He spells them true by intuition's light,
And needs no glossary to set him right.

This truth premised was needful as a text,
To win due credence to what follows next.

Awhile they mused ; surveying every face, Thou hadft supposed them of superior race; Their periwigs of wool, and fears combined, Stamped on each countenance such marks of mind, That sage they seemed, as lawyers o'er a doubt, Which, puzzling long, at last they puzzle out; Or academic tutors, teaching youths, Sure ne'er to want them, mathematic truths; When thus a mutton, statelier than the reft, A ram, the ewes and wethers fad, addressed.

Friends! we have lived too long. I never heard Sounds such as these, so worthy to be feared. Could I believe that winds for ages pent In earth's dark womb have found at last a vent, And from their prison-house below arise, With all these hideous howlings to the skies, I could be much composed, nor should appear For such a cause to feel the slightest fear. Yourselves have seen, what time the thunders rolled All night, we refting quiet in the fold. Or heard we that tremendous bray alone,

could expound the melancholy tone;

Should deem it by our old companion made,
The ass; for he, we know, has lately ftrayed,
And being loft perhaps, and wandering wide,
Might be supposed to clamour for a guide.
But ah! those dreadful yells what soul can hear,
That owns a carcase, and not quake for fear?
Dæmons produce them doubtless, brazen-clawed
And fanged with brass the dæmons are abroad;
I hold it therefore wiseft and most fit,
That life to save, we leap into the pit.

Him answered then his loving mate and true,
But more discreet than he, a Cambrian ewe.

How ? leap into the pit our life to save ? To save our life leap all into the grave ? For can we find it less ? Contemplate first The depth how awful! falling there, we burst: Or should the brambles, interposed, our fall In part abate, that happiness were small; . For with a race like theirs no chance I see Of peace or ease to creatures clad as we. Meantime, noise kills not. Be it Dapple's bray, Or be it not, or be it whose it may, And rush those other sounds, that seem by tongues Of dæmons uttered, from whatever lungs, Sounds are but sounds, and till the cause appear We have at least commodious standing here.

Come fiend, come fury, giant, monfter, blaft
From earth or hell, we can but plunge at laft.

While thus the spake, I fainter heard the peals,
For Reynard, close attended at his heels
By panting dog, tired man, and spattered horse,
Through mere good fortune, took a different course.
The flock grew calm again, and I, the road
Following, that led me to my own abode,
Much wondered that the filly sheep had found
Such cause of terror in an empty sound
So sweet to huntsman, gentleman, and hound.

}

MORAL,

Beware of desperate fteps. The darkest day,
Live till to-morrow, will have passed away.

I. When the British warrior queen,

Bleeding from the Roman rods, Sought, with an indignant mien, Counsel of her country's gods,

II. Sage beneath the spreading oak

Sat the Druid, hoary chief; Every burning word he spoke Full of rage, and full of grief.

III. Princess! if our aged eyes

Weep upon thy matchless wrongs,
"Tis because resentment ties
All the terrors of our tongues.

IV.
Rome Tall perish--write that word

In the blood that she has fpilt ;
Perish, hopeless and abhorred,

Deep in ruin as in guilt,

V. Rome, for empire far renowned,

Tramples on a thousand states; Soon her pride shall kiss the ground Hark! the Gaul is at her gates!

VI. Other Romans Thall arise,

Heedless of a soldier's name; Sounds, not arms shall win the prize, Harmony the path to fame.

VII. Then the progeny that springs

From the forests of our land, Armed with thunder, clad with wings, Shall a wider world command.

VIII. Regions Cæfar never knew

Thy pofterity shall sway; Where his eagles never flew, None invincible as they.

IX. Such the bard's prophetic words,

Pregnant with celeftial fire, Bending as he swept the chords

Of his sweet but awful lyre.