore, "And sweetly to yourself yourself restore; "Mufic, and verfe, 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 show :

The art of confolation man should know:

}

"Our

"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,

"That none on earth from forrow fhould be free,
But ev'n our bleffings tafte of mifery.

"If fortune gives, what rarely we obtain, "An equal fhare of pleafure, and of pain,

"Our portion is o'er-paid, the rest 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 greater wretches, and the fates

Of mighty heroes, and of mighty ftates: "Thus real evils in their proper light

Appear, the falfe thus vanish out of fight. "Nor aim at pleafures difficult to gain, "Choose rather what you may with ease obtain. "Who fcorns to trifie, is by pride abus'd; "I pity him who ne'er can be amus'd; "But flighting pleafures moderate and small, "Muft live in rapture, or not live at all. "Great pleasures ftill are near ally'd to pain:

}

main,}

"Who quits the peaceful fhore, and ploughs the main, Big waves and mighty tempefts must sustain.

"Let

"Let not fuch fond ambition to be bleft, "The humbler pleafures in your power moleft; "Yet cherish hope; for without hope there's none; "Tafle 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 ftill to live; "While they neglect the joys they might poffefs, "For empty dreams of future happiness.

"Let nature in your pleasures be your guide, "Nor fuffer art her genuine charms to hide : "Her beauties with unwearied eyes we see ; "The truth of beauty is fimplicity.

"Live not by imitation, fervile state! "Nor on the fashion for your pleasures wait. "Man, otherwife fo felfifh, or fo proud, "Submits his tafte to the fantastic crowd, "And lives not for himself; do you purfue "Your own defires, and to yourself be true.

"As bees extract their sweets from every flow'r, "So you your joys from all things in your pow'r, "With industry and management produce; "The meaneft trifles are fometimes of use.

"Yet know well what you do, and when 'tis done, " Nor at all hours to every pleasure run; "But mix with art your pleasures, and your toils "For pleasures have their feafons, and their foils.

"Thus