At length, concluding with reflections deep; "Alas, of life few comforts now remain! "Of what I was I but the vestige keep,
Impair'd by grief, by penury, and pain. "Yet let me not arraign juft heav'n's decree; "The lot of human kind, as man, belongs to me.
"Beneath yon aged yew-tree's folemn fhade, "Whofe twisted roots above the green-fward creep; "There, freed from toils, my pious father laid, "Enjoys a filent unmolefted fleep:
"And there my only fon,-with HIM I gave "All comfort of my age untimely to the grave.
"In that sweet earth, when nature's debt is paid, "And leaving life, I leave its load of woes, "My neighbours kind, I truft, will see me laid, "In humble hope of mercy, to repose: Evil and few, the patriarch mourn'd his days, "Nor shall a man prefume to vindicate his ways.
AY, mighty love, and teach my fong,
To whom thy fweeteft joys belong,
And who the happy pairs
Whofe yielding hearts, and joining hands,
Find bleffings twisted with their bands,
To foften all their cares.
Not the wild herd of nymphs and fwains
That thoughtlefs fly into the chains,
As custom leads the way ♦
If there be blifs without defign,
Ivies and oaks may grow and twine,
And be as bleft as they.
Not fordid fouls of earthly mould
Who drawn by kindred charms of gold
To dull embraces move:
So two rich mountains of Peru
May rush to wealthy marriage too,
And make a world of love.
Not the mad tribe that hell infpires
With wanton flames; thofe raging fires
The purer blifs deftroy:
On 's top let furies wed,
And theets of lightning drefs the bed
Timprove the burning joy.
Nor the dull pairs whofe marble forms
None of the melting paffions warms,
Can mingle hearts and hands:
Logs of green wood that quench the coals
Are marry'd juft like Stoic fouls,
With ofiers for their bands.
Not minds of melancholy ftrain,
Still filent, or that ftill complain,
Can the dear bondage bless :
As well may heavenly comforts fpring
From two old lutes with ne'er a ftring,
Or none befides the bafs.
Nor can the foft enchantments hold
Two jarring fouls of angry mould,
The rugged and the keen:
Samfon's young foxes might as well
In bonds of chearful wedlock dwell,
With firebrands ty'd between.
Nor let the cruel fetters bind
A gentle to a favage mind;
For love abhors the fight:
Loofe the fierce tyger from the deer,
For native rage and native fear
Rife and forbid delight.
Two kindeft fouls alone must meet;
'Tis friendship makes the bondage fweet,
And feeds their mutual loves:
Bright Venus on her rolling throne
Is drawn by gentleft birds alone,
And Cupids yoke the doves.
DEO OPT. MAX.
ATHER of all! in ev'ry age,
In ev'ry clime ador'd,
By faint, by favage, and by fage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!
Thou great first Cause, leaft understood:
Who all my fense confin'd
To know but this, that thou art good,
And that myself am blind;
Yet gave me, in this dark eftate,
To fee the good from ill:
And binding nature faft in fate,
Left free the human will.
What confcience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This, teach me more than hell to fhun,
That, more than heav'n purfue.
What bleffings thy free bounty gives,
Let me not caft away; 、
For GoD is paid when man receives,
T'enjoy is to obey.
Yet not to earth's contracted fpan
Thy goodness let me bound,"
Or think thee LORD alone of Man,
When thoufand worlds are round:
Let not this weak unknowing hand
Prefume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land,
On each judge thy foe.
If I am right, thy grace impart,
Still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, oh teach my heart
To find that better way.
Save me alike from foolish pride,
Or impious difcontent,
At aught thy wisdom has deny'd,
Or aught thy goodness lent.
Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I fee;
That mercy I to others fhew,
That mercy fhew to me.
Mean tho' I am, not wholly fo,
Since quicken'd by thy breath;
Oh lead me wherefoe'er I go,
Thro' this day's life or death.
This day, be bread and peace my lot:
All elfe beneath the fun,
Thou know'ft if beft beftow'd or not,
And let thy will be done.
To Thee, whofe temple is all space,
Whofe altar, earth, fea, skies!
One chorus let all Beings raise !
All nature's incenfe rife!
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