THOUGHTS ON HAPPINESS.

HAPPINESS is an object pursued by all,

and though the road to it is direct, yet few arrive at it. The compafs by which we fhould be guided to this confummation of our hopes, wholly confifts in this fimple maxim, "moderate your defires." Yet fuch is the frailty or infatuation of man, that it is almoft always rejected, and the inftigations of appetite and paffion are fubftituted for it. Blindly led by thofe giddy conductors, we deviate from the obvious path of felicity, into the dark and fatal mazes of error. And at length, when experience has opened our eyes, and we are fenfible of the pernicious confequences of our own temerity, we become dif contented and repine. Behold the avaricious man defpifing the modeft precepts of reafon, and inflamed by romantic expectations, hoarding a heap of treasure which he cannot enjoy. Behold him, in the vigour of his life, emaciated with care, and palled with uneafinefs of his own creation, reproaching fortune for the neceffary effects of thofe fordid inclinations which he has been induf trious to cherish.

See the ambitious man, after a vain and delufive pursuit of fantastic greatness, cursing fate

and

and accufing providence, for those disappointments and that mifery which he has affiduously brought upon himself. Inftead of upbraiding his folly, he laments his fituation as unfortunate: like the unthinking mariner, who, having wantonly abandoned his veffel to the winds, and fuffered it to ftrike upon a rock, bewails the severity of his condition, and arraigns the eternal laws, by which things are governed. In our pursuit of happiness, it is our avidity which chiefly disappoints our endeavours.

It has frequently been obferved with respect to the acquifition of riches, that the enterprifing man, by embarking in too many schemes of profit, is often ruined, while the mifer plods flowly on towards the attainment of his purpose with fuccefs. The cafe is the fame with regard to our profecution of happinefs. He whose impetuous temper urges him to acts of rapacity and ambition, or plunges himself in the exceffes of debauchery, fails of his ultimate aim, the attainment of felicity. But the man who is content with the share of happinefs which he poffeffes, who is fatisfied to have it gradually increased, who confines his views to his fphere in life, and aspires not at that which is beyond his reach, is amply rewarded and receives a prize which the most violent and unremitting efforts cannot obtain. DESCRIP

DESCRIPTION

O F

ADAM AND EV E.

Two

WO of far nobler fhape, erect and tall,
God-like erect, with native honour clad,
In naked majefty feem'd lords of all:
And worthy feem'd; for in their looks divine.
The image of their glorious Maker fhone,
Truth, wisdom, fanctitude fevere and pure
(Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd,)
Whence true authority in men: though both
Not equal, as their fex not equal feem'd:
For contemplation he, and valour form'd;
For foftnefs fhe, and fweet attractive grace;
He for God only, fhe for God in him.

His fair large front and eye fublime declar'd
Abfolute rule; and hyacinthian locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his fhoulders broad;
She, has a veil, down to the flender waist
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Difhevell'd, but in wanton ringlets wav'd,
As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle fway,
And by her yielded, by him beft receiv'd,

Yielded with coy fubmiffion, modeft pride,
And fweet reluctant amorous delay.

Not thofe myfterious parts were then conceal'd;
Then was not guilty fhame, difhoneft shame
Of nature's works, honour difhonourable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind

With fhows inftead, mere fhows of feeming pure,
And banish'd from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity, and fpotlefs innocence!

So pafs'd they naked on, nor fhunn'd the fight
Of God or angel; for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pafs'd, the lovelieft pair
That ever fince in love's embraces met;
Adam the goodlieft man of men fince born,
His fons, the fairest of her daughters Eve,
Under a tuft of fhade that on a green
Stood whifp'ring foft, by a fresh fountain-fide
They fat them down; and after no more toil
Of their sweet gard'ning labour than fuffic'd
To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease
More cafy, wholesome thirst and appetite
More grateful, to their fupper fruits they fell
Nectarine fruits, which the compliant boughs
Yielded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downy bank damafk'd with flowers:
The favory pulp they chew, and in the rind,
Still as they thirfted, fcoop the brimming ftream

Nor

Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing fmiles,
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems
Fair couple, link'd in happy nuptial league,
Alone as they.

THE STUDIES OF

ASTRONOMY and PHILOSOPHY

THE

RECOMMENDED.

HE fciences of Aftronomy and Philofophy are ftudies, next to that of ourselves, the moft worthy of cultivation, on account of the grand scenes they difplay, and the lofty ideas they tranfmit, of the power, the wifdom, and the goodnefs of the Great Creator. Thefe fciences have, in all ages and countries flourishing in arts and politeness, engaged the attention of the curious, employed the pens of the most eloquent orators, and embellished the writings of the poets of the moft elevated genius.

As to the firft of thefe fciences, the Aftrono- . mer has for the fubject of his fpeculations the whole univerfe of material beings; he confiders. the nature of matter in general, and enquires by what laws the feveral parts of it act upon each other;

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