Benevolence.Providence. 143 BENEVOLENCE. FROM the low prayer of want and plaint of woe, O never, never turn away thine ear! Forlorn in this bleak wilderness below, Ah! what were man, should Heaven refuse to hear! To others do (the law is not severe) What to thyself thou wishest to be done. Forgive thy foes; and love thy parents dear, And friends, and native land: nor those alone; All human weal and woe learn thou to make thine own BEATTIE. PROVIDENCE. THE holy power that clothes the senseless earth With woods, with fruits, with flowers, and ver dant grass, Whose bounteous hand feeds the whole brute creation, Knows all our wants, and has enough to give us. ROWE. 144 Gratitude.-True Virtue. GRATITUDE. WHAT is grandeur? what is power? What the bright reward we gain? The bee's collected treasure sweet, Sweet music's melting fall,-but sweeter yet The still small voice of gratitude. GRAY. TRUE VIRTUE. GREAT Minds, like heav'n, are pleas'd with doing good, Tho' the ungrateful subjects of their favours ROWE. Candour.-Fortitude. 145 CANDOUR. LET universal candour still, Clear as yon heav'n-reflecting rill, Nor this nor that man's crooked ways AKENSIDE. FORTITUDE. The gen'rous mind is by its suff'rings known, But when oppress'd will upward move, And show thou dar'st deserve a better fate. YALDEN. "WITH blue cold nose and wrinkled brow, Traveller, whence comest thou?" From Lapland woods and hills of frost By the rapid rein-deer crost; Where tap'ring grows the gloomy fir And the stunted juniper; Where the wild hare and the crow Whiten in surrounding snow; Where the shiv'ring huntsmen tear His fur coat from the grim white bear; Prowl among the lonely rocks; And tardy suns to deserts drear Tosses in foam his lashing tail; ORIGINAL. Snow.-Midnight. SNOW. A SHOWER of soft and fleecy rain 147 The universal mantle hides the trees, Beneath a venerable head of snow. CONGREVE. MIDNIGHT. Now all is hush'd, as nature were retir'd |