XLVII.

Thus, ardent, burft his ftrain,

"Ye hapless Race!

"Dire-labouring here to fmother Reason's ray, "That lights our Maker's image in our face, "And gives us wide o'er earth unqueftion'd fway, "What is th' ador'd Supreme Perfection, say? "What but eternal never-refling foul, "Almighty power, and all-directing day, "By whom each atom ftirs, the planets roll; "Whofills, furrounds, informs,andagitates thewhole.

XLVIII.

"Come, to the beaming God your hearts unfold! "Draw from its fountain life! 'Tis thence, alone, "We can excel. Up from unfeeling mold, "To feraphs burning round th' Almighty's throne, "Life rifing ftill on life, in higher tone, "Perfection forms, and with perfection blifs. "In univerfal Nature this clear fhewn, "Not needeth proof: to prove it were, I wis, "To prove the beauteousworld excels thebrute abyfs. XLIX.

"Is not the field, with lively culture green, "A fight more joyous then the dead morass? "Do not the skies, with active ether clean, "And fann'd by sprightly Zephyrs, farfurpafs "The foul November-fogs, and flumb'rous mass, "With which fad Nature veils her drooping face? "Does not the mountain-ftream, as clear as glais,

"Gay-dancing on, the putrid pool difgrace?

The fame in all holds true, but chief in human race.

L.

"It was not by vile loitering in ease,

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That Greece obtain'd the brighter palm of art,
That foft yet ardent Athens learn'd to please,
To keen the wit, and to fublime the heart,
In all fupreme! complete in every part!
'It was not thence majestic Rome arose,
And o'er the nations fhook her conquering dart:
For Sluggard's brow the laurel never grows;
Renown is not the child of indolent Repofe.
LI.

Had unambitious mortals minded nought
But in loofe joy their time to wear away,
Had they alone the lap of Dalliance fought,
'Pleas'd on her pillow their dull heads to lay,

Rude Nature's ftate had been our state to-day; 'No cities e'er their towery fronts had rais'd, No arts had made us opulent and gay; With brother-brutes the human race had graz'd; None e'er had foar'd to fame, none honour'd been, [none prais'd. 'Great Homer's fong had never fir'd the breast To thirst of glory and heroic deeds; Sweet Maro's Mufe, funk in inglorious reft, Had filent flept amid the Mincian reeds:

LII.

'The wits of modern time had told their beads,

"And Monkish legends been their only strains; "Our Milton's Eden had lain wrapt in weeds, "Our Shakspere ftroll'd and laugh'd with Warwick "fwains,

"Ne had my mafter Spenfer charm'd his Mulla's

LII.

[plains. "Dumb, too, had been the fage historic Mufe, "And perish'd all the fons of ancient fame;

"Those starry lights of virtue, that diffufe "Through the dark depth of time their vivid flame, "Had all been loft with fuch as have no name. "Who then had fcorn'd his eafe for others' good? "Who then had toil'd rapacious men to tame? "Who in the public breach devoted stood, "And for his country's caufe been prodigal of blood?

LIV.

"But fhould to fame your hearts unfeeling be, "If right I read, you pleafure all require; "Then hear how best may be obtain❜d this fee, "How best enjoyed this Nature's wide desire. "Toil, and be glad! let Industry infpire "Into your quicken'd limbs her buoyant breath! "Who does not act is dead; abforpt entire "In miry floth, no pride, no joy he hath : "O leaden-hearted Men, to be in love with death! LV.

"Ah! what avail the largeft gifts of Heaven,

"When drooping health and spirits go amiss ?

"How tastelefs then whatever can be given ? "Health is the vital principle of bliss,

"And exercife of health. In proof of this, "Behold the wretch who flugs his life away "Soon fwallow'd in Difcafe's fad abyss, "While he whom Toil has brac'd, or manly play,

"Has light as air each limb, each thought as clear as

LVI.

[day. “O who can speak the vigorous joys of health! "Unclogg'd the body, unobfcur'd the mind; "The morning rifes gay with pleasing stealth, "The temperate evening falls ferene and kind. "In health the wifer brutes true gladnels find. "See! how the younglings frifk along the meads, "As May comes on and wakes the balmy wind; "Rampant with life, their joy all joy exceeds; "Yet what but high-ftrung health this dancing pleaLVII. [faunce breeds? "But here, instead, is fofter'd every ill, "Which or diftemper'd minds or bodies know. "Come then, my kindred Spirits! do not spill "Your talents here. This place is but a fhow, "Whose charms delude you to the den of Woe: "Come, follow me, I will direct you right,

"Where Pleafure's rofes, void of ferpents, grow, "Sincere as fweet: come, follow this good Knight, "And you will blefs the day that brought him to your fight.

LVIII.

"Some he will lead to courts, and fome to camps, "To fenates fome, and public fage debates, "Where, by the folemn gleam of midnight-lamps, "The world is pois'd, and manag'd mighty states; "To high discovery fome, that new-creates "The face of earth; fome to the thriving mart; "Some to the rural reign and softer fates; "To the fweet Mufes fome, who raife the heart: "All glory fhall be yours, all Nature, and all Art. LIX.

"There are, I fee, who listen to my lay, "Who wretched figh for virtue, but despair. "All may be done (methinks I hear them fay), "Even death defpis'd, by generous actions fair; "All, but for thofe who to thefe bowers repair, "Their every power diffolv'd in luxury, "To quit of torpid fluggishness the lair, "And from the powerful arms of Sloth get free, "'Tis rifing from the dead-Alas!-it cannot be !

LX.

"Would you then learn to diffipate the band
"Of these huge threat'ning difficulties dire,
"That in the weak man's way like lions stand,
"His foul appall, and damp his rifing fire ?
Refolve, refolve, and to be men afpire.
"Exert that nobleft privilege, alone,

"Here to mankind indulg'd; control defire;