The arduous lay yet unexplor'd,

Ev'n with that Truth's great bleffings ftor'd!

Parnaffian flow'rets then, farewell, On ground more folid let us dwell; Fancy's fictitious charms fupply, With thine, more dear, Reality! Come then REFLECTION to my aid; Be Reafon its foundation made! Enough, if that the verfe difclofe, While lefs in Poetry than Profe;* Enough, if, Wifdom ftill in view, The fcrutinizing verse be true.

490

500

*"Sermoni propriores."

HOR.

Why,

Why then again fair Truth beguile,
And build a-new the fancy'd pile?'
Fancy'd indeed! no fyftem, no;
Through me again thy overthrow
Shall not arrive; me diftant wide,
Me leaning to the sceptic side,

Unlike the Mede and Parthian crew,
Who the old law (or falfe or true)
Prefer to better, 'cause tis new ;-

Me, who profeffedly will range,

And as the wind shall change, will change;*
Who even Belzebub will believe,

510

520

Man

Man whom we see, (each thinking man)
Reflecting, as he may or can,

On all the nonfenfe and the wrong,

On all the evils faft that throng
Around his Being, as he goes

Along his road of joys and woes;

On all the strange and uncouth things

That life to obfervation brings,
(Curiofity then sure his spring)

Should, felf-deceiv'd, fome fancy bring,
Some fav'rite fancy, to destroy

The means himself e'en should employ,
Those very things he wants, to fee,
Objects of that Curiofity.-

You Thinkers; you, who would aspire

To Truth's abode, and heav'nly fire;

For you, if any, is the plan,

"The study of mankind is man:”

So fings the Bard of heav'nly fame,

And honour to the Poet's name!

530

540

Honour

Honour to whom is honour due,
But honour chief to what is true!-

And fay, on earth ordain'd to plod,
Shall man the office of a God
Affume?-and fhall the Bard confine

The GODHEAD to his little line;—
Of Infinite affix the view;

And give out bafelefs dreams as true?—
Ambitious ICARUS! thy flight,

Attempted to SoL's heav'nly light,
What could it but deftruction bring,

The fall difgraceful, melted wing!

What shall we fay then? is the plan,

"The study of mankind's not Man?"

Perhaps; I know not:-This I know,

Congenial feelings must bestow

To ev'ry breast that warms to truth,

Inherent, or in age or youth,

The Sage's faying, great as true,

"He only knew—he nothing knew;"

550

560

And

And well each intellect receives

The limitation that it gives;

Well knows how modeft Diffidence

Is true concomitant of fenfe,

As ev'ry self-sufficient elf

Each knowledge fancies in himself.

What can we know, great Wisdom! fay;

Thou Parent of ætherial day,

Wilt Thou, from thy bright throne of light,

Diffuse into terrestrial night

The glories of thy heav'nly ray,

And turn its darkness into day?—

Nay more, did Heav'n th' effulgence give,

Could mortal fight behold and live?—
Yes, Truth divine Thou couldst bestow,
But I that Truth could feel nor know.

Oh, Bard mifled! that could attend "The Guide, Philofopher, and Friend," Or PLATO's dreamings not forego,

Tho' Greek, two thousand years ago;

G

570

580,

Could