Learn then, ye living! by the mouths be taught ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, -Placidaque ibi demum morte quievit.—VIRG. "OH most delightful hour by man The hour that terminates his span, His folly and his woe! "Worlds should not bribe me back to tread Again life's dreary waste, To see again my day o'erspread With all the gloomy past. "My home henceforth is in the skies, Earth, seas, and sun, adieu! All heaven unfolded to my eyes, I have no sight for you.' So spake Aspasio, firm possessed Then breathed his soul into its rest, He was a man among the few Sincere on virtue's side; And all his strength from Scripture drew, That rule he prized, by that he feared, Nor ever frowned, or sad appeared, For he was frail as thou or I, Such lived Aspasio; and at last His joys be mine, each reader cries, ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the year 1790. Ne commonentem recta sperne. -BUCHANAN. HE who sits from day to day Hardly knows that he has sung. Where the watchman in his round So your verse man I, and clerk, Duly at my time I come, Publishing to all aloud,— Soon the grave must be your home, And your only suit a shroud. But the monitory strain, Oft repeated in your ears, Seems to sound too much in vain, Can a truth, by all confessed Pleasure's call attention wins, Hear it often as we may; New as ever seem our sins, Though committed every day. Death and judgment, heaven and hell— No more move us than the bell Oh then, ere the turf or tomb Spirit of instruction! come, Make us learn that we must die. ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, For the year 1792. Felix, qui potait rerum cogno..erc causas, Subjecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari!-VIRG. To their first cause, cast fear beneath his feet, But he, not wise enough to scan To ages in a world of pain, To ages, where he goes Galled by affliction's heavy chain, And hopeless of repose. Strange fondness of the human heart, Strange world, that costs it so much smart, Whence has the world her magic power? Recoil from weary life's best hour, And covet longer woe? The cause Conscience :-Conscience oft Her tale of guilt renews; Her voice is terrible though soft, Then anxious to be longer spared, 'Tis judgment shakes him; there's the fear And must despair to pay. Pay?-follow Christ, and all is paid; ON A SIMILAR OCCASION For the Year 1793. De sacris autem hæc sit una sententia, ut conserventur.-CIC. DE LEG. And all are dead beside; To live to God is to requite His love as best we may; But life, within a narrow ring Can life in them deserve the name, For what poor toys they can disclaim Who, much diseased, yet nothing feel; Who deem his house a useless place, Who trample order; and the day If scorn of God's commands, impressed The better part of man unblessed Such want it, and that want, uncured Till man resigns his breath, Speaks him a criminal, assured |