That numbs the foul with icy hand ;
And flow-confuming age.
To each his fuff'rings: all are men,
Condemn'd alike to groan,
The tender for another's pain,
Th' unfeeling for his own.
Yet, ah! why should they know their fate?
Since forrow never comes too late,
And happiness too fwiftly flies:
Thought would deftroy their paradife.
No more where ignorance is blifs,
'Tis folly to be wife.
NEAR yonder copfe, where once the garden fmild,
And still where many a garden flower grows wild;
There, where a few torn fhrubs the place difclose,
The village preacher's modeft mansion rofe.
A man he was, to all the country dear,
And paling rich with forty pounds a-year;
Remote from towns he ran his godly race,
Nor e'er had chang'd, nor wifh'd to change his place;
Unpractis'd he to fawn, or feek for power,
By doctrines fashion'd to the varying hour;
Far other aims his heart had learn'd to prize,
More skill'd to raise the wretched, than to rife.
His houfe was known to all the vagrant train,
He chide their wand'rings, but reliev'd their pain.
The long-remember'd beggar was his gueft,
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast;
The ruin'd fpendthrift, now no longer proud,
Claim'd kindred there and had his claims allow'd;
The broken foldier, kindly bade to ftay,
Sat by his fire and talk'd the night away;
Wept o'er his wounds, or tales of forrow done,
Shoulder'd his crutch, and fhew'd how fields werewon.
Pleas'd with his guests, the good man learn'd to glow,
And quite forgot their vices in their woe;
Careless their merits, or their faults to scan,
His pity gave ere charity began.
Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride,
And even his failings lean'd to virtue's fide;
But in his duty prompt at every call,
He watch'd and wept, he pray'd and felt, for all.
And as a bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt its new-fledg'd offspring to the skies,
He try'd each art, reprov'd each dull delay,
Allur'd to brighter worlds, and led the way.
Befide the bed where parting life was laid,
And forrow, guilt, and pain by turns difmay'd
The reverend champion ftood. At his controul,
Despair and anguish fled the ftruggling foul,
Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise,
And his laft faltering accents whifper'd praife.
At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adorn'd the venerable place;
Truth from his lips prevail'd with double fway,
And fools who came to fcoff, remain'd to pray.
The fervice paft, around the pious man,
With ready zeal, each honeft rustic ran;
Even children follow'd with endearing wile,
And pluck'd his gown, to fhare the good man's fmile.
His ready fmile a parent's warmth expreft,.
Their welfare pleas'd him, and their cares diftreft;
To them his heart, his love, his griefs were given;
But all his ferious thoughts had rest in heaven.
As fome tall chiff that lifts its awful form,
Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the ftorm,
Though round its breaft the rolling clouds are spread
Eternal funfhine fettles on its head.
QUARIUS rules the frozen skies,
Deep frowning clouds on clouds arise,
Fraught with the thunder's roar; With fury heaves the raging main, When foaming billows lafh in vain The hoarfe refounding fhore.
No flowery vale now charms the eye,
No tuneful warblers of the sky
Now cheer the lingering hours;
No genial ray the groves illume,
No Zephyrs waft their mild perfume
From fighs o'er vernal flowers.
Though blooming scenes are now no more, That aid the raptur'd foul to foar,
Poetic thoughts refine;
Yet ftill the moralizing page,
To warn an unattentive age,
Thefe hoary fcenes combine.
With this I hail the opening year,
Addrefs the God, whofe works appear
Through each harmonious round;
Who rules, ferenely rules the storm,
Who gave the lurid lightnings form,
Whofe thunders rock the ground.
O thou! alike where perfect day
In bright refulgent glories play,
Around thy awful throne!
When feraphs glow with facred fires,
When angels tune celeftial lyres,
To hymn they praise alone!
Still may thy providential care
With bleffings crown the rifing year!
Impending ills restrain!
Thy wifdom guide my youthful muse!
Thy facred eloquence diffufe,
And confecrate my strain!
While thus revolving feafons roll,
Obfequious to thy wife controul,
Obedient to thy plan;
With filent eloquence they preach,
The most important leffons teach,
To cold unthinking man.
Behold thyfelf reflected here!
The Spring proclaims thine infant year; Gay life the Summer's bloom;
Mild Autumn fpeaks maturer age, Confirms thee fool, or hails thee fage; While Winter fhews the tomb.
Or view the image of thy foul,
As now the mountain furges roll,
|