Come then, my Friend! my Genius! come along;
Oh, master of the poet and the song!
And while the Muse now stoops, or now ascends,
To man's low passions, or their glorious ends,
Teach ine, like thee, in various Nature wise,
To fall with dignity, with temper rise.
Oh! while along the stream of time thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame,
Say, shall my little bark attendant sail,
Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale?
Shall then this Verse to future age pretend
Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend?
That, urg'd by thee, I turn'd the tunc ful art
From sounds to things, from fancy to the heart?
For Wit's false mirror held up Nature's light,
Shew'd erring Pride--whatever is, is right
That virtue only makes our bliss below,
And all our knowledge is--ourselves to know?
Essay on Man.