The quiv'ring nations sport; till tempest-wing'd,
Fierce winter sweeps them from the face of day.
Ev'n so,
luxurious men, unheeding, pass

An idle summer life, in fortune's shine,
A season's glitter! Thus they flutter on,
From toy to toy, from vanity to vice;
Till, blown away by death, oblivion comes
Behind, and strikes them from the book of life.

BENEFICENCE ITS OWN REWARD.

My fortune (for I'll mention all

And more than you dare tell) is small;
Yet
every friend partakes my store,
And want goes smiling from my door.
Will forty shillings warm the breast
Of worth or industry distress'd?
This sum I cheerfully impart ;
"Tis fourscore pleasures to my heart:
And you may make, by means like these,
Five talents ten, whene'er you please.
'Tis true, my little purse grows light;
But then I sleep so sweet at night!
This grand specific will prevail,
When all the doctor's opiates fail.

VIRTUE THE BEST TREASURE.

Virtue, the strength and beauty of the soul,
Is the best gift of heaven; a happiness
That, even above the smiles and frowns of fate,
Exalts great nature's favourites: a wealth
That ne'er encumbers; nor to baser hands
Can be transferr'd. It is the only good
Man justly boasts of, or can call his own.
Riches are oft by guilt and baseness earn'd,
But for one end, one much-neglected use,
Are riches worth our care, (for nature's wants
Are few, and without opulence supplied):
This noble end is to produce the soul;
To show the virtues in their fairest light;
And make humanity the minister

Of bounteous Providence.

CONTEMPLATION.

As yet 'tis midnight deep. The weary clouds,
Slow meeting, mingle into solid gloom.
Now, while the drowsy world lies lost in sleep,
Let me associate with the serious night,

And contemplation, her sedate compeer;

Let me shake off th' intrusive cares of day,
And lay the meddling senses all aside.

Where, now, ye-lying vanities of life!
Ye ever tempting, ever cheating train!
Where are you now? and what is your amount?
Vexation, disappointment, and remorse.
Sad sick ning thought! And yet, deluded map,
A scene of crude disjointed visions past,
And broken slumbers, rises still resolv'd,
With new flush'd hopes, to run the giddy round.
PLEASURES OF PIETY.

A Deity believ'd, is joy begun ;
A Deity ador'd, is joy advanc'd;
A Deity belov'd, is joy matur'd.
Each branch of piety delight inspires:

Faith builds a bridge from this world to the next,
O'er death's dark gulf, and all its horror hides ;
Praise, the sweet exhalation of our joy,
That joy exalts and makes it sweeter still;
Prayer ardent opens heaven, lets down a stream
Of glory, on the consecrated hour
Of man in audience with the Deity.

CHAPTER II.
NARRATIVE PIECES.

SECTION I.

THE BEARS AND THE BEES.

1. AS two young bears in wanton mood,
Forth issuing from a neighbouring wood,
Came where the industrious bees had stor'd,
In artful cells, their luscious hoard;

O'er joy'd they seiz'd, with eager haste,
Luxurious on the rich repast.

Alarm'd at this, the little crew
About their ears vindictive flew.

2. The beasts, unable to sustain

Th' unequal combat, quit the plain;
Half blind with rage, and mad with pain,
Their native shelter they regain;
There sit, and now discreeter grown,
Too late their rashness they bemoan ;
And this by dear experience gain,
That pleasure's ever bought with pain.

3. So when the gilded baits of vice
Are plac'd before our longing eyes,
With greedy haste we snatch our fill
And swallow down the latent ill:
But when experience opes our eyes,
Away the fancied pleasure flies.
It flies, but oh! too late we find,
It leaves a real sting behind.

SECTION II.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE GLOW-WORM.

1. A NIGHTINGALE, that all day long
Had cheer'd the village with his song,
Nor yet at eve his note suspended,
Nor yet when eventide was ended,
Began to feel, as well he might,
The keen demands of appetite;
When, looking cagerly around,
He spied far off, upon the ground,
A something shining in the dark,
And knew the glow-worm by his spark
So, stooping down from hawthorn top,
He thought to put him in his crop.
2. The worm, aware of his intent,
Harangued him thus, right eloquent-
"Did you admire my lamp," quoth he,
"As much as I your minstrelsy,
You would abhor to do me wrong,

As much as I to spoil your song;

For 'twas the self-sane pow'r div'ne,
Taught you to sing, and me to shine;
That you with music, I with light,
Might beautify and cheer the night.”
3. The songster heard his short oration,
And warbling out his approbation,
Releas'd him as my story tells,

And found a supper somewhere else.
Hence, jarring sectaries may learn

Their real int'rest to discern;

That brother should not war with brother,

And worry and devour each other:

But sing and shine by sweet consent,
Till life's poor transient night is spent ;
Respecting, in each other's case,

The gifts of nature and of

grace.

4. Those Christians best deserve the name,
Who studiously make peace their aim;
Peace, both the duty and the prize
Of him that creeps, and him that flies.

SECTION III.

THE TRIALS OF VIRTUE.

1. PLAC'D on the verge of youth, my mind
Life's op'ning scene survey'd :

I view'd its ills of various kind,
Afflicted and afraid.

2. But chief my fear the dangers mov'd,
That virtue's path enclose :

My heart the wise pursuit approv'd ;
But O, what toils oppose!

3. For see, ah see! while yet her ways
With doubtful step I tread,

A hostile world its terrors raise,
Its snares delusive spread.

4. O how shall I, with heart prepar'd,
Those terrors learn to meet ?

How, from the thousand snares to guard
My unexperienc'd feet?

5. As thus I mus'd, oppressive sleep
Soft o'er my temples drew
Oblivion's veil.-The wat'ry deep,
An object strange and new,

6. Before me rose: on the wide shore
Observant as I stood,

The gathering storms around me roar,
And heave the boiling flood.

7. Near and more near the billows rise;
Ev'n now my steps they lave;
And death to my affrighted eyes
Approached in ev'ry wave.

8. What hope, or whither to retreat!
Each nerve at once unstrung;
Chill fear had fetter'd fast my feet,

And chain'd my speechless tongue
9. I felt my heart within me die;
When sudden to mine ear
A voice, descending from on high,
Reprov'd my erring fear.

COWPER.

10. "What though the swelling surge thou see Impatient to devour ;

Rest, mortal; rest on God's decree,
And thankful own his power.

11. "Know, when he bade the deep appear,
Thus far,' th' Almighty said,

Thus far, no further rage; and here

Let thy proud waves be stay'd."

12. I heard; and lo! at once controll'd,
The waves in wild retreat,

Back on themselves reluctant roll'd,
And murm'ring left my feet.

13. Deeps to assembling deeps in vain
Once more the signal gave:

The shores the rushing weight sustain,
And check th' usurping wave.

14. Convinced in nature's volume wise,
The imagin'd truth I read ;
And sudden from my waking eyes
Th' instructive vision fled.

15. Then why thus heavy, O my
Say, why, distrustful still,

soul?

Thy thoughts with vain impatience roll
O'er scenes of future ill?

16. Let faith suppress each rising fear,
Each anxious doubt exclude:

Thy Maker's will hath placed thee here,
A Maker wise and good!

17. He to thy ev'ry trial knows
Its just restraint to give :
Attentive to behold thy woes,
And faithful to relieve.

18. Then why thus heavy, O my soul?
Say, why, distrustful still,

Thy thoughts with vain impatience roll
O'er scenes of future ill?

19. Though griefs unnumber'd throng thee round, Still in thy God confide,

Whose finger marks the seas their bound,
And curbs the headlong tide.