Its owner's temper, timorous and severe, As near the miser's heavy doors they drew, Fierce rising gusts with sudden fury blew ; The nimble lightning mix'd with showers began, And o'er their heads loud rolling thunders ran. Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain, Driven by the wind, and batter'd by the rain. At length some pity warm'd the master's breast, ('Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a guest); Slow creeking turns the door with jealous care, And half he welcomes in the shivering pair; One frugal fagot lights the naked walls, And Nature's fervour through their limbs recalls. Bread of the coarsest sort, with eager wine, (Each hardly granted) serv'd them both to dine; And when the tempest first appear'd to cease, A ready warning bid them part in peace. With still remark the pondering hermit ̧view'd, In one so rich, a life so poor and rude; "And why should such," within himself he cry'd, "Lock the lost wealth a thousand want beside?" But what new marks of wonder soon take place, In every settling feature of his face; When from his vest the young companion bore But now the clouds in airy tumult fly; The weather courts them from the poor retreat, While hence they walk, the pilgrim's bosom wrought With all the travel of uncertain thought; His partner's acts without their cause appear, Now Night's dim shades again involve the sky, Hither the walkers turn with weary feet, "Without a vain, without a grudging heart, At length the world, renew'd by calm repose, Was strong for toil, the dappled Morn arose; Before the pilgrims part, the younger crept, Near the clos'd cradle where an infant slept, And writh'd his neck: the landlord's little pride, How look'd our hermit when the fact was done; And moves in all the majesty of light. Though loud at first the pilgrim's passion grew, Sudden he gaz'd, and wist not what to do; Surprise in secret chains his words suspends, "Thy prayer, thy praise, thy life to vice unknown, In sweet memorial rise before the throne: These charms, success in our bright region find, And force an angel down, to calm thy mind; For this, commission'd, I forsook the sky, Nay, cease to kneel-thy fellow-servant I. "Then know the truth of government divine, And let these scruples be no longer thine. "The Maker justly claims that world he made, In this the right of Providence is laid; Its sacred majesty through all depends On using second means to work his ends: 'Tis thus, withdrawn in state from human eye, The power exerts his attributes on high, Your actions uses, nor controls your will, And bids the doubting sons of men be still. "What strange events can strike with more surprise, Than those which lately struck thy wondering eyes? "The mean, suspicious wretch, whose 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 bless, if mortals will be kind. Conscious of wanting worth, he views the bowl, And feels compassion touch his grateful soul. Thus artists melt the sullen ore of lead, With heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow, And loose from dross the silver 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, And measur'd back his steps to Earth again. To what excesses had his dotage run? But God, to save the father, took the son. To all but thee, in fits he seem'd to go, (And 'twas my ministry to deal the blow,) The poor fond parent, humbled in the dust, Now owns in tears the punishment was just. "But now had all his fortune felt a wrack, On sounding pinions here the youth withdrew, |