Then will I fometimes bid my fancy fleal,
That unclaimed wealth no property restrains;
Sooth with fictitious aid my friendly zeal,
And realize each goodly act she feigns.
So fhall I gain the Gold without Alloy;
Without Oppreffion, Toil or treacherous fnares;
So fhall I know its ufe, its power employ,
And yet avoid its dangers and its cares.
And spite of all that boaftful Wealth can do,
In vain would Fortune ftrive the rich to blefs, Were they not flattered with some distant view Of what the ne'er can give them to poffefs.
Even Wisdom's high conceit great wants would feel,
If not fupplied from Fancy's boundless store;
And nought but fhame makes power itself conceal,
That fhe to fatisfy, muft promife more.
But though experience will not fail to fhow,
Howe'er its truth man's weakness may upbraid,
That what he moftly values here below,
Owes half its relifh to kind Fancy's aid;
Yet fhould not Prudence her light wing command,
She may too far extend her heedless flight ;
For Pleasure foon fhall quit her Fairy-land,
If Nature's regions are not held in fight.
From Truth's abode in fearch of kind deceit,
Within due limits fhe may fafely roam;
If roving does not make her hate retreat,
And with averfion fhun her proper home.
But thanks to those whose fond parental care,
To learning's paths my youthful steps confined;
I need not fhun a ftate which lets me share
Each calm delight that fooths the ftudious mind.
While Genius lafts his fame fhall ne'er decay,
Whofe artful hand first caused its fruits to fpread;
In lafting volumes ftampt the printed lay,
And taught the Muses to embalm the dead.
To him I owe each fair inftructive page,
Where Science tells me what her fons have known;
Collects their choiceft works from every age,
And makes me wife with knowledge not my own.
Books rightly used may every state secure:
From Fortune's evils may our peace defend;
May teach us how to fhun, or to endure,
The Foe malignant, and the faithless Friend.
Should rigid Want withdraw all outward aid,
Kind ftores of inward comfort they can bring;
Should keen Disease life's tainted ftream invade,
Sweet to the foul from them pure health may fpring.
Should both at once Man's weakly frame infeft,
Some lettered charm may ftill relief fupply;
'Gainft all events prepare his patient breast,
And make him quite refigned to live, or die.
For though no words can Time or Fate reftain;
No found suppress the call of Nature's voice;
Though neither rhymes nor spells can conquer pain,
Nor Magic's felf make wretchedness our choice:
Yet Reason, while it forms the fubtile plan,
Some purer fource of pleasure to explore,
Muft deem it vain for that poor pilgrim, man,
To think of refting till his journey's o'er.
Muft deem each fruitlefs toil by heaven designed,
To teach him where to look for real blifs;
Elfe why should heaven excite the hope to find
What baulked Pursuit must here for ever mifs.
A MOTION of the MINORITY.
AGREED! let it be as the Patriots hope,
To their Friends let us give all America up:
Let the Rebels be lords, and the Loyalifts fwing,
For loving Old England, and serving their King:
Be the Westerly Ifles the next eafy prize,
Which Geneva beftows on her Popish Allies:
The Eaft Indies must then unavoidably fall,
And dominion at fea be transferred to the Gaul.
Here's an end of the Story, and end of the Dance,
By GREAT Britain becoming-a Province to France!
Heb. iv. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
ATHER, I still his paffion plead,
Which bought thy love for all mankind,
And pardoned, in this time of need,
I come, confirming grace to find;
Importunate in faithful prayér,
Thy promifèd fuccours I implore,
Power to withstand, and ftrength to bear,
Till fin destroyed can tempt no more.
The grace I every moment want,
The fresh fupplies of faith and love,
God of exhauftlefs mercy, grant,
In answer to my Friend above:
Increase my faith, confirm my hope,
Compleat my love and purity,
And lo, I yield my spirit up,
And find the place prepared for me.
Heb. xiii. 20, 21. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,. make you perfect, &c.
God of peace, and pardoning love,
Thy bowels of compaffion move
To every finful child of man;
Jefus our Shepherd great and good,
Who dying bought us with his blood,
Thou haft brought back to life again :
His blood to all our fouls apply;
His only blood can fanctify,
(Which first did for our fins atone)
The covenant of redemption feal,
The depths of God, of Love, reveal,
And speak us perfected in one.
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