a 3 Your school! I ask your pardon, Fair; That virtue was their fav’rite theme, And toil and probiry their scheme : She thought them arrant prudes at best. Studious to husband ev'ry hour, When to display her naughty mind, And make the most of cv'ry How'r. Hunger with cruelty combin’d, Nimble from stalk to Italk the flics, She view'd the Ant with favage eyes, The Lee, who watch'd her op'ning bill, Alkd her from what her anger rose, And why the treated Ants as foes ? Or ev'ry tempting role pursues, The Sparrow her reply began, Or sips the lily's fragrant dews; And thus the conversation ran : Yet never robs the thining bloom Whenever I 'ın dilpos'd to dine, Or of its beauty or perfume. I think the whole creation mine; Thus the dischargd in ev'ry way That I'm a bird of high degree, The various duties of the day. And ev'ry infect made for me. Hence oft I fearch the emmet-brood And oft, in wantonnefs and play, I Nay ten thousand in a day, By pensive parents often taught For truth it is, without disguise, What ills arise from want oi thought ; That I love mischief as my eyes. That poverty on floth depends; Oh! fie! the honcft Bee replied, On poverty the loss of friends; I fear you make base men your guide ; Of ev'ry creature sure the worst, Who burns the Bees to rob their hives! I hate his vile adıninistration, The Ant fulfil her parent's law. And fo do all the cmmet nation. Ah! sister labourer, fuys the, What fatal focs to birds are men, How very fortunate are we ! Quite to the Eagle from the Wren! Who, taught in infancy to know O! do not men's example take, The coinforts which from labour flow, Who mischief do for mischief's fake; Are independent of the great, But spare the Ant her worth demands Nor kuow tlic wants of pride and state. Efteein and friendship at your hands. Why is our food so very sweet? mind with cv'ry virtue blest, Because we earn before we cat. Must raise compassion in your breast. Why are our wants so very few? Virtue! rejoin'd the sneering bird, Because we nature's calls pursue. Where did you learn that Gothic word? Whence our complacency of mind ? Since I was hatch'd, I never hear'd Because we act our parts allign’d. Chat virtue was at all rever'd. Have we inceilant tasks to do? But say it was the ancients' claim, Is not all nature busy too? Yet moderns disavow the name ; Doth not the sun, with constant pace, Unless, my dear, you read romances, Persift to run his annual race ? I cannot reconcile your fancies. Do not the stars, which thine so bright, Virtue in fairy tales is seen Renew their courses ev'ry niglit? To play the goddess or the queen ; Doth not the ox obedient bow But what's a queen without the pow's His patient neck, and draw the plough Or beauty, child, without a dow'r? Or when did e'er the gen'rous steed Yet this is all that virtue brags, Withhold his labour or his speed ? At best 'tis only worth in rags. If you all nature's system scan, Such whims my very heart derides : The only idle thing is man. Indeed you make me burst my sides. A wanton Sparrow long'd to hear Trust me, Miss Bee-to speak the truth, Their fage discourse, and straight drew near. I 've copied men from carlicst youth; The bird was talkative and loud, The same our taste, the same our school, And very pert and very proud ; Passion and appetite our rule; As worthless and as vain a thing, and call me bird, or call me finner, Perhaps, as ever wore a wing: I'll ne'er forego my sport or dinner. She found, as on a spray the fat, A prowling cat the miscreant spies, The little friends were deep in chat; And wide expands her amber eyes : Near Near and more near Grimalkin draws; * As late with open mouth it lay, · And warm'd it in the funny ray; · And saw it eat the air for food.' Thus, in her cruelty and pride, “ I've seen it, Sir, as well as you, The wicked wanton Sparrow died. “ And must again affirm it bluc. " At leisure I the bca survey'd, § 331. The Bears and Bees. MERRICK. “ Extended in the cooling Made." AS S two young Bears in wanton mond, • 'Tis green, 'tis green, Sir, I assure ye.'Forth illuing from a neighb'ring wood, “ Green !” cries the other in a furyCame where th' industrious Bees had stor'd “Why, Sir, d' ye think I've lost my eyes ?" In artful cells their luscious hoard; • 'Twere no great loss,' the friend replies, D'erjoy'd they seiz'd with eager halte • For, if they always serve you thus, Luxurious on the rich repaft, · You 'll find them but of little use.' Alarm'd at this, the little crew So high at last the conteft rose, About their ears vindictive fiew. From words they almost came to blows: The beasts, unable to sustain When luckily came by a thirdTh’unequal combat, quit the plain ; To him the question they referr'd ; Half blind with rage, and mad with pain, And begg'd he'd tell 'em, if he knew Their native lhclter they regain; Whether the thing was green or blue. There fit, and now, discreeter grown, “ Sirs," cries the umpire, “ cease your pother, Too late their rashness they bemoan; " The creature 's neither one nor other : And this by dear experience gain, “ I caught the animal last night, That pleasure's ever bought with pain. " And view'd it o'er by candle-light: So when the gilded baits of vice “ I mark d it welltwas black as jetAre plac'd before our longing eyes, “ You stare—but, Sirs, I 've got it yet, With greedy hafte we snatch our fill, " And can produce it.” Pray, Sir, do: And swallow down the latent ill; ' I 'll lay my life, the thing is blue.' But when experience opes our eyes, “ And I 'll be sworn, that when you 've seen Away the fancy'd pleasure flies : “ The reptile, you 'll pronounce him greco. It flies, but oh! too late we find Well then, at once, to ease the doubt,' It leaves a real sting behind. Replies the man, · I'll turn him out: And when before your eyes I've set him, $ 332. Tbe Camelion. MERRICK, If you don't find him black, I 'll eat him.' OFT FT has it been my lot to mark He said; then full before their sight A proud conceited talking spark, Produc'd the beaf, and lo-'twas white. eyes, that hardly serv'd at most Both star'd; the man look'd wondrous wise My children," the Camelion cries i You all are right, and all are wrong: Returning from his finish d tour, “ When next you talk of what you view, Grown ten times perter than before ; “ Think others see as well as you : Whatever word you chance to drop, “ Nor wonder, if you find that none The travellid fool your mouth will stop: “ Prefers your eye-light to his own.' “Sir, if my judgment you 'll allow"I've seen-and sure I ought to know". § 333. The Monkeys. A Tale. MERRICK. So begs you'd pay a due submission, And acquiesce in his decision. WHEER, with curious eye, has rangid Through Ovid's tales, has seen Two travellers of such a cast, How Jove, incens’d, to Monkeys chang'd A tribe of worthless men. Repentant foon, th’offending race Entreat the injur'd pow'r Of the Camelion's form and nature. To give them back the human face, "A stranger animal,” crics one, And reason's aid restore. "Sure never liv'd beneath the sun: Jove, footh'd at length, his car inclin'd, “ A lizard's body, lean and long, And granted half their pray’r; A fith's head, a ferpent's tongue; But t'other half he bade the wind " Its foot with triple claw disjoin'd; Disperse in empty air. “ And what a length of tail behind ! " How flow its pace! and then its hue Scarce had the thund'rer giv'n the nod That thook the vaulted skies, “Who ever saw so fine a blue?" With haughtier air the creatures strode, "Hold there,' the other quick replies, And stretch'd their dwindled fize. ''Tis green,–1 saw it with these eyes, The With The hair in curts luxuriant now Calls off from heavenly truth this reas'ning me, Around their temples fpread; And tells me I'm a brute as much as he. The tail, that whilom hung below, If, on fubliiner wings of love and praile, Now dangled from the head. My soul above the starry vault I raise, The head remains unchang'd within, Lurd by some vain conceit, or shameful lust, Nor alter'd much the facc; I fag, 1 drop, and Autter in the duit. It still retains its native grin, The tow'ring lark thus, from her lofty strain, And all its old grimace. Storps to an enimet, or a barley grain. Thus half transform’d, and half the same, By adverse gutis of jarring instincts tost, Trove to onc, now to the other coast; Jove bade them take their place To bliss unknown my lofty foul aspires, (Restoring them their ancient claim) Among the human race. My lot unequal to my vast desires. As 'mongst the hinds a child of royal birth Man with contempt the brute survey'd, l'inds his high pedigrec by conscious worth ; Nor would a namc bestow; So man, amongit his fellow brutes expos de But woman lik'd the motley breed, Sees he 's a king, but 'uis a king depos'd. And call’d the thing a beau. Pity him, beasts! you by no law confin'd, And barr'd from devious paths by being blind; § 334. Know Thyself. ARBUTHNOT, Whilft man, through op'ning views of various WHAT am I ? how produc'd ? and for what ways end Confounded, by the aid of knowledge strays ; Whence drew I being ? to what period tend : Too weak to choose, yet choosing still in hafte, Am I th' abandon’d orphan of blind chance, One moment gives the pleasure and disaste; Dropp'd by wild atoms in disorder'd dance? Bilk'd by past minutes, while the present cloy, Or from an endless chain of causes wrought, The flatt'ring future ftill must give the joy : And of unthinking substance, born with thought : Not happy, but amus'd upon the road, By motion which hegan without a cause, And (like you) thoughtless of his last abode, Supremely wife, without design or laws? Whether next sun his being shall restrain Am I but what I feem, mere flesh and blood ? To endless nothing, happiness, or pain. A branching channel, with a mazy flood? Around me, lo ! the thinking thoughtless crew The purple îtream that through my vefsels glides, (Bewilderd cach) their diff'rent paths pusfue; Dull and unconscious flows, like common tides; Of them I ask the way; the first replies, The pipes through which the ciicling juices ftray, Thou art a god; and sends me to the skies : Are not that thinking I, no more than they : Down on the turf, the next, twotwo-legs'd bçaft, This frame, compacted with tranfcendant ikill There fix thy lot, thy bliís and endless rest: Of moving joints obedient to my will, Between the wide extremes the length is such, Nurs'd from the fruitful glcbc, like yonder tree, I find I know too little or too much. Waxes and wastes; I call it inine, not me. Alinighty Pow'r, by whosc most wise comNew matter still the mould ring inafs sustains ; i mand, The manfion chang'd, the tenant still remains, Helples, forlorn, uncertain here I ftand; And from the fleeting stream, repair'd by food, * Take this faint glimm'ring of thyself away, Diftinét, as is the fivimmer from the flood. • Or break into my foul with perfect day!" What am I then fure of a noblc birth; This faid, cxpanded lay the sacred text, By parent's right, I own as mother, Earth; The balm, the light, the guide of souls perplex'd. But claiın superior lineage by my tire, Thus thc benightcd traveller, that strays Who warm'd th' unthinking clod with heavenly Through doubtful paths, enjoys the morning Ellence divine, with lifeleis clay allay'd, [fire; By double nature, donble instinct sway'd : The nightly mist, and thick descending dew, With Icok ereat, I dart my longing eye, Parting, unfold the fields and vaulted blue. Scem wing’d to part, and gain my native sky; O Truth divine! enlighten'd by thy ray, I strive to mount, but strive, alas ! in vain, • I grope and guess no more, but fce my way; Tied to this masiy globe with magic chain. • Thou cicar'dit the secret of my high defcent, Now with swift thought I range from pole to pole, · And told'ft me what those mystic tokens meant ; View worlds around their faming centres roll: • Marks of my birth, which I had worn in vain, What steady pow'rs their endless motions guide • Too hard for worldly fages to explain. Through the same trackless paths of boundless · Zeno's were vain, vain Epicurus' schemes, I trace the blazing comet's fiery tail, [void ! 'Their systems falsc, delusive were their dreams; And weigh the whirling planets in a scale; • Unskill'd my twofold nature to divide, These godlike thoughts while eager I pursue, • One nurs'd my pleasure, and one nurs’d my pride; Some glittring trifle offered to my view, • Those jarring truths which human art beguile, A gnat, an infect of the meanelt kind, Thy facred page thus bids me reconcile.' Erate the ncir-born image from my mind : Offspring of God, no less thy pedigree, [be, Some beasily want, craving, importunato, What thou once wert, art now, and still may Vile as the grinning maliit at my gate, Thy God alone can tell, alonc decree; Faultlers rays: } : Faultless thou dropp'df from his unerring skill, | Our narrow luxuries would soon be ftale. your be busy even in vain, Who never toils or watches, never seeps. And Virtue, thro' this labyrinth we trcad. 'Tis sometimes angry, and its frown confounds; The vulgar eye: the suffrage of the wise, The praise that 's worth ambition, is attain'd By sense alone and dignity of mind. The disappointments, and disgusts of those Is the best gift of Heaven : a happiness Exalts grcat Nature's favourites : a wcalth Can be transferr'd: it is the only good Or throw a crucl sunshine on a fool, This noble end is, to produce the Soul, To Thew the virtues in their faireft light; To make Humanity the mivister Truths as refin'd as ever Athens heard ; [taught attended witb Pleafiere. AKENSIDE. BEHOLD the ways Of Heaven's eternal destiny to man, That The a That Virtue's awful steps, howe'er pursued Of regal envy, strew the public way With hallow'd ruins when the muse's haunty Tcars the destroying fcythe, with lurer blow Of pallion swelling with distress and pain, To sweep the works of glory from their balc; To mitigate the sharp with gracious drops Till defolation o'er the grass-grown street Of cordial Pleasure: Ask the faithful youth, Expands his raven-wings, and up the wall, Why the cold urn of her whom long he lov'd Where fenates once the pride of monarchs doom'd, So ofien fills his arms; so often draws Hiffes the gliding snake thro' hoary weeds His lonely footfteps, at the filent hour, That clasp the mould'ringcolumn;--thus de fac'd, To pay the mournful tribute of his tears ? Thus widely mournful when the prospect thrills O! he will tell thec, that the wealth of worlds Thy beating bofom, when the patriot's tear Should ne'er leduce his bosom to forego Starts from thine eye, and thy extended arm That sacred hour, when, stealing from the noise In fancy hurls the thunderbolt of Jove Of care and envy, sweet remembrance fooths To fire the inpious wreath on Philip's brow, With virtue's kindest looks his aching breast, Or dash Octavius from the trophicd car;And turns his tears to rapturc.- Ask the crowd Say, does thy fecret foul repine to taste Which flics impatient from the village-walk The big distress? Or wouldit thou then exchange To climb the neighb’ring cliffs, when far below Those heart-ennobling forrows, for the lot The cruel winds have hurl'd upon :he coast Of him who fits amid the gaudy herd Some hapless bark; while sacred pity melts of mure barbarians bending to his nod, The gen'ral eye, or terror's icy hand And hears aloft his gold-invested front, Smites their distorted limbs and horrent hair; And says within himself, “ I am a king, [woe While every mother closer to her breast “ And wherefore should the clam'rous voice of Catches her child, and, pointing where the waves" Intrude upon mine ear?" The baleful dregs Foam through the Shatter'd vessel, shrieks aloud, Of these late ages, this inglorious draught As one poor wretch, that spreads his piteous arms Of fervitude and folly, have not yet, For succour, swallow'd by the roaring lurge, Blufsd be th' Eternal Ruler of the world! As now another, dath'd against the rock, Defii'd to such a depth of fordid fhame Drops lifeless down. O deemest thou indeed The native honours of the human soul, No kind endearment here by nature giv'n Nor so effac'd the image of its fire. To mutual terror and compatrion's tears? No sweetly-melting softness which attracts, O'er all that edge of pain, the focial pow'rs § 337. A Paraphrafe on Psalm 1xxiv. 16, 19. To this their proper action and their end ? Miss WILLIAMS. Ask thy own heart; when at the midnight hour, The day in thine, the night also is thine; thou has prepared the ligbe Slow through that studious gloom thy pausing eye Thour haft let ai the borders of the earth; thou haft made fumne Led by the glimm'ring taper moves around The lacred volumes of the dead, the songs My God! all nature owns thy sway, Of Grecian bards, and records writ by Fame Thou giv'st the night, and thou the day! For Grecian heroes, where the present pow'r When all thy lov'd creation wakes, Of heaven and carth surveys th' immortal page, When morning, rich in lustre, breaks, E'en as a father bleffing, while he reads And bathes in dew the op'ning flower, The praises of his fon; if then thy foul, To thee we owe her fragrant hour; Spurning the yoke of these inglorious days, And when the pours her choral song, Mix in their deeds and kindle with their Hame : Her melodies to thee belong! Say, when the prospect blackens on thy view; Or when, in paler tints array'd, When, rooted from the base, heroic states The evening Ilowly spreads her shade ; Mourn in the dust and tremble at the frown That soothing shade, that grateful glooms Of curs'd Ambition ;-when the pious band Can inore than day's eniiv’ning bloom Of youths that fought for freedom and their fires, Still er'ry fond and vain defire, Lie fide by side in gore;-when ruffian-pride And calmer, purer thoughts infpire ; Usurps the throne of justice, turns the pomp From earth the pensive fpirit free, Of public pow'r, the majesty of rule, And lead the fofren'd heart to Thce. in ev'ry form by the impress'd, The and fun. and winter. |