Pleasure herself perhaps fuggefts a plea,

If int'reft move thee, to perfuade ev'n thees
By ev'ry charm that smiles upon her face,
By joys poffefs'd, and joys ftill held in chace,
If dear fociety be worth a thought,

And if the feast of freedom cloy thee not,

Reflect that thefe and all that feems thine own,

Held by the tenure of his will alone,

Like angels in the fervice of their Lord,
Remain with thee, or leave thee at his word;

That gratitude and temp'rance in our use
Of what he gives, unfparing and profufe,
Secure the favour and enhance the joy,
That thankless wafte and wild abuse destroy.
But above all reflect, how cheap foe'er

Those rights that millions envy thee, appear,
And though resolv'd to risk them, and swim down

The tide of pleasure, heedlefs of his frown,

That bleffings truly facred, and when giv'n

Mark'd with the fignature and stamp of Heav'n,

The

The word of prophecy, thofe truths divine Which make that Heav'n, if thou defire it, thine; (Awful alternative! believ'd, belov'd,

A world is

Thy glory, and thy fhame if unimprov'd,)
Are never long vouchfaf'd, if pufh'd afide
With cold difguft or philofophic pride,
And that judicially withdrawn, difgrace,'
Error and darkness occupy their place.
up in arms, and thou, a spot
Not quickly found if negligently fought,
Thy foul as ample as thy bounds are small,
Endur'ft the brunt, and dar'ft defy them all:
And wilt thou join to this bold enterprize
A bolder ftill, a conteft with the skies?
Remember, if he guard thee and fecure,
Whoe'er affails thee, thy fuccefs is fure;
But if he leave thee, though the fkill and pow'r
Of nations fworn to spoil thee and devour,

Were all collected in thy fingle arin,

And thou couldft laugh away the fear of harm,

That

That strength would fail, oppos'd against the push And feeble onset of a pigmy rush.

Say not (and if the thought of fuch defence Should fpring within thy bofom, drive it thence) What nation amongst all my foes is free From crimes as bafe as any charg'd on me? Their measure fill'd-they too fhall pay the debt Which God, though long forborn, will not forget; But know, that wrath divine, when most severe, Makes juftice ftill the guide of his career, And will not punish in one mingled crowd, Them without light, and thee without a cloud.

Mufe, hang this harp upon yon aged beech,
Still murm'ring with the folemn truths I teach,
And while, at intervals, a cold blast sings
Through the dry leaves, and pants upon the strings,
My foul fhall figh in fecret, and lament
A nation fcourg'd, yet tardy to repent.

I know the warning fong is fung in vain,
That few will hear, and fewer heed the strain :

But if a fweeter voice, and one defign'd

A bleffing to my country and mankind,
Reclaim the wand'ring thousands, and bring home
A flock fo fcatter'd and fo wont to roam,

Then place it once again between my knees,
The found of truth will then be fure to please,
And truth alone, where'er my life be caft,
In fcenes of plenty or the pining wafte,

Shall be my chofen theme, my glory to the last.

HOPE

HOPE.

A

doceas iter et facra oftia pandas.

VIRG. EN. .

SK what is human life-the fage replies

With disappointment low'ring in his eyes,

A painful paffage o'er a reftlefs flood,

A vain purfuit of fugitive falfe good,

A scene of fancied blifs and heart-felt care,
Clofing at laft in darkness and despair.-

The