Goods fo fuperior, fuch exalted blifs!
See with what seeming ease, what labour'd peace He, hapless hypocrite! refines his nail,
His chief amusement ! then how feign'd, how forc'd, That care-defying fonnet, which implies
His debts discharg'd, and he of half a crown In full poffeffion, uncontested right
And property! Yet ah! whoe'er this wight Admiring view, if fuch there be, diftruft The vain pretence; the fmiles that harbour grief, As lurks the ferpent deep in flow'rs enwreath'd. Forewarn'd, be frugal; or with prudent rage Thy pen demolish; chufe the trustier flail, And bless thofe labours which the choice infpir'd. But if thou view'ft a vulgar mind, a wight Of common fenfe, who feeks no brighter name, Him envy, him admire, him, from thy breast, Prefcient of future dignities, falute
Sheriff, or may'r, in comfortable furs
Enwrapt, fecure: nor yet the laureat's crown In thought exclude him! He perchance shall rife To nobler heights than forefight can decree.
When fir'd with wrath, for his intrigues display'd In many an idle fong, Saturnian Jove Vow'd fure deftruction to the tuneful race; Appeas'd by fuppliant PHOEBUS, "Bards, he faid, Henceforth of plenty, wealth, and pomp debarr'd, But fed by frugal cares, might wear the bay Secure of thunder."-Low the Delian bow'd, Nor at th' invidious favour dar'd repine.
The EFFECTS of SUPERSTITION.
T length fair peace with olive crown'd regains
Her lawful throne, and to the facred haunts Of wood or fount the frighted mufe returns. Happy the bard, who, from his native hills, Soft-mufing on a fummer's eve, furveys His azure stream, with penfile woods enclos'd! Or o'er the glaffy surface, with his friend, Or faithful fair, thro' bord'ring willows green Wafts his fmall frigate. Fearless he of shouts, Or taunts, the rhetoric of the wat❜ry crew That ape confufion from the realms they rule! Fearless of these; who shares the gentler voice Of peace and mufic; birds of sweetest song Attune from native boughs their various lay, And chear the foreft; birds of brighter plume With bufy pinion skim the glitt'ring wave, And tempt the fun; ambitious to display Their feveral merit, while the vocal flute, Or number'd verfe, by female voice endear'd, Crowns his delight, and mollifies the scene. If folitude his wand'ring steps invite
To fome more deep recess, (for hours there are, When gay, when focial minds to friendship's voice, Or beauty's charm, her wild abodes prefer) How pleas'd he treads her venerable shades,
Her folemn courts! the center of the grove! The root-built cave, by far-extended rocks Around embosom'd, how it foothes the foul! If scoop'd at firft by fuperftitious hands The rugged cell receiv'd alone the fhoals. Of bigot-minds, religion dwells not here, Yet virtue pleas'd, at intervals, retires: Yet here may wisdom, as he walks the maze, Some serious truths collect, the rules of life, And serious truths of mightier weight than gold!
I afk not wealth; but let me hoard with care, With frugal cunning, with a niggard's art, A few fix'd principles; in early life, Ere indolence impede the fearch, explor'd, Then like old LATIMER, when age impairs My judgment's eye, when quibbling schools attack My grounded hope, or fubtler wits deride, Will I not blush to shun the vain debate,
And this mine answer; "Thus, 'twas thus I thought.
My mind yet vigorous, and my foul entire; "Thus will I think, averse to liften more "To intricate difcuffion, prone to ftray.
Perhaps my reafon may but ill defend
My fettled faith; my mind, with age impair'd, "Too fure its own infirmities declare.
"But I am arm'd by caution, studious youth, "And early forefight; now the winds may rise, "The tempeft whistle, and the billows roar; "My pinnace rides in port, defpoil'd and worn,
"Shatter'd by time and ftorms, but while it fhuns "Th' inequal conflict, and declines the deep, "Sees the strong veffel fluctuate lefs fecure."
Thus while he ftrays, a thousand rural fcenes Suggest instruction, and inftructing please. And fee betwixt the grove's extended arms An abby's rude remains attract thy view, Gilt by the mid-day fun: with ling'ring ftep Produce thine axe, (for, aiming to deftroy Tree, branch, or fhade, for never fhall thy breaft Too long deliberate) with timorous hand Remove th' obftructive bough; nor yet refuse, Tho' fighing, to deftroy that fav'rite pine, Rais'd by thine hand, in its luxuriant prime Of beauty fair, that screens the vast remains. Aggriev'd but conftant as the Roman fire, The rigid MANLIUS, when his conqu❜ring fon Bled by a parent's voice; the cruel meed Of virtuous ardor, timelessly display'd; Nor cease till, thro' the gloomy road, the pile Gleam unobstructed; thither oft thine eye Shall sweetly wander; thence returning, foothe With pensive scenes thy philofophic mind.
These were thy haunts, thy opulent abodes, O fuperftition! hence the dire disease, (Ballanc'd with which the fam'd Athenian pest Were a fhort head-ach, were the trivial pain Of tranfient indigestion) feiz'd mankind.
Long time fhe rag'd, and scarce a fouthern gale Warm'd
Warm'd our chill air, unloaded with the threats Of tyrant ROME; but futile all, till fhe, ROME's abler legate, magnify'd their pow'r, And in a thoufand horrid forms attir'd.
Where then was truth, to fanctify the page Of British annals? if a foe expir'd,
The perjur'd monk fuborn'd infernal fhrieks, And fiends to fnatch at the departing foul With hellish emulation. If a friend, High o'er his roof exultant angels tune
Their golden lyres, and waft him to the fkies. What then were vows, were oaths, were plighted faith? The fovereign's juft, the fubjects loyal pact To cherish mutual good, annull❜d and vain, By Roman magic, grew an idle fcroll Ere the frail fanction of the wax was cold.
With thee, *PLANTAGENET, from civil broils The land awhile refpir'd, and all was peace. Then BECKET rofe, and impotent of mind, From regal courts with lawlefs fury march'd The church's blood-ftain'd convicts, and forgave; Bid murd❜rous priests the fov'reign frown contemn, And with unhallowed +crofier bruis'd the crown. Yet yielded not fupinely tame a prince Of HENRY's virtues; learn'd, courageous, wife, Of fair ambition. Long his regal foul Firm and erect the peevish priest exil'd, And brav'd the fury of revengeful Rome.
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