Vain pomp! bestow'd by oftentatious pride,
Who to a life of want relief deny'd.
But thus the BARD. Are these the gifts of state? 'Gifts unreceiv'd!-Thefe? Ye ungenerous great! 290 How was I treated when in life forlorn?
My claim your pity; but my lot your fcorn.
Why were my ftudious hours oppos'd by need?
In me did poverty from guilt proceed?
Did I contemporary authors wrong,
And deem their worth, but as they priz'd my fong?
Did I footh vice, or venal strokes betray,
In the low-purpos'd, loud polemic fray?
Did e'er my verfe immode ft warmth contain,
Or, once-licentious, heavenly truths profane ? 300
Never.—And yet when envy funk my name,
Who call'd my fhadow'd merit into fame?
When, undeferv'd, a prifon's grate I saw,
What hand redeem'd me from the wrefted law?
Who cloath'd me naked, or when hungry fed?
Why crush'd the living? Why extoll'd the dead ?—
But foreign languages adopt my lays,
And diftant nations fhame you into praise.
Why should unrelifh'd wit thefe honours cause?
Custom, not knowledge, dictates your applaufe: 310
Or think you thus a felf-renown to raise,
And mingle your vain-glories with my bays?
Be your's the mouldering tomb! Be mine the lay
Immortal!-Thus he fcoffs the pomp away.
Though words like thefe unletter'd pride impeach, 315
To the meek heart he turns with milder fpeech.
Though now a feraph, oft he deigns to wear
The face of human friendship, oft of care;
To walk disguis'd an object of relief,
A learn'd, good man, long exercis'd in grief;
Forlorn, a friendless orphan oft to roam,
Craving fome kind, fome hofpitable home;
Or, like Ulyffes, a low lazar ftand;
Befeeching Pity's eye and Bounty's hand;
Or, like Ulyffes, royal aid requeft,
Wandering from court to court, a king distrest.
Thus varying fhapes, the feeming fon of woe
Eyes the cold heart, and hearts that generous glow: Then to the Mufe relates each lordly name,
Who deals impartial infamy and fame.
Oft, as when man in mortal state depress'd,
His lays taught virtue, which his life confefs'd,
He now forms visionary scenes below,
Infpiring patience in the heart of woe;
Patience, that foftens every fad extreme,
That cafts through dungeon-glooms a chearful gleam,
Difarms disease of pain, mocks flander's sting,
And strips of terrors the terrific king,
'Gainst Want, a fourer foe, its fuccour lends,
And smiling fees th' ingratitude of friends.
Nor are these tasks to him alone confign'd. Millions invifible befriend mankind.
When watery structures, feen cross heaven t'afcend,
Arch above arch in radiant order bend,
Fancy beholds, adown each glittering fide,
Myriads of miffionary feraphs glide;
She fees good angels genial showers bestow
From the red convex of the dewy bow.
They fmile upon the fwain: He views the prize;
Then grateful bends, to blefs the bounteous fkies. 350
Some winds collect, and fend propitious gales
Oft where Britannia's navy fpreads her fails;
There ever wafting, on the breath of fame,
Unequal'd glory in her Sovereign's name.
Some teach young zephyrs vernal sweets to bear, 355
And float the balmy health on ambient air;
Zephyrs, that oft, where lovers liftening lie,
Along the grove in melting mufic die,
And in lone caves to minds poetic roll
Seraphic whispers, that abftra&t the foul.
Some range the colours, as they parted fly,
Clear-pointed to the philofophic eye;
The flaming red, that pains the dwelling gaze;
The ftainless, light fome yellow's gilding rays;
The clouded orange, that betwixt them glows, 365
And to kind mixture tawny luftre owes ;
All-chearing green, that gives the fpring its dye;
The bright, transparent blue, that robes the sky;
And indico, which fhaded light displays;
And violet, which in the view decays.
Parental hues, whence others all proceed;
An ever-mingling, changeful, countless breed;
Unravel'd, variegated, lines of light,
When blended, dazzling in promifcuous white.
Oft through these bows departed fpirits range,
New to the skies, admiring at their change;
F 2
Each mind a void, as when first born to earth,
Behold a fecond blank in fecond birth;
Then, as yon feraph-bard fram'd hearts below,
Each fees him here tranfcendent knowledge show, 380
New faints he tutors into truth refin'd,
And tunes to rapturous love the new-form'd mind.
He fwells the lyre, whofe loud, melodious lays
Call high Hofannas from the voice of praise;
Though one bad age fuch poefy could wrong,
Now worlds around retentive roll the fong:
Now God's high throne the full-voic'd raptures gain,
Celestial hosts returning strain for strain.
Thus he, who once knew want without relief, Sees joys refulting from well-fuffering grief. Hark! while we talk, a diftant pattering rain Refounds!-See! up the broad ætherial plain Shoots the bright bow!-The seraph flits away; The Mufe, the Graces from our view decay. Behind yon western hill the globe of light Drops fudden; fast-pursued by shades of night. Yon graves from winter-fcenes to mind recall Rebellion's council, and rebellion's fall. What fiends in fulphurous, car-like clouds up-flew ! What midnight treafon glar'd beneath their view! 400 And now the traitors rear their Babel-fchemes, Big, and more big, ftupendous mischief feems; But Juftice, rouz'd, fuperior ftrength employs, Their fcheme wide flatters, and their hope destroys. Difcord the wills; the miffile ruin flies; Sudden, unnatural debates arise,
Doubt, mutual jealousy, and dumb disguft,
Dark-hinted mutterings, and avow'd distrust;
To fecret ferment is each heart refign'd;
Sufpicion hovers in each clouded mind;
They jar, accus'd accuse, revil'd revile,
And wrath to wrath oppofe, and guile to guile;
Wrangling they part, themselves themselves betray;
Each dire device starts naked into day;
They feel confufion in the van with fear
They feel the king of terrors in the rear.
Of these were three by different motives fired,
Ambition one, and one Revenge inspired.
The third, O Mammon, was thy meaner flave;
Thou idol feldom of the great and brave!
Florio, whofe life was one continued feast,
His wealth diminish'd, and his debts increas'd,
Vain pomp, and equipage, his low defires,
Who ne'er to intellectual bliss aspires ;
He, to repair by vice what vice has broke,
Durft with bold treafons judgment's rod provoke.
His ftrength of mind, by luxury half diffolv'd,
Ill brooks the woe, where deep he ftands involv'd.
He weeps, ftamps wild, and to and fro now flies;
Now wrings his hands, and fends unmanly cries, 430
Arraigns his judge, affirms unjust he bleeds,
And now recants, and now for mercy pleads;
Now blames affociates, raves with inward ftrife,
Upbraids himself; then thinks alone on life.
He rolls red fwelling, tearful eyes around,
Sore Imites his breaft, and finks upon the ground.
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