Certain her way, and permanent the deed
Of gift fubftantial to her friends decreed.
She gives the confidence erect and clear,
She gives magnanimous contempt of fear,
And bids th' invulnerable mind to know
Her fafety from the future shafts of woe.
O treasure, richer than the fea or land!
But why without the walls her deftin'd stand?
There standing, she presents her potent bowl,
Divine cathartic, which restores the foul.

This afks a comment.

In fome dire disease,

Machaon's fkill firft purges off the lees:

Then clear and ftrong the purple current flows,

And life renew'd in every member glows:
But if the patient all controul despise,
Juft victim of his stubborn will he dies.
So Wisdom, by her rules, with healing art
Expells Delufion's mischiefs from the heart;

Blindness, and error, and high-boasting pride,

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350

355

Intemp'rance, luft, fierce wrath's impetuous tide, 360 Hydropic avarice, all the plagues behind

Which in the first mad court opprefs'd the mind.

Thus purg'd, her pupil through the gate fhe brings, The Virtues hail their gueft, the guest enraptur'd fings. Behold the spotlefs band, celeftial charms!

365

Scene that with awe chaftifes whom it warms:

No harlotry, no paint, no gay excess,

But beauty unaffected as their drefs.

See Knowledge grafping a refulgent ftar,
See Fortitude in panoply of war:

Justice her equal scale aloft difplays,

And rights both human and divine fhe weighs.
There Mcderation, all the pleasures bound

370

In brazen chains her dreaded feet furround.
There bounteous Liberality expands

375

To want, to worth, her ever-loaded hands.

The florid hue of Temperance, her fide

Adorn'd by Health, a nymph in blooming pride.
Lo, foft-ey'd Meekness holds a curbing rein,

Anger's high-mettled spirit to restrain :
While Moral Order tunes her golden lyre,
And white-rob'd Probity compleats the choir.
O fairest of all fair! O blissful ftate!
What hopes fublime our ravish'd foul dilate!
Subftantial hopes, if by the doctrine taught,
The fashion'd manners are to habit wrought.

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385

Yes,

Yes, 'tis refolv'd. We'll every nerve employ.
Live, then, restor'd; and reap the promis'd joy.
But whither do the Virtues lead their trust?
To Happiness, rewarder of the juft.

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395

Look upward to the hill beyond the grove, A fovereign pile extends its front above : Stately and strong, the lofty castle stands, Its boundless prospect all the courts commands. Within the porch, high on a jasper throne, Th' Imperial Mother by her form is known; Bright as the morn, when smiling on the hills Earth, air, and fea with vernal joy the fills. Rich without lavish coft her veft behold. In colours of the sky, and fring'd with gold: A tiar, wreath'd with every flow'r that blows Of livelieft tints, around her temples glows: Eternal bloom her fnowy temples binds, Fearless of burning funs and blafting winds. Now, with a crown of wond'rous pow'r, her hand 405 (Affistant, round her, all the Virtues ftand)

Adorns her hero, honourable meed

Of conquefts won by many a valiant deed.

Formidable beafts fubdu'd:

What conquests?

Lab'ring he fought, he routed, he purfu'd.

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410

Once,

Once, a weak prey, beneath their force he cowr'd,
O'erthrown, and worry'd, and well-nigh devour'd:
'Till rouz'd from his inglorious floth, possest
With generous ardour kindling in his breast,
Lord of himself, the victor now constrains
Those hostile monsters in his pow'rful chains.
Explain thofe favage beafts at war with man.
Error and Ignorance, which head the van,
Heart-gnawing Grief, and loud-lamenting Woe,
Incontinence, a wild-destroying foe,
Rapacious Avarice; cruel numbers more:
O'er all he triumphs now, their flave before.
O great atchievements! more illuftrious far
Thefe triumphs, than the bloody wreaths of war.
But, fay; what falutary pow'r is shed

By the fair crown, which decks the hero's head?
Most beatific. For poffeffing this
He lives, rich owner of man's proper bliss:
Bliss independent or on wealth or pow'r,
Fame, birth, or beauty, or voluptuous hour.
His hope's divorc'd from all exterior things,
Within himself the fount of pleasure springs;
Springs ever in the felf-approving breast,

And his own honeft heart's a conftant feast.

415

420

425

430

Where,

Where, next, his steps?

He measures back his way, 435

Conducted by the Virtues, to furvey

His first abode. The giddy crowd, below,

Wafting their wretched span in crime, they show

How in the whirl of paffions they are toft,
And, fhipwreck'd on the lurking fhelves, are loft: 440
Here fierce Ambition haling in her chain
The mighty, there a despicable train
Impure in Luft's inglorious fetter bound,
And flaves of Avarice rooting up the ground:
Thralls of Vain-glory, thralls of fwelling Pride,
Unnumber'd fools, unnumber'd plagues befide.
All-pow'rless they to burft the galling band,
To fpring aloft, and reach yon happy land,
Entangled, impotent the way to find,

445

The clear inftruction blotted from their mind

450

Which the Good Genius gave; Guilt's gloomy fears

Becloud their funs and fadden all their years.

I ftand convinc'd, but yet perplex'd in thought Why to review a well-known Scene he's brought. Scene rudely known. Uncertain and confus'd, His judgment by illufions was abus'd.

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