O how fhall I, with heart prepar'd,
Thofe terrors learn to meet ?
How, from the thousand fnares to guard My unexperienc'd feet?
As thus I mus'd, opprefsive fleep Soft o'er my temples drew Oblivion's veil.-The wat'ry deep, An object ftrange and new,
Before me rofe: on the wide fhore
Obfervant as I ftood,
The gathering ftorms around me roar, And heave the boiling flood.
Near and more near the billows rife ; Ev'n now my steps they lave; And death to my affrighted eyes Approach'd in ev'ry wave.
What hope, or whither to retreat! Each nerve at once unftrung; Chill fear had fetter'd faft my feet, And chain'd my fpeechlefs tongue.
I felt my heart within me die; When fudden to mine ear
A voice, defcending from on high, Reprov'd my erring fear.
"What tho' the fwelling furge thou fee
"Impatient to devour;
"Reft, mortal, reft on God's decree,, "And thankful own his pow'r.
"Know, when he bade the deep appear, "Thus far,' th' Almighty faid,
"Thus far, nor farther, rage; and here "Let thy proud waves be ftay'd.”
I heard; and lo! at once controll'd, The waves in wild retreat
Back on themselves reluctant roll'd, And murm'ring left my feet.
Deeps to afsembling deeps in vain Once more the fignal gave: The fhores the rufhing weight fuftain, And check th' ufurping wave.
Convinc'd, in Nature's volume wife The imag'd truth I read; And sudden from my waking eyes Th' inftructive vifion fled.
"Then why thus heavy, O my foul!
"Say why, diftrustful still,
"Thy thoughts with vain impatience roll
"O'er fcenes of future ill?
"Let faith fupprefs each rifing fear, "Each anxious doubt exclude;
"Thy Maker's will has plac'd thee here, "A Maker wife and good!
"He to thy ev'ry trial knows "Its just restraint to give; "Attentive to behold thy woes,
"And faithful to relieve.
"Then why thus heavy, O my foul!
"Say why, diftruftful ftill,
"Thy thoughts with vain impatience roll
"O'er fcenes of future ill?
"Tho' griefs unnumber'd throng thee round, "Still in thy God confide,
"Whofe finger marks the feas their bound, "And curbs the headlong tide."
The Youth and the Philofopher.
A GRECIAN youth, of talents rare, Whom Plato's philofophic care
Had form'd for virtue's nobler view, By precept and example too,
Would often boast his matchless skill, To curb the fteed, and guide the wheel; And as he pafs'd the gazing throng, With graceful eafe, and fmack'd the thong, The idiot wonder they exprefs'd,
Was praife and transport to his breast.
At length, quite vain, he needs would fhow
His mafter what his art could do;
And bade his flaves the chariot lead
To Academus' facred fhade.
The trembling grove confefs'd its fright, The wood-nymphs started at the fight; The Mufes drop the learned lyre, And to their inmoft fhades retire.
Howe'er, the youth, with forward air, Bows to the fage, and mounts the car. The lash resounds, the courfers fpring, The chariot marks the rolling ring; And gath'ring crowds, with eager eyes, And fhouts, purfae him as he flies.
Triumphant to the goal return'd, With nobler thirst his bofom burn'd; And now along th' indented plain The felf-fame track he marks again, Purfues with care the nice defign, Nor ever deviates from the line. Amazement feiz'd the circling crowd; The youths with emulation glow'd; Ev'n bearded fages hail'd the boy; And all but Plato gaz'd with joy. For he, deep-judging fage, beheld With pain the triumphs of the field: And when the charioteer drew nigh, And, flush'd with hope, had caught his eye, "Alas! unhappy youth," he cry'd,
"Expect no praise from me," (and figh'd). "With indignation I furvey
"Such fkill and judgment thrown away. "The time profufely fquander'd there, "On vulgar arts beneath thy care, "If well employ'd, at lefs expense, "Had taught thee honour, virtue, fenfe; "And rais'd thee from a coachman's fate "To govern men, and guide the ftate."
Difcourfe between ADAM and EVE, retiring to reft.
Now came ftill Evening on, and Twilight gray Had in her fober livery all things clad. Silence accompanied; for beast and bird, They to their grafsy couch, these to their nefts Were flunk; all but the wakeful nightingale. She all night long her amorous defcant fung: Silence was pleas'd. Now glow'd the firmament With living fapphires: Hefperus, that led The ftarry hoft, rode brighteft, till the Moon, Rifing in clouded majefty, at length Apparent queen unveil'd her peerless light, And o'er the dark her filver mantle threw. When Adam thus to Eve: "Fair confort, th' hour Of night, and all things now retir'd to reft, Mind us of like repofe; fince God hath fet Labour and reft, as day and night, to men Succefsive; and the timely dew of fleep, Now falling with foft flumb'rous weight, inclines Our eye-lids. Other creatures all day long Rove idle unemploy'd, and lefs need reft: Man hath his daily work of body' or mind Appointed, which declares his dignity, And the regard of Heav'n on all his ways; While other animals unactive range, And of their doings God takes no account. To-morrow, ere fresh Morning ftreak the east With first approach of light, we must be risen, And at our pleasant labour; to reform
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