Page images
PDF
EPUB

As one who fees a ferpent in his way Glift'ning and baking in the fummer ray, Disorder'd ftops, to fhun the danger near,

Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear;
So feem'd the fire, when, far upon the road,
The fhining fpoil his wily partner fhow'd.

He ftopt with filence; walk'd with trembling heart;
And much he wifh'd, but durft not afk, to part:
Murm'ring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard
That gen'rous actions meet a base reward.

While thus they pafs, the fun his glory fhrouds :
The changing fkies hang out their fable clouds;
A found in air prefag'd approaching rain;
And beafts, to covert, fcud a-crofs the plain.
Warn'd by the figns, the wand'ring pair retreat,
To feek for fhelter at a neighbouring feat.
'Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground;
And strong, and large, and unimprov❜d around:
Its owner's temper, tim'rous and fevere
Unkind and griping, caus'd a defert there.
As near the mifer's heavy doors they drew,
Fierce rifing gufts, with fudden fury, blew ;
The nimble lightning, mix'd with fhow'rs, began;
And o'er their heads, loud rolling thunder ran.
Here long they knock; but knock or call in vain,
Driv'n by the wind and batter'd by the rain.
At length, fome pity warm'd the mafter's breast;
('Twas then his threshold firft receiv'd a gueft);
Slow creaking turns the door, with jealous care;
And half he welcomes in the fhiv'ring pair.
One frugal faggot lights the naked walls,
And nature's fervour through their limbs recalls;
Bread of the coarfeft fort, with eager wine,
(Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine;
And, when the tempest first appear❜d to cease,
A ready warning bid them part in peace.

With ftill remark, the pond'ring hermit view'd,

In one fo rich, a life fo poor and rude :
And why fhould fuch (within himself he ery'd)
Lock the loft wealth a thousand want befide?
But, what new marks of wonder foon took place,
In every fettling feature of his face,

When,

When, from his veft, the young companion bore
That cup, the gen'rous landlord own'd before,
And paid profufely, with the precious bowl,
The ftinted kindness of this churlish foul!
But, now the clouds in airy tumult fly;
The fun, emerging, opes an azure sky;
A fresher green the fmelling leaves difplay,
And, glitt'ring as they tremble, cheer the day:
The weather courts them from the poor retreat;
And the glad mafter bolts the wary gate.

While hence they walk, the pilgrim's bofom wrought With all the travel of uncertain thought.

His partner's acts without their cause appear;
'Twas there a vice, and seem'd a madness here.
Detefting that, and pitying this, he goes,
Loft and confounded with the various fhows.
Now night's dim fhades again involve the sky;
Again the wand'rers want a place to lie ;
Again they fearch, and find a lodging nigh :
The foil improv❜d around; the mansion neat ;
And neither poorly low, nor idly great:
It feem'd to speak its mafter's turn of mind;
Content, and, not for praife, but virtue, kind.

Hither the walkers turn, with weary feet;
Then, blefs the manfion and the mafter greet:
Their greeting fair, beftow'd with modeft guife,
The courteous mafter hears, and thus replies.
Without a vain, without a grudging heart,
To him who gives us all, I yield a part : «
From him you come; for him accept it here;
A frank and fober, more than coftly cheer.
He fpoke; and bade the welcome table spread :-
Then talk'd of virtue till the time of bed;
When the grave household round his hall repair,
Warn'd by a bell, and close the hours with pray'r.
At length the world, renew'd by calm repose,
Was ftrong for toil; the dappled morn arofe.
Before the pilgrims part, the younger crept
Near the clos'd cradle where an infant flept,
And writh'd his neck: the landlord's little pride-
Oftrange return!-grew black, and gafp'd, and died.

Q 2

Horrour

Horrour of horrours! what! his only fon!

How look'd our hermit when the fact was done?
Not hell, though hell's black jaws in funder part,
And breathe blue fire, could more affault his heart.
Confus'd and ftruck with filence at the deed,
He flies; but, trembling, fails to fly with speed.
His fteps the youth puriues. The country lay
Perplex'd with roads: a fervant fhow'd the way.
A river crofs'd the path. The paffage o'er
Was nice to find: the fervant trode before :
Long arms of oaks an open bridge supply'd;
And, deep, the waves, beneath the bending, glide.
The youth, who feem'd to watch a time to fin,
Approach'd the careless guide, and thrust him in :
Plunging, he falls; and, rifing, lifts his head;
Then, flashing, turns, and finks among the dead.
Wild fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes;
He burfts the bands of fear, and madly cries,
Detefted wretch!But fcarce his fpeech began,
When the strange partner feem'd no longer man :
His youthful face grew more ferenely fweet;
His robe turn'd white, and flow'd upon his feet;
Fair rounds of radiant points inveft his hair ;
Celeftial odours breathe through purpled air;
And wings, whofe colours glitter'd on the day,
Wide at his back, their gradual plumes difplay.
The form ethereal burfts upon his fight,
And moves in all the majesty of light.

Though loud, at firft, the pilgrim's paffion grew,.
Sudden he gaz'd, and wist not what to do;
Surprife, in fecret chains, his words fufpends;
And, in a calm, his fettling temper ends.
But filence, here, the beauteous angel broke:
The voice of mufic ravifh'd as he spoke.

Thy pray'r, thy praife, thy life to vice unknown,
In fweet memorial rife before the throne:
Thefe charms, fuccefs in our bright region find,
And force an angel down to calm thy mind.
For this commiffion'd, I forfook the sky-
Nay, ceafe to kneel-thy fellow-fervant I..
Then know the truth of government divine;

And let thefe fcruples be no longer thine,

The

The Maker justly claims that world he made;
In this the right of providence is laid:
Its facred majefty through all depends
On ufing fecond means to work his ends.
'Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye,
The Pow'r exerts his attributes on high ;
Your actions uses, nor controuls your will;
And bids the doubting fons of men be still.

What ftrange events can ftrike with more furprife,, Than thofe which lately ftruck thy wond'ring eyes? - Yet, taught by thefe, confefs th' Almighty juft; And, where you can't unriddle, learn to trust. The great, vain man, who far'd on coftly food; Whofe life was too luxurious to be good; Who made his ivory ftands with goblets fhine; And forced his guests to morning draughts of wine ; ; Has, with the cup, the graceless custom loft; And still he welcomes, but with lefs of coft. The mean fufpicious wretch, whose bolted door: Ne'er mov'd in duty to the wand'ring poor; With him I left the cup, to teach his mind, That heav'n can blefs, if mortals will be kind. Confcious of wanting worth, he views the bowl; And feels compaffion touch his grateful foul. Thus artifts melt the fullen ore of lead, With heaping coals of fire upon its head In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow; And, loose from drofs, the filver runs below.

Long had our pious friend in virtue trode, But, now, the child half-wean'd his heart from God; (Child of his age)-for him he liv'd in pain, And meafur'd back his fteps to earth again, To what exceffes had his dotage run! But God, to fave the father, took the fon.. To all, but thee, in fits he feem'd to go; And 'twas my miniftry to deal the blow. The poor fond parent, humbled in the duft, Now owns, in tears, the punishment was juft.` But how had all his fortune felt a wreck, Had that falfe fervant fped in fafety back! This night bis treasur'd heaps he meant to fteal And what a fund of charity won'd fail !

[blocks in formation]

Thus Heav'n instructs thy mind. This trial o'er,
Depart in peace, resign, and fin no more..

On founding pinions here the youth withdrew :.
The fage ftood wond'ring as the feraph flew.
Thus look'd Elifha, when, to mount on high,
His mafter took the chariot of the sky:
The fiery pomp, afcending, left the view;
The prophet gaz'd, and wifh'd to follow too.
The bending hermit here a pray'r begun—
"Lord! as in heav'n, on earth thy will be done."
Then, gladly turning, fought his ancient place,
And pafs'd a life of piety and peace.

IX. On the Death of Mrs Mafon.

[ocr errors]

TAKE, holy earth! all that my foul holds dear:Take that beft gift, which Heav'n fo lately gave. To Briftol's fount I bore, with trembling care,

Her faded form. She bow'd to taste the wave

And died. Does youth, does beauty, read the line!!
Does fympathetic fear their breast alarm?:
Speak, dead Maria! breathe a strain divine:

Ev'n from the grave, thou shalt have pow'r to charm.

Eid them be chafte, be innocent, like thee;

Bid them, in duty's fphere, as meekly move.::

And, if as fair, from vanity as free,

As firm in friendship, and as fond in love...

Tell them, though 'tis an awful thing, to die.!

('Twas ev'n to thee) yet, the dread path once trodė,,

Heav'n lifts its everlasting portals high,

And bids "the pure in heart behold their God."

X. Extract from the Temple of Fame..

AROUND thefe wonders as I caft a look,

The trumpet founded, and the temple shook; : And all the nations, fummon'd at the call,. From different quarters, fill the fpacious hall. Of various tongues the mingled founds were heard ; : In various garbs promifcuous throngs appear'd: Millions of fuppliant crowds the fhrine attend, And all degrees before the goddess bend;

The

« PreviousContinue »