And its devotion gradually decline,

(While War, relinquishing the lance and shield,
Her temper changed and bowed to other laws)
Had also witnessed, in his morn of life,
That violent Commotion, which o'erthrew,
In town, and city, and sequestered glen,
Altar, and Cross, and Church of solemn roof,
And old religious House-Pile after Pile;
And shook the Tenants out into the fields,

Like wild Beasts without home! Their hour was come;
But why no softening thought of gratitude,

No just remembrance, scruple, or wise doubt?
Benevolence is mild; nor borrows help,

Save at worst need, from bold impetuous force,
Fitliest allied to anger and revenge.
But Human-kind rejoices in the might
Of Mutability, and airy Hopes,
Dancing around her, hinder and disturb

Those meditations of the soul, which feed

The retrospective Virtues. Festive songs
Break from the maddened Nations at the sight

Of sudden overthrow; and cold neglect

Is the sure consequence of slow decay.

Even," said the Wanderer," as that courteous Knight,

Bound by his vow to labour for redress

Of all who suffer wrong, and to enact
By sword and lance the law of gentleness,
If I may venture of myself to speak,
Trusting that not incongruously I blend

Low things with lofty, I too shall be doomed

To outlive the kindly use and fair esteem

Of the poor calling which my Youth embraced
With no unworthy prospect. But enough;
-Thoughts crowd upon me-and 'twere seemlier now
To stop, and yield our gracious Teacher thanks
For the pathetic Records which his voice

Hath here delivered; words of heartfelt truth,
Tending to patience when Affliction strikes;
To hope and love; to confident repose

In God; and reverence for the dust of Man."

BOOK THE EIGHTH.

THE PARSONAGE.

THE pensive Sceptic of the lonely Vale
To those acknowledgments subscribed his own
With a sedate compliance, which the Priest
Failed not to notice inly pleased, and said,
"If Ye, by whom invited I commenced
Those Naratives of calm and humble life,
Be satisfied, 'tis well,—the end is gained;
And, in return for sympathy bestowed
And patient listening, thanks accept from me.
-Life, Death, Eternity! momentous themes
Are these and might demand a Seraph's tongue,

Were they not equal to their own support; And therefore no incompetence of mine Could do them wrong. The universal Forms Of human nature, in a Spot like this,

Present themselves, at once, to all Men's view : Ye wished for act and circumstance, that make The Individual known and understood;

And such as my best judgment could select
From what the Place afforded have been given ;
Though apprehensions crossed me, in the course
Of this self-pleasing exercise, that Ye

My zeal to his would liken, who, possessed
Of some rare gems, or pictures finely wrought,
Unlocks his Cabinet, and draws them forth
One after one,-soliciting regard

To this and this, as worthier than the last,
Till the Spectator, who a while was pleased
More than the Exhibitor himself, becomes
Weary and faint, and longs to be released.
-But let us hence! my Dwelling is in sight,
And there-

At this the Solitary shrunk

With backward will; but, wanting not address