With rev'rence at thy own tribunal stand, Where have I been? In what have I tranf grefs'd? What good or ill has this day's life exprefs'd? If evil were thy deeds, repenting mourn, Thefe thoughts, and chiefly thefe, thy mind 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, 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 Reveal the demon for that tafk affign'd, 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 So keep thy body pure, fo free thy foul; 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, By faint, by favage, and by fage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord! Thou great firft Caufe, leaft understood: Who all my fenfe confin'd To know but this, that thou art good, This teach me more than hell to fhun, For God is pay'd when man receives: Yet not to earth's contracted span If I am right, oh teach my heart If I am wrong, thy grace impart Save me alike from foolish pride, At ought thy wifdom has deny'd, Oh 1 Oh lead me wherefoe'er I go, This day be bread and peace my lot: Thou know'ft if beft beftow'd or not; To thee whofe temple is all space, Ode on SOLITUDE.. HAPPY the man, whose wish and care In his own ground. Whofe herds with milk, whofe fields with Whofe flocks fupply him with attire, In winter fire. Bleft, who can unconcern'dly find, Hours, days, and years flide foft away, Quiet by day, Sound fleep by night; ftudy and eafe, Thus let me live, unfeen, unknown, Tell where I lie.. |