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TO SYLVIA

PRESENTED WITH A RING, BEARING A HEART,

WITH THIS MOTTO,- -STOP THIEF.

Oon as I faw thofe beauteous eyes,

You play'd a roguish part;
You firft enthrall'd me by furprize,

Then robb'd me of my heart.
Since thus you now may boaft of two,
Difputing is in vain :

Render to me your own in lieu,

Or give me mine again.

If not, tho' you're by all confest
The mafter-piece of nature;
I'll paint you to the world at best
A double-hearted creature.

ΤΟ

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WITH A BOOK OF MORALITY, ENTITLED
66 VISIONS."

O ftrong the paffions of the human mind,

"These rules, compar'd with real life, must seem "All airy vifions, and an empty dream:

"For when a plan of conduct we would draw,
"That dares the critic's eye to fhow a flaw,
"Fancy may wish its antitype to fee,
"And feaft upon its charms in theory;
"Yet ftill in practice all our hopes are vain,
"To realize this image of the brain.”
Thus, foe to nature, spoke the gloomy fage;
But let his labour'd lines inform the page;
Let him exhauft his genius to display,

Truth's pleasant path, and virtue's peaceful way :
Each moral rule with energy dispense,

That forms the conduct, or improves the sense:
Still muft philofophy renounce the prize,
Still nature muft to art fuperior rife;
For nature now triumphantly can show
A living inftance of thofe rules in you.

A

A SUPPLICATION.

BY A LADY, JUST BEFORE MARRIAGE.

Repare me, O almighty Lord,

PRepai

For that important day,

When I fhall plight my folemn word,

To honour and obey :"

When at thy facred altar I

With trembling feet shall stand,

Be thy eternal spirit by

To join the heart and hand.
United thus, no human force
Can part the happy pair,
But life will run a cheerful courfe
Of funshine all the year:
Yet ftill, as pleasure's cup enjoy'd,
A bitter draught may prove,
Unless our thoughts be oft employ'd

On happiness above;

Within us, Lord, new hearts create,

Prepar'd for heavenly bliss; That we may seek a better state,

While fojourners in this.

ANOTHER.

A NOT HE R.

BY THE SAME.

A

Lmighty Lord of heaven and earth,
Who gave to me and all things birth,

Receive a suppliant's prayer!

Look on me with compaffion's eye,
And mercy's lenient balm supply,
To fave me from despair.
Let love abound, fufpicion cease,
Let wrath be fwallow'd up in peace,
And difcord rage no more!

Thus gratitude fhall teach my heart,
To chufe thro' life the better part,
And thee, my God, adore!
This is the humble prayer I make,
When I

my Damon's hand fhall take,

That we, from care exempt,

May see our moments flow ferene, And still preserve the golden mean "Twixt envy and contempt!

ORIGINAL

ORIGINAL FABLES.

IMITATED FROM A FRENCH MANUSCRIPT OF MR. CAZOTTE.

BY MR. CHARLES DENIS.

FABLE I.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF GIFTS.

́Ove once, 'tis said, was angry grown

Jove

With all mankind; and we must own
With reafon too: th' ungrateful race
Dar'd even to their maker's face,
Unthinking, infolent and vain,
Prefume of hardships to complain.
Say, did not I (thus fpoke the god)
Create at will that human clod?
Endow it with a foul divine,
That attribute a spark of mine?
Did I not place him on yon ball,
That earth, and make him lord of all
Did I not give him full command
O'er every creature in the land?
O'er all that in the waters fwim,
O'er all that thro' light ether skim?

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