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Lets go its eager grasp, and drops the world,
And catches at each reed of hope in heav'n.

Shall man alone, whole fate, whofe final fate,
Hangs on that hour, exclude it from his thought?"
I think of nothing elfe; I fee! I feel it!
All nature, like an earthquake, trembling round!
I fee the Judge inthron'd! the flaming guard!
The volume open'd! open'd ev'ry heart!
A funbeam pointing out each fecret thought!"
No patron! interceffor none! now past
The sweet, the clement, mediatorial hour!
For guilt no plea! to pain, no pause! no bounds!
Inexorable all! and all extreme!

Eternity, the various fentence paft,
Affigns the fever'd throng distinct abodes,
Sulphureous, or ambrofial:----what enfues?
The deed predominant! the deed of deeds!
Which makes a hell of hell, a heav'n of heav'n.
The goddess, with determin'd afpect, turns
Her adamantine key's enormous fize
Through destiny's inextricable wards,

Deep driving ev'ry bolt, on both their fates.
Then from the crystal battlements of heav'n,
Down, down the hurls it through the dark profound,
Ten thousand thousand fathoms! there to rust,
And ne'er unlock her refolution more.

The deep refounds, and hell, through all her glooms,
Returns, in groans, the melancholy roar!

K

O how unlike the chorus of the skies!

O how unlike those shouts of joy that shake
The whole ethereal! How the concave rings!
Nor ftrange! when deities their voice exalt;
And louder far than when creation rose,
To fee creation's godlike aim, and end,
So well accomplish'd! fo divinely clos'd!
To fee the mighty dramatist's last act,
As meet, in glory rifing o'er the reft.
No fancy'd god, a God, indeed, defcends
To folve all knots; to strike the moral home;
To throw full day on darkest scenes of time;
To clear, commend, exalt, and crown the whole.
Hence, in one peal of loud, eternal praise,
The charm'd fpectators thunder their applause;
And the vast void beyond, applause resounds.

A FATHER'S ADVICE

TO HIS SON.

DEEP in a grove by cyprefs fhaded,

Where mid-day fun had feldom shone,

Or noise the folemn scene invaded,

Save fome afflicted mufe's moan,

A fwain, tow'rds full-ag'd manhood wending,
Sat forrowing at the clofe of day,
At whofe fond fide a boy attending,
Lifp'd half his father's cares away.

The father's eyes no object wrested,
But on the fmiling prattler hung,
Till what his throbing heart fuggefted,
Thefe accents trembled from his tongue.

"My youth's first hope, my manhood's treasure, "My dearest innocent, attend,"

"Nor fear rebuke, or four difpleasure, "A father's lovelieft name is Friend.

"Some truths from long experience flowing, "Worth more than royal grants, receive; "For truths are wealth of Heav'n's bestowing, "Which kings have feldom power to give.

"Since, from an ancient race defcended,
"You boast an unattainted blood,

"By yours be their fair fame attended,
"And claim by birthright----to be good.

"In love for every fellow creature,
"Superior rife above the crowd;
"What most ennobles human nature
"Was ne'er the portion of the proud.

"Be thine the generous heart that borrows
"From other's joys a friendly glow,
"And for each hapless neighbour's forrows,
"Throbs with a sympathetic woe.

"This is the temper most endearing,

"Though wide, proud pomp, her banner spreads, An heavenlier power good-nature bearing, "Each heart in willing thraldom leads.

"Tafte not from fame's uncertain fountain. "The peace-destroying streams that flow,, Nor from ambition's dangerous mountain "Look down upon the world below..

"The princely pine on hills exalted,
"Whose lofty branches cleave the sky,
"By winds, long brav'd, at laft afsaulted,.
"Is headlong whirl'd in duft to lie;

"While the mild rofe, more fafely growing,
"Low in its unafpiring vale,
"Amid retirement's fhelter blowing,.
"Exchanges fweets with every gale.

"Wish not for beauty's darling features.
"Moulded by nature's partial pow'r,
"For faireft forms 'mong human creatures,.
"Shine but the pageants of an hour.

"I faw the pride of all the meadow,
"At noon, a gay narciffus blow
"Upon a river's bank, whose shadow
"Bloom'd in the filver waves below;

"By noontide's heat its youth was wasted,
"The waters, as they pass'd, complain'd;
"At eve, its glories all were blasted,
"And not one former tint remain'd.

Nor let vain wit's deceitful glory "Lead you from wisdom's path astray; "What genius lives renown'd in story, "To happiness who found the way?

"In yonder mead behold that vapour,
"Whofe vivid beams illufive play,
"Far off it seems a friendly taper,
"To guide the traveller on his way;

"But fhould fome hapless wretch pursuing, "Tread where the treach'rous meteors glow,

"He'd find, too late, his rashness rueing, "That fatal quick-fands lurk below.

"In life fuch bubbles nought admiring,
"Gilt with false light, and fill'd with air,
"Do you from pageant crowds retiring,
"To Peace in Virtue's cot repair.

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