Alas! by frequent ufe decays the force
Of mortal art! the refractory robe
Eludes the taylor's art, eludes his own;
How potent once, in union quaint conjoin'd!
See near his bed (his bed too falfely call'd
The place of reft, while it a bard fuftains ;
Pale, meagre, mufe-rid wight! who reads in vain
Narcotic volumes o'er) his candlestick,

Radiant machine, when from the plastic hand
Of MULCIBER, the may'r of BIRMINGHAM,
The engine iffu'd; now alas difguis'd

By many an unctuous tide, that wand'ring down
Its fides congeal; what he, perhaps, effays
With humour forc'd, and ill-diffembled fmile,
Idly to liken to the poplar's trunk

When o'er its bark the lucid amber, wound

In many a pleafing fold, incrufts the tree.
Or fuits him more the winter's candy'd thorn,
When from each branch, anneal'd, the works of froft
Pervafive, radiant icicles depend?

How fhall I fing the various ill that waits
The careful fonneteer or who can paint
The fhifts enormous, that in vain he forms
To patch his paneless window; to cement
His batter'd tea-pot, ill-retentive vase ?
To war with ruin? anxious to conceal
Want's fell appearance, of the real ill
Nor foe, nor fearful. Ruin unforeseen
Invades his chattles; ruin will invade;
Will claim his whole invention to repair,

Nor,

Nor, of the gift, for tuneful ends defign'd,
Allow one part to decorate his fong.
While ridicule, with ever-pointing hand
Confcious of ev'ry shift, of ev'ry shift
Indicative, his in most plot betrays,

Points to the nook, which he his study calls
Pompous and vain! for thus he might esteem
His cheft, a wardrobe; purfe, a treasury;
And fhews, to crown her full display, himself.
One whom the pow'rs above, in place of health,
And wonted vigour; of paternal cot,
Or little farm; of bag, or fcrip, or staff,
Cup, dish, spoon, plate, or worldly utenfil,
A poet fram'd; yet fram'd not to repine,
And with the cobler's loftieft fite his own;
Nor, partial as they feem, upbraid the fates,
Who to the humbler mechanifm, join'd

Goods fo fuperior, fuch exalted bliss!

See with what feeming eafe, what labour'd peace

He, hapless hypocrite! refines his nail,

His chief amufement! 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, uncontefted right
And property! Yet ah! whoe'er this wight
Admiring view, if fuch there be, distrust
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 truftier flail,
T 3

And

And blefs thofe labours which the choice infpir'd.
But if thou view'it a vulgar mind, a wight

Of common fenfe, who feeks no brighter name,
Him envy, him admire, him, from thy breaft,
Prefcient of future dignities, falute

Sheriff, or may'r, in comfortable furs

Enwrapt, fecure: nor yet the laureat's crown
In thought exc ude him! He perchance shall rise
To nobler heights than forefight can decree."

When fir'd with wrath, for his intrigues difplay'd
In many an idle fong, Saturnian Jove
Vow'd fure destruction to the tuneful race;
Appeas'd by fuppliant PHOEBUS, “Bards, he said,
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 RUIN'D ABBY;

O R,

The EFFECTS of SUPERSTITION.

T length fair peace with olive crown'd regains

Of wood or fount the frighted muse returns.
Happy the bard, who, from his native hills,
Soft mufing on a fummer's eve, furveys

His azure ftream, with penfile woods enclos'd!
Or o'er the glaffy surface, with his friend,
Or faithful fair, thro' bord'ring willows green
Wafts his small frigate. Fearless he of fhouts,
Or taunts, the rhetoric of the wat❜ry crew

That ape confufion from the realms they rule!
Fearless of these; who fhares the gentler voice
Of peace and mufic; birds of fweeteft fong
Attune from native boughs their various lay,
And chear the foreft; birds of brighter plume
With bufy pinion fkim the glitt'ring wave,
And tempt the fun; ambitious to difplay
Their several 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 embofom'd, how it soothes the foul!
If fcoop'd at firft by fuperftitious hands
The rugged cell receiv'd alone the shoals
Of bigot minds, religion dwells not here,
Yet virtue pleas'd, at intervals, retires :
Yet here may wisdom, as she walks the maze,
Some ferious truths collect, the rules of life,
And ferious truths of mightier weight than gold!

I ask 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 anfwer; "Thus, 'twas thus I thought, "My mind yet vigorous, and my foul entire ; "Thus will I think, averfe to listen more

To intricate difcuffion, prone to stray. "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, ftudious 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 storms, but while it shuns
Th' inequal conflict, and declines the deep,
"Sees the ftrong veffel fluctuate lefs fecure."
Thus while he strays, a thousand rural scenes
Suggest instruction, and instructing 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 step
Produce thine axe, (for, aiming to deftroy
Tree, branch, or shade, for never shall thy breast
Too long deliberate) with timorous hand