Some thro' oppofing crowds and threat'ning war, Seek power's bright throne, and fame's triumphant car. Some bent on wealth, pursue with endless pain, Oppreffive, fordid, and difhoneft gain : While others to foft indolence refign'd, Drown in corporeal fweets th' immortal mind. But, O great Father, thunder-ruling God! Who in thick darknefs mak'ft thy dread abode; Thou, from whofe bounty all good gifts defcend, Do thou from ignorance mankind defend.. Thy juftice rules this univerfal frame. That, honour'd with a portion of thy light, The proper task of man: and sure to fing F1 Pythagoras's GOLDEN VERSES. IRST to the gods thy humble homage pay, Perform thy vows, obferve thy plighted troth,. To light and endless life their virtue's fure Due rites perform and honours to the dead, Poffeft of fuch a friend, preferve him ftill; And yield to all his offices of love: Him, from thy heart, fo true, fo juftly dear, And guard the facred temple of thy foul. For For know that death is man's appointed doom, Know that the day of great account will come, When thy paft life fhall ftrictly be furvey'd, Each word, each deed be in the balance laid, And all the good and all the ill most juftly be repaid. For wealth, the perishing uncertain good, Ebbing and flowing, like the fickle flood, That knows no fure, no fix'd abiding place, But wand'ring, loves from hand to hand to pafs; Revolve the getter's joy and lofer's pain, And think if it be worth thy while to gain. Of all those forrows that attend mankind, With patience bear the lot to thee affign'd; Nor think it chance, nor murmur at the load; For know what man calls fortune is from God. In what thou mayft from wifdom feek relief, What cause foever multiplies thy pains, The reas'ning art to various ends apply'd, Nor lightly from thy refolution fwerve; When When fools and liars labour to perfuade, Be dumb, and let the bablers vainly plead. This above all, this precept chiefly learn, This nearly does, and. first thyself concern; Let no example, let no foothing tongue, Prevail upon thee with a Syren's fong, To do thy foul's immortal effence wrong. Of good and ill by words or deeds expreft, Chufe for thyfelf, and always chufe the best. Let wary thought each enterprize forerun, But thou in all thou doft, with early cares Beware thy meddling hand in ought to try, That does beyond thy reach of knowledge ly; But feek to know, and bend thy serious thought Thy life with pleasure, and thy end with peace. Nor let the body want its part, but share A just proportion of thy tender care: For For health and welfare prudently provide, And let its lawful wants be all fupply'd. Let fober draughts refresh, and wholefome fare Decaying nature's wafted force repair ;And fprightly exercife the duller fpirits chear. In all things ftill which to this care belong, Obferve this rule, to guard thy foul from wrong. By virtuous ufe thy life and manners frame, Manly and fimply pure, and free from blame. Provoke not envy's deadly rage, but fly The glancing curfe of her malicious eye. Seek not in needlefs luxury to waste Thy wealth and substance, with a spendthrift's hafte; Yet flying thefe, be watchful, left thy mind, Diftant alike from each, to neither lean, Be careful ftill to guard thy foul from And let thy thought prevent thy hand and tongue. Let not the ftealing god of fleep furprize Nor creep in flumbers on thy weary eyes, E'er ev'ry action of the former day Strictly thou doft and righteously furvey. |