Compact yet fine the curious Network weaves, And forms her dark Retreat behind the Leaves. On Prey intent, in Ambuscade the lies,

Till, 'tangl'd in her Snare, she rushes on the Prize.

The lab'ring BEE, by him instructed, knows Where op'ning Flow'rs their balmySweets difclofe. The rifing Sun her daily Task renews:

Wide, o'er the Plains, fhe fips the pearly Dews.
From Mead to Mead she wanders through the Skies,
And yellow Thyme diftends her loaded Thighs.
Each rifl'd Flower rewards her painful Toil,
And her full Hive receives the golden Spoil:
On flagging Wings each Load the thither bears,
And while the Summer fmiles, for Winter's Want
prepares.

Nor does the ANT with lefs fagacious Care Improve the bounteous Seafons of the Year.

Of

Of Want afraid, for what the Harvest yields, Thoughtful, the ranges through the distant Fields. No Toil fhe fpares, but labours o'er the Plain, And fweats beneath the Burden of a Grain. Though much she has, fhe fearches ftill for more, And ev'ry Day adds fomething to her Store ; With wholesome Food her Granaries abound, Nor, unprepar'd, is fhe by freezing Winter found.

How oft, O MAN, by foolish Pride betray'd, Madly haft thou prefum'd, and vainly faid, All living Things for Thee alone were made : Their only End thy Pleasure to supply,

To live thy Slaves, or for thy Humour die?

Whence springs this Claim? When was this Li

cence giv'n?

What Act ordains Thee Subftitute of Heav'n?

Does Pow'r confer a Right to take away

That Being God bestows?

So, had they Speech, perhaps would Tygers fay.

But

But thou,with Reason,might'ft,methinks,conclude,
That Heav'n, which is not only Great but Good,
Has nobler Views in its extensive Thought,
Than just to serve thy Table and thy Sport.

Alas! what's MAN, thus infolent and vain ?— One fingle Link of Nature's mighty Chain. Each hated Toad, each crawling Worm we see, Is needful to the Whole no lefs than He.Like fome grand Building is the UNIVERSE, Where ev'ry Part is useful in its Place; As well the Pins, which All together hold, As the rich Carvings, or the glowing Gold.

Why did❜ft Thou murder yonder harmless Fly?-Because 'tis Good for Nothing, doft Thou cry. The fame of Thee, tho' now so vain and gay, As juftly might fuperior Beings fay:

And yet Thou liv'ft,--to form this impious Thought, And set thy Maker's Handy-work at nought.

34

With Wonder view thy little World around;

How Life, in various Forms, does ev'ry where abound!
Earth, Water, Air, with living Creatures ftor'd,
Myriads of Myriads, numberlefs, afford:

The rifing Hill, the long extended Plain,
The crystal Flood, the briny raging Main,
The flow'ry Mead, the Corn-producing Field,
The Forest wide, the frightful Defart wild,
The over-hanging Rock, the Cavern deep,
The fandy Beach, the lofty Mountain steep,
Swarm with Inhabitants.--In ev'ry Clime,
In ev'ry Season, and at ev'ry Time,

Each op'ning Flow'r, and ev'ry rifing Grain,
The Life of Thousands does with Food sustain.

Calmly confider wherefore gracious Heav'n, To all these Creatures has Exiftence giv'n. Eternal Goodness certainly defign'd,

That ev'ry one, according to its Kind,

Should

Should Happiness enjoy:-for God, all-just, Could ne'er intend his Creatures to be curs'd. When Life he gave, he meant that Life should be A State productive of Felicity.

And, though, to kill there may be fome Pretence, When raging Hunger bids, or Self-Defence: No Caufe befide can justify the Deed, "Tis Murder if not urg'd by real Need.

If the fame Pow'r did ev'ry Being give, If All for Happiness did Life receive, Then ev'ry Thing has equal Right to live. And how dares Man, who's but himself a Breath, Destroy through Wantonnefs, and sport with Death!

Extend thy narrow Sight: confult with Art: And gladly use what Helps it can impart : Each better Glass will larger Fields difplay,

And give Thee Scenes of Life, unthought of, to furvey.