"When to the mind, diseas'd, for aid they fly, "What kind reflection shall the mind supply? "When with lost health what should the loss allay, "Peace, peace is lost! a comfortless decay! 419

"But to my friends, when youth, when pleasure, flies, "And earth's dim beauties fade before their eyes, "Thro' death's dark vista flow'ry tracks are seen, "Elysian plains, and groves for ever green : "If o'er their lives a refluent glance they cast, 424 "Theirs is the present who can praise the past; "Life has its bliss for these when past its bloom, "As wither'd roses yield a late perfume.

Serene, and safe from passion's stormy rage, "How calm they glide into the port of Age! "Of the rude voyage less depriv'd than eas'd; 430 "More tir'd than pain'd,and weaken'd than diseas'd: "For health on age 't is temp'rance must bestow, "And peace from piety alone can flow; "And all the incense bounteous Jove requires "Has sweets for him who feeds the sacred fires. 435 "Sloth views the tow'rs of Fame with envious eyes, "Desirous still, still impotent to rise. "Oft, when resolv'd to gain those blissful tow'rs, "The pensive queen the dire ascent explores, "Comes onward, wafted by the balmy trees,

440

"Some sylvan music, or some scented breeze; "She turns her head, her own gay realm she spies, "And all the short-liv'd resolution dies.

448

"Thus some fond insect's falt'ring pinions wave, "Clasp'd in its fav'rite sweets, a lasting slave; 445 "And thus in vain these charming visions please "The wretch of glory and the slave of ease, “Doom'd ever in ignoble state to pine, "Boast her own scenes, and languish after mine. "But shun her snares; nor let the world exclaim "Thy birth, which was thy glory, prov'd thy shame. "With early hope thine infant actions fir'd, "Let manhood crown what infancy inspir'd; "Let gen'rous toils reward with health thy days, "Prolong thy prime, and eternize thy praise. 455 "The bold exploit that charms th' attesting age, "To latest times shall gen'rous hearts engage; "And with that myrtle shall thy shrine be crown'd, "With which alive thy graceful brows were bound, "Till Time shall bid thy virtues freely bloom, 460 "And raise a temple where it found a tomb.

"Then in their feasts thy name shall Grecians join, "Shall pour the sparkling juice to Jove's and thine: "Thine, us'd in war, shall raise their native fire; “Thine, us'd in peace, their mutual faith inspire. "Dulness, perhaps, thro' want of sight, may blame, "And Spleen, with odious industry, defame; 467 "And that the honours giv'n with wonder view, "And this in secret sadness own them due. "Contempt and Envy were by Fate design'd "The rival tyrants which divide mankind; Volume II.

I

471

"Contempt, which none but who deserve can bear, "While Envy's wounds the smiles of Fame repair: "For know, the gen'rous thine exploits shall fire, "Thine ev'ry friend it suits thee to require: 475 "Lov'd by, the gods, and, till their seats I show, "Lov'd by the good, their images below."

"Cease, lovely Maid! fair daughter of the Skies! "My guide! my queen!" th' ecstatic youth replies : "In thee I trace a form design'd for sway, 480 "Whichchiefs may court,and kings with pride obey!' "And by thy bright immortal friends I swear, Thy fair idea shall no toils impair.

"Lead me, O lead me! where whole hosts of foes Thy form depreciate, and thy friends oppose. 485 "Welcome all toils th' unequal Fates decree, "While toils endear thy faithful charge to thee. "Such be my cares, to bind th' oppressive hand, "And crush the fetters of an injur'd land:

"To see the monster's noxious life resign'd, 490 "And tyrants quell'd, the monsters of mankind! Nature shall smile to view the vanquish'd brood, "And none but Envy riot unsubdu'd.

In cloister'd state let selfish sages dwell, "Proud that their heart is narrow as their cell! 495 "And boast their mazy labyrinth of rules, "Far less the friends of Virtue than the fools; "Yet such in vain thy fav'ring smiles pretend, "For he is thine who proves his country's friend.

"Thus, when my life, well-spent, the good enjoy, "And the mean envious labour to destroy; 501 "When,strongly lur'd by Fame's contiguous shrine, I yet devote my choicer vows to thine;

"If all my toils thy promis'd favour claim,
"O lead thy fav'rite thro' the gates of Fame!" 505
He ceas'd his vows, and, with disdainful air,
He turn'd to blast the late exulting fair:

But vanish'd, fled to some more friendly shore,
The conscious phantom's beauty pleas'd no more;
Convinc'd her spurious charms of dress and face 510
Claim'd a quick conquest or a' sure disgrace.
Fantastic Pow'r! whose transient charms allur'd,
While Error's mist the reas'ning mind obscur'd;
Not such the vict'ress Virtue's constant queen
Endur'd the test of truth, and dar'd be seen; 515
Her bright'ning form and features seem'd to own
'Twas all her wish, her int'rest, to be known;
And when his longing view the fair declin'd,
Left a full image of her charms behind.

Thus reigns the moon, with furtive splendour

520

crown'd, While glooms oppress us, and thick shades surround; But let the source of light its beams display, Languid and faint the mimic flames decay, And all the sick'ning splendour fades away. 524

THE PROGRESS OF TASTE:

OR, THE FATE OF DELICACY,

A Poem on the Temper and Studies of the Author; and bow great a Misfortune it is for a Man of small Estate to bave much Taste.

PART THE FIRST.

PERHAPS some cloud eclips'd the day,
When thus I tun'd my pensive lay.

"The ship is launch'd we catch the gale-
"On life's extended ocean sail;

"For happiness our course we bend,

"Our ardent cry, our general end!

"Yet, ah! the scenes which tempt our care
"Are, like the forms dispers'd in air,
"Still dancing near disorder'd eyes,

"And weakest his who best descries!"
Yet let me not my birthright barter,

(For wishing is the poet's charter;

All bards have leave to wish what 's wanted,
Tho' few e'er found their wishes granted;
Extensive field! where poets pride them
In singing all that is deny'd them.)
For humble ease, ye Pow'rs! I pray;
That plain warm suit for ev'ry day,
And pleasure, and brocade, bestow,

To flaunt it-once a month or so.