'Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye, • The Power exerts his attributes on high; • Your actions uses, nor controuls your will, And bids the doubting fons of men be ftill. • What ftrange events can flrike with more furprize, Than those which lately ftruck thy wondering eyes? • Yet, taught by these, 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 goblet's fhine, • And fort'd his guests to morning draughts of wine; Has, with the cup, the graceless custom loft, And still he welcomes, but with less of coft. The mean, fufpicious wretch, whofe bolted door Ne'er mov'd in duty to the wandering poor; • With him I left the cup, to teach his mind That Heaven 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 it's head; And loofe from drofs the filver runs below. Long had our pious friend in virtue trod, But now the child half-wean'd his heart from God; ⚫ (Child of his age) for him he liv'd in pain, This night his treasur'd heaps he meant to steal, Thus Heaven inftructs thy mind: this trial o'er, But not o'er bright Aönian plains, And calls her wing'd ideas home. * Tradition holds, that the catastrophe alluded to in this elegy happened about two centuries ago; of which the fculpture was yet to be feen at the above-mentioned bridge, near South Petherton, Somerset. The The wedded pair for children pray; They come fair bleflings from the skies; But, ah! enamour'd as they view. Had fad difafter, ne'er enfnar'd The foft, the innocent, and young, The tender Mufe had gladly fpar'd The little heroes of her fong. See'ft thou the limpid current glide Beneath yon bridge, my hapless theme, Where brambles fringe it's verdant fide, And willows tremble o'er the ftream? From Petherton it takes it's name, From whence two fmiling infants ftray'd: Sweet victims! muft your fhort-liv'd day And point the fetting fun his way, As each, by childish fancy led, Cropp'd the broad daifies as they sprung; Lay ftretch'd along the verdant bed, And sweetly ply'd the lifping tongue; Lo! Lo! from the fpray-deferted fteep, Where either way the twigs divide, The one roli'd headlong to the deep, And plung'd beneath the clofing tide: The other faw; and, from the land, The offer'd pledge, without delay, Short was the wave-oppreffing space; Lo! there yon time-worn sculpture fhews Here, not to fympathy unknown, Full oft the fad Mufe wand'ring near, MELPO. |