Here, lab'ring Muse, those glorious chiefs re- Or swell'd above the clifts their billows raise, late, That taru'd the doubtful scale of David's fate; First write Bezaliel, whose illustrious name To aid the crown and state his greatest zeal, Before the Muses leave their patron's praise. His age with only one mild heiress blest, The bright restorer of his father's youth, worth! That no Achitophel thy ruin boast! Ev'n eavy must consent to Helon's worth, Whose soul, though Egypt glories in his birth, Thus crown'd with worth from heights of ho Could for our captive ark its zeal retain, nour won, See all bis glories copied in his son, Whose forward fame should ev'ry Muse en gage, Whose youth boasts skill denied to others age. Men, manuers, language, books of noblest kind, Already are the conquest of his mind; down, Abdael with all his father's virtue grac'd; Proceed, illustrious, happy chief! proceed, To register the glories thou shalt gain: And Pharaoh's altars in their pomp disdain : To slight his gods was small, with nobler pride, He all th' allurements of his court deficd. Our list of nobles next let Amri grace, Whose merits claim'd the Abethdin's high place; Who with a loyalty that did excel, Brought all th' endowments of Achitophel. Sincere was Amri, and not only knew, But Israel's sanctions into practice drew; Our laws, that did a boundless ocean seem, Were coasted all, and fathom`d all by him. No rabbin speaks like him their mystic sense, | So just, and with such charms of eloquence; To whom the double blessing does belong, With Moses'inspiration, Aaron's tongue. Then Sheva none more loyal zeal have shewn, Wakeful as Judah's lion for the crown, Who for that cause still combats in his age, For which his youth with danger did engage. In vain our factious priests the cant revive; In vain seditious scribes with libel strive T' inflame the crow'd; while he with watchful eye Observes and shoots their treasons as they fly; Their weekly frauds, his keen replies detect; He undeceives more fast than they infect. So Moses, when the pest on legions prey'd, Advanc'd his signal, and the plague was stay'd. Once more, my faiuting Muse, thy pinions try, And strength's exhausted store let love supply, Thy laurel grove no envy's flash can blast : Thy strain shall be our slamb'ring prophet's dream, And when our Sion virgins sing their theme, Our jubilees shall with thy verse be grac'd ; The song of Asaph shall for ever last. How fierce his satire loos'd! restrain'd, how tame! How tender of th' offending young man's fame! No page of thine, that fears the strictest view, What praise for such rich strains shall we allow? What just rewards the grateful crown bestow? While bees in flow'rs rejoice, and flow'rs in dew, While stars and fountains to their course are true; While Judah's throne and Sion's rock stand fast, The song of Asaph and the fame shall last. Still Hebron's honour'd happy soil retains Our royal hero's beauteous dear remains ; Who now sails off with winds nor wishes slack, Yet fate for ruin takes so still an hour, vour, Then death unworthy seiz'd a generous race, Instead of faithless shelves, a listed field; A listed field of Heaven's and David's foes, Fierce as the troops that did his youth oppose; Each life had on his slaughter'd heap retire, Not tamely and unconquering thus expir'd: But destiny is now their only foe, And dying c'en o'er that they triumph too; With loud last breaths their master's 'scape applaud, Of whom kind force could scarce the fates defraud; Who for such followers lost, O machless mind! Thus some diviner Muse her hero forms, storms; Nor stretch'd on roses in the myrtle grove, Nor crowns his days with mirth, his nights with love; But far remov'd in thund'ring camps is found, His slumbers short, his bed the herbless ground: In tasks of danger always seen the first, thirst. [rage, Long must his patience strive with fortune's To bring his suff'rings' bright companion Before the promis'd empire be enjoy'd: back, But ere such transport can our sense employ, Calin were the elements, night's silence deep, The waves scarce murmuring, and the winds asleep; Such toils of fate must build a man of fame, And such to Israel's crown, the godlike David came. What sudden beams dispel the clouds so fast, Whose drenching rains laid all our vineyards waste! The spring so far behind her course delay'd, Where in childhoods past day I saw distiny frowning While hope wou'd forsake as each prospect drew nigh I caught at each leaf, like the wretch who is drowning Yet others I saved not so friend-less as I And each tear that was changed to a smile by my aid Gave joy to my heart, tho' a poor orphan maid. (3) From experience like mine you this lesson may borrow Ne'er sink unresisting the victum of grief But sooth a friends care 'tis the best balm for sorrow And comforting others you'll meet with relief Thus each tear that was changed to a smile by my aid Cheer'd my heart tho' a poor little orphan maid. |