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Succour the couch where beauty lies,
All pale with tender fear; .
Where fickness lifts its languid eyes,

O pour thy comforts there.

Nor useless wafte this moral night,
Like common hours, away;
But glow with wifdom's facred light,.
More fair than orient day.

Warn'd by each flash, may virtue rife,
And with its glories fpread,

While every blafted bud of vice
Shrinks in new terrors dead.

So on that awful judgment day,
Whose image shakes the foul,

Though keeneft lightnings fhoot their ray,
And loudest thunders roll;

Well pleas'd, O Lord, each eye shall fee
Those final thunders hurl'd!

And mark with joy, for love of thee,
That flash which melts the world.

199

ODE TO INNOCENCE.

BY J. OGILVIE, D. D.

"TWAS when the flow declining ray

Had ting'd the cloud with evening gold;
No warbler pour'd the melting lay,
No found disturb'd the fleeping fold.

When by a murmuring rill reclin'd,

Sat wrapt in thought a wandering swain; Calm peace compos'd his mufing mind; And thus he rais'd the flowing strain:

"Hail, Innocence! celestial maid!

"What joys thy blushing charms reveal!' "Sweet as the arbour's cooling fhade, "And milder than the vernal gale.

"On thee attends a radiant quire,

"Soft fmiling Peace, and downy Reft, "With Love that prompts the warbling lyre, "And Hope that foothes the throbing breast.

"O fent from heav'n to haunt the grove,
"Where fquint-ey'd Envy ne'er can come;
"Nor pines the cheek with luckless love,

"Nor anguifh chills the living bloom.

"But fpotlefs Beauty, rob'd in white,
"Sits on yon mofs-grown hill reclin'd;
"Serene as heav'n's unfully'd light,

"And pure as Delia's gentle mind.

"Grant, heav'nly Power! thy peaceful fway
"May ftill my ruder thoughts controul;
"Thy hand to point my dubious way,
"Thy voice to footh the melting foul!

"Far in the fhady fweet retreat

"Let thought beguile the lingering hour; "Let quiet court the moffy feat,

"And twining olives form the bower.

"Let dove-ey'd Peace her wreath bestow,
"And oft fit liftening in the dale,
"While night's fweet warbler from the bough
"Tells to the grove her plaintive tale.

"Soft, as in Delia's fnowy breast,

"Let each confenting paffion move;

"Let angels watch its filent reft,

"And all its blissful dreams be love..

201

CUPID BENIGHTED.

ANACREON.

THE fable night had spread around
This nether world a gloom profound;
No filver moon nor ftars appear,
The lonely traveller to cheer:

The race of man, with toils opprest,
Enjoy'd the balmy sweets of reft;
When from the heav'nly court of Jove
Defcended fwift the God of love,

(Ah me! I tremble to relate)

And loudly thunder'd at my gate.

"Who's there?" I cry'd, "who breaks my door

"At this unfeasonable hour?”

The God, with well-diffembled fighs,

And moan infidious, thus replies:
"Pray ope the door, dear Sir-----'tis I,
"A harmless, miferable boy;
"Benumb'd with cold and rain I ftray
"A long, uncomfortable way------
"The winds with bluft'ring horror roar---
" 'Tis difmal dark---pray ope the door."
Quite unfufpicious of a foe,

I liften'd to the tale of woe,.

Compaffion touch'd my breast, and strait
I ftruck a light, unbarr'd the gate;
When lo! a winged boy I fpy'd
With bow and quiver at is fide:
I wonder'd at his ftrange attire;
Then friendly plac'd him near the fire.
My heart was bounteous and benign,
I warm'd his little hands in mine,
Cheer'd him with kind affiduous care,
And wrung the water from his hair.
Soon as the fraudful youth was warm,
"Let's try fays he, if any harm

"Has chanc'd my bow this ftormy night; "I fear the wet has fpoil'd it quite:" With that he bent the fatal yew,

And to the head an arrow drew;

Loud twang'd the founding ftring, the dart
Pierc'd through my bofom to my heart:
Then laugh'd amain the wanton boy,
And "Friend," he cry'd, "I wish thee joy;
"Undamag'd is my bow, I fee,

"But what a wretch I've made of thee!"

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