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The child who many fathers share,
Hath feldom known a father's care.
'Tis thus in friendship; who depend
On many, rarely find a friend.

A hare, who, in a civil way,
Comply'd with every thing, like gay,
Was known by all the beftial train,
Who haunt the wood, or graze the plain.
Her care was, never to offend ;
And every creature was her friend.
As forth the went, at early dawn,
To taste the dew-befprinkled lawn,
Behind the hears the hunter's cries,
And from the deep-mouth'd thunder flies.
She ftarts, the ftops, the pants for breath;
She hears the near advance of death;
She doubles to mislead the hound,
And measures back her mazy round;
Till, fainting in the public way,
Half-dead with fear fhe gafping lay.
What transport in her bofom grew,
When firft the horse appear'd in view!
"Let me," fays fhe, "your back afcend,
And owe my fafety to a friend.
You know my feet betray my flight;
To friendship ev'ry burthen's light."

The horse replied, "Poor honest pufs! It grieves my heart to fee thee thus: Be comforted, relief is near ;

For all your friends are in the rear."
She next the ftately bull implor'd;
And thus replied the mighty lord;
"Since ev'ry beat alive can tell
That I fincerely with you well,
I may, without offence, pretend
To take the freedom of a friend-
To leave you thus might feem unkind;
But fee, the goat is juft behind ”

The goat remark'd her pulfe was high, Her languid head, her heavy eye;

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My back," fays he, may do you harm ; The fheep's at hand, and wool is warm."

The sheep was feeble, and complain'd His fides a load of wool fultain'd:

Said he was flow, confefs'd his fears;
For hounds eat fheep as well as hares.

She now the trotting calf address'd,
To fave from death a friend distress'd.
"Shall I," fays he, "of tender age,
In this important care engage?
Older and abler pafs'd you by:

How ftrong are thofe ! how weak am I !
Should I prefume to bear you hence,
Thofe friends of mine might take offence.
Excufe me, then You know my heart,
But dearest friends, alas! must part.
How fhall we all lament !-Adieu !
For, fee, the hounds are juft in view."

SECTION III.

The three warnings.

THE tree of deepest root is found
Leaft willing ftill to quit the ground:
'Twas therefore faid by ancient fages,
That love of life increas'd with years
So much, that in our latter ftages,
When pains grow fharp and fickness rages,
The greateft love of life appears.

This great affection to believe,
Which all confefs, but few perceive,
If old affertions can't prevail,

Be pleas'd to hear a modern tale.

GAY

When fports went round, and all were gay
On neighbour Dodfon's wedding-day,
Death call'd afide the jocund groom
With him into another room;

And looking grave-" You muft," fays he,
Quit your fweet bride, and come with me."
"With you and quit my Sufan's fide!
With you!" the hapless hufband cried;
"Young as I am, 'tis monstrous hand!
Befides, in truth, I'm not prepar'd;
My thoughts on other matters go;
This is my wedding-day you know,"
What more he urg'd, I have not heard,
His reafons could not well be stronger;
So Death the poor delinquent spar'd,
And left to live a little longer.

Yet calling up a ferious look,

His hour glafs trembled while he fpoke-
Neighbour," he faid, "Farewell.

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No more

Shall death disturb your mirthful hour:
And farther, to avoid all blame
Of cruelty upon my name,

To give you time for preparation,
And fit you for your future station,
Three feveral Warnings you shall have,
Before you're fummon'd to the grave.
Willing for once I'll quit my prey,
And grant a kind reprieve;

In hopes you'll have no more to fay;
But, when I call again this way,

Well pleas'd the world will leave."
To thefe conditions both confented,
And parted perfectly contented.

What next the hero of our tale befell,
How long he liv'd, how wife, how well,
How roundly he purfu'd his course,
And smok'd his pipe, and ftrok'd his horse,
The willing mufe fhall tell :

He chaffer'd then, he bought, he fold,
Nor once perceiv'd his growing old,
Nor thought of Death as near;
His friends not falfe, his wife no fhrew,
Many his gains, his children few,
He pafs'd his hours in peace.

But while he view'd his wealth increase,
While thus along life's dufty road
The beaten track content he trod,
Old time, whofe hafte no mortal spares,
Uncall'd, unheeded, unawares,

Brought on his eightieth year.
And now, one night, in muling mood
As all alone he fate,

Th' unwelcome meffenger of Fate
Once more before him stood.

Half-kill'd with anger and furprife, "So foon return'd!" old Dodfon cries. "So foon, d'ye call it ?" Death replies: Surely, my friend, you're but in jest! Since I was here before

"Tis fix-and-thirty years at least,

And you are now tour score."

"So much the worfe," the clown rejoin'd; "To fpare the aged would be kind : However, fee your fearch be legal; And your authority, is't regal ? Elfe you are come on a fool's errand, With but a fecretary's warrant.

Befides, you promis'd me Three warnings, Which I have look'd for nights and mornings! But for that lofs of time and ease,

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"I know," cries Death, "that at the best, I feldom am a welcome guest;

But don't be captious, friend, at least:
I little thought you'd ftili be able
To ftump about your farm and stable;
Your years have run to a great length;
I wish you joy, tho', of your frength!"

"Hold," fays the farmer, "not so fast !I have been lame thefe four years paft."

"And no great wonder," Death replies :-
"However, you ftill keep your eyes;
And fure, to fee one's loves and friends,
For legs and arms would make amends."
"Perhaps,” said Dodfon, "fo it might,
But latterly I've loft my fight."

"This is a fhocking tale, 'tis true;
But ftill there's comfort left for you:
Each trives your fadnefs to amufe;
I warrant you hear all the news."

"There's none," cries he ; "and if there were, I'm grown fo deaf, I could not hear."

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Nay, then," the fpectre ftern rejoin'd,
"Thefe are unjustifiable yearnings;

"If you are Lame, and Deaf, and Blind,
You've had your Three fufficient Warnings.
So, come along, no more we'll part;
He faid, and touch'd him with his dart.
And now old Dodson, turning pale,
Yields to his fate-fo ends my tale."

SECTION IV.

The Hermit.

FAR in a wild, unknown to public view,

THRALE

From youth to age a rev'rend hermit grew;

The mofs his bed, the cave his humble cell,
His food the fruits, his drink the cryftal well;
Remote from man, with God he pafs'd his days,
Prayer all his bufinefs, all his pleafure praife.
A life fo facred, fuch ferene repofe,

Seem'd heav'n itfelf. till one fuggeftion rofe-
That vice fhould triumph, virtue vice obey;
This fprung tome doubt of Providence's fway:
His hopes no more a certain profpect boast,
And all the tenour of his foul is loft.

So when a fmooth expanfe receives impreft
Calm nature's image on its wat'ry breast,
Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow,
And fkies beneath with anfwering colours glow:
But if a ftone the gentle fea divide,

Swift ruffling circles curl on ev'ry fide,
And glimm'ring fragments of a broken fun;
Banks, trees, and fkies, in thick diforder run.

To clear this doubt, to know the world by fight, To find if books or fwains report it right, (For yet by fwains alone the world he knew, Whofe feet came wand'ring o'er the nightly dew,) He quits his cell; the pilgrim-ftaff he bore, And fix'd the fcallop in his hat before; Then with the fun a riling journey went, Sedate to think, and watching each event. The morn was wafted in the pathlefs grafs, And long and lonesome was the wild to pafs : But when the fouthern fun had warm'd the day, A youth came pofting o'er a croffing way; His raiment decent, his complexion fair, And foft in graceful ringlets wav'd his hair : Then near approaching, "Father, hail !" he cried, And, Hail, my fon!" the rev'rend fire replied. Words follow'd words, from queftion anfwer flow'd, And talk of various kind deceiv'd the road; Till each with other pleas'd, and loath to part, While in their age they differ, join in heart. Thus ftands an aged elm in ivy bound, Thus youthful ivy clafps an elm around. Now funk the fun; the clofing hour of day Came onward, mantled o'er with fober gray; Nature in filence bid the world repofe : When near the road a ftately palace rofe.

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