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With rev'rence at thy own tribunal stand,
And answer juftly to thy own demand.

Where have I been? In what have I tranf grefs'd?

What good or ill has this day's life exprefs'd?
Where have I fail'd in what I ought to do?
In what to God, to man, or to myfeii I owe?
Inquire fevere whate'er from first to laft,
From morning's dawn 'till ev'ning's gloom is
past.

If evil were thy deeds, repenting mourn,
And let thy foul with ftrong remorfe be torn.
If good, the good with peace of mind repay,
And to thy fecret felf with pleafure fay,
Rejoice, my heart; for all went well to-day..

Thefe thoughts, and chiefly thefe, thy mind
fhould move;

Employ thy study, and engage thy love. These are the rules which will to virtue lead, And teach thy feet her heav'nly paths to tread. This by his name I fwear, whofe facred lore First to mankind explain'd the mystick FOUR, Source of eternal nature and almighty pow'r.

In all thou doft first let thy pray'rs afcend, And to the gods thy labours first commend; From them implore fuccefs, and hope a profp'rous end.

So fhall thy abler mind be taught to foar, And wisdom in her fecret ways explore; To range thro' heav'n above and earth be

low, Immortal gods and mortal men to know.

So

So fhalt thou learn what pow'r does all controul,

What bounds the parts, and what unites the whole:

And rightly judge, in all this wond'rous frame, How univerfal nature is the fame.

So fhalt thou ne'er thy vain affections place On hopes of what fhall never come to pass.

Man, wretched man, thou shalt be taught to know,

Who bears within himself the inborn caufe of

woe.

Unhappy race! that never yet could tell

How near their good and happiness they dwell.

Depriv'd of fenfe, they neither hear nor] fee;

Fetter'd in vice, they feek not to be free,
But ftupid to their own fad fate agree.
Like pond'rous rolling ftones, opprefs'd with
ill,

The weight that loads 'em makes 'em roll on ftill,

Bereft of choice, and freedom of the will. For native ftrife in ev'ry bofom reigns, And fecretly an impious war maintains: Provoke not THIS, but let the combat cease, And ev'ry yielding paffion fue for peace.

Would't thou, great Jove, thou Father
of mankind,

Reveal the demon for that tafk affign'd,
The wretched race an end of woes would

find.

And

And yet be bold, O man, divine thou art, And of the gods celeftial effence part. Nor facred nature is from thee conceal'd, But to thy race her myfick rules reveal'd. These if to know thou happily attain,

Soon fhalt thou perfect be in all that I ordain. Thy wounded foul to health thou fhalt restore,

And free from ev'ry pain fhe felt before.

Abftain, I warn, from meats unclean and
foul,

So keep thy body pure, fo free thy foul;
So rightly judge; thy reafon fo maintain;
Reafon which heav'n did for thy guide or-
dain,

Let that beft reafon ever hold the rein.

Then if this mortal body thou forfake, And thy glad flight to the pure æther take, Among the gods exalted fhalt thou shine, Immortal, incorruptible, divine:

The tyrant Death, fecurely fhalt thou brave, And fcorn the dark dominion of the grave.

Pope's UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

ATHER of all! in ev'ry age,
In ev'ry clime ador'd,

By faint, by favage, and by fage,

Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!

Thou great firft Caufe, leaft understood:

Who all my fenfe confin'd

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To know but this, that thou art good,
And that myfelf am blind;
Yet gave me, in this dark eftate,
To. fee the good from ill;
And binding nature faft in fate,
Left free the human will.
What confcience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,

This teach me more than hell to fhun,
That, more than heav'n pursue.
What bleffings thy free bounty gives,
Let me not caft away;

For God is pay'd when man receives:
T' enjoy is to obey.

Yet not to earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound,
Or think thee Lord alone of man,
When thousand worlds are round:
Let not this weak unknowing hand
Prefume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land,
On each I judge thy foe:

If I am right, oh teach my heart
Still in the right to stay;

If I am wrong, thy grace impart
To find that better way.

Save me alike from foolish pride,
Or impious difcontent,

At ought thy wifdom has deny'd,
Or ought thy goodness lent.
Teach me to feel another's woe;
To hide the fault I fee;
That mercy I to others fhow,
That mercy fhow to me.
Mean tho' I am, not wholly fo,
Since quicken'd by thy breath,

Oh

1

Oh lead me wherefoe'er I go,
Thro' this day's life or death:

This day be bread and peace my lot:
All elfe beneath the fun

Thou know'ft if beft beftow'd or not;
And let thy will be done.

To thee whofe temple is all space,
Whofe altar, earth, fea, fkies,
One chorus let all being raife!
All nature's incenfe rife!

Ode on SOLITUDE..

HAPPY the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,

In his own ground.

Whofe herds with milk, whofe fields with
bread,

Whofe flocks fupply him with attire,
Whofe trees in fummer yield him fhade,

In winter fire.

Bleft, who can unconcern'dly find,

Hours, days, and years flide foft away,
In health of body, peace of mind,

Quiet by day,

Sound fleep by night; ftudy and eafe,
Together mixt; fweet recreation;
And innocence which moft does please,
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unfeen, unknown,
Thus unlamented let me die,
Steal from the world, and not a ftone

Tell where I lie..

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