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8

HYM M N

то

A DVERSIT Y.

D

AUGHTER of Jove, relentlefs Pow'r,"

Thou Tamer of the human breast,

Whofe iron fcourge and tort'ring hour,

The Bad affright, afflict the Best! Bound in thy adamantine chain

The Proud are taught to tafte of pain,

And

And purple Tyrants vainly groan

With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone.

When first thy fire to send on earth

Virtue, his darling Child, defign'd, To thee he gave the heav'nly Birth,

And bad to form her infant mind. Stern rugged Nurfe! thy rigid lore With patience many a year fhe bore:

What forrow was, thou bad'ft her know,

And from her own fhe learn'd to melt at others woe,

Scar'd at thy frown terrific, fly

Self-pleafing Folly's idle brood,

Wild Laughter, Noife, and thoughtless Joy,

And leave us leifure to be good.

Light they disperse, and with them go

The fummer Friend, the flatt'ring Foe;

By

By vain Prosperity receiv'd,

To her they vow their truth, and are again believ’d.

Wisdom, in fable garb array'd,

Immers'd in rapt'rous thought profound,

And Melancholy, filent maid,

With leaden eye, that loves the ground,

Still on thy folemn fteps attend:

Warm Charity, the gen'ral Friend,

With Juftice to herself severe,

And Pity, dropping soft the fadly-pleafing tear.

Oh, gently on thy Suppliant's head, Dread Goddefs, lay thy chaft'ning hand! Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad,

Nor circled with the vengeful Band

(As by the Impious thou art feen)

With thund'ring voice, and threat'ning mien,

With fcreaming Horror's funeral cry,

Defpair, and fell Disease, and ghafly Poverty.

Thy form benign, oh, Goddefs, wear,

Thy milder influence impart,

Thy philofophic Train be there

To foften, not to wound my heart,

The gen'rous fpark extinct revive,
Teach me to love, and to forgive,

Exact my own defects to scan,

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What others are, to feel, and know myself a Man.

THE

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