Expert to moor where terrors line the road,
Or win the anchor from its dark abode;

But drooping, and relaxed, in climes afar,
Tumultuous and undisciplined in War.
Such RODMOND was; by learning unrefin'd,
That oft enlightens to corrupt the mind.
Boisterous of manners; trained in early youth

To scenes that shame the conscious cheek of Truth;
To scenes that Nature's struggling voice control,
And freeze Compassion rising in the soul:
Where the grim hell-hounds prowling round the shore
With foul intent the stranded Bark explore;
Deaf to the voice of woe, her decks they board,
While tardy Justice slumbers o'er her sword.
Th' indignant Muse severely taught to feel
Shrinks from a theme she blushes to reveal.
Too oft Example armed with poisons fell,
Pollutes the shrine where mercy loves to dwell:

Thus RODMOND, trained by this unhallowed crew,

The sacred social passions never knew.

Unskilled to argue, in dispute yet loud,

Bold without caution, without honours proud;

C

In Art unschooled, each veteran rule he prized,
And all improvement haughtily despised.

Yet, though full oft to future perils blind,
With Skill superior glowed his daring mind
Through snares of death the reeling Bark to guide,
When midnight shades involve the raging tide.

TO RODMOND next in order of command

Succeeds the youngest of our naval band:
But what avails it to record a name

That courts no rank among the sons of fame;
Whose vital spring had just began to bloom
When o'er it Sorrow spread her sickening gloom.
While yet a stripling, oft with fond alarms

His bosom danced to Nature's boundless charms;
On him fair Science dawned in happier hour,
Awakening into bloom young Fancy's flower:
But soon Adversity with freezing blast

The blossom withered, and the dawn o'ercast.
Forlorn of heart, and by severe decree
Condemned reluctant to the faithless Sea,
With long farewell he left the laurel grove
Where Science, and the tuneful sisters rove.

Hither he wandered, anxious to explore
Antiquities of Nations now no more;

To penetrate each distant realm unknown,
And range excursive o'er th' untravelled zone.
In vain--for rude Adversity's command
Still on the margin of each famous land,
With unrelenting ire his steps opposed,
And every gate of Hope against him closed.
Permit my verse, ye blest Pierian train!
To call ARION this ill-fated swain;

For like that Bard unhappy, on his head Malignant stars their hostile influence shed. Both in lamenting numbers, o'er the deep With conscious anguish taught the Harp to weep; And both the raging Surge in safety bore Amid destruction, panting to the shore. This last, our tragic Story from the wave Of dark oblivion haply yet may save; With genuine sympathy may yet complain,

While sad Remembrance bleeds at every vein.

These, chief among the Ship's conducting train,

Her path explored along the deep domain;

Trained to command, and range the swelling sail
Whose varying force conforms to every gale.
Charged with the commerce, hither also came
A gallant youth, PALEMON was his name:
A Father's stern resentment doomed to prove,
He came the victim of unhappy love!

His heart for ALBERT's beauteous daughter bled,

For her a sacred flame his bosom fed:

Nor let the wretched Slaves of Folly scorn

This genuine passion, Nature's eldest born!

"Twas his with lasting anguish to complain, While blooming ANNA mourned the cause in vain. Graceful of form, by Nature taught to please, Of power to melt the female breast with ease;

To her PALEMON told his tender tale

Soft as the voice of Summer's evening gale:
His Soul, where moral truth spontaneous grew,

No guilty wish, no cruel passion knew:
Though tremblingly alive to Nature's Laws,
Yet ever firm to Honour's sacred cause;
O'erjoyed he saw her lovely eyes relent,

The blushing Maiden smiled with sweet consent.

Oft in the mazes of a neighbouring grove

Unheard they breathed alternate vows of love:
By fond society their passion grew,

Like the young blossom fed with vernal dew;
While their chaste Souls possessed the pleasing pains
That Truth improves, and Virtue ne'er restrains.

In evil hour th' officious tongue of Fame
Betrayed the Secret of their mutual' flame.

With grief and anger struggling in his breast
PALEMON'S Father heard the tale confest;
Long had he listened with Suspicion's ear,
And learnt, sagacious, this event to fear.
Too well, fair Youth! thy liberal heart he knew
A heart to Nature's warm impressions true:
Full oft his wisdom strove with fruitless toil

With Avarice to pollute that generous soil;

That soil impregnated with nobler seed
Refused the culture of so rank a weed.
Elate with wealth in active Commerce won,
And basking in the smile of fortune's sun;
For many freighted Ships from shore to shore,
Their wealthy charge by his appointment bore;