Earth's feeble race to act their Maker's part,"
Self judging, felf-obliged, white from before
That godlike function the gigantick pow'r
Neceffity, tho' wont to
the force
Of Chaos and the favage elements,
Retires abafh'd, as from a fcene too high i
For her brute tyranny, and with her bears
Her fcorn'd followers Terror and bafe Awe,"
Who blinds herself, and that ill-fuited pair,
Obedience link'd with Hatred. Then the foul
Arifes in her strength, and looking round
Her busy sphere, whatever work the views
Whatever counfel, bearing any trace
Of her Creator's likeners, whether apt
To aid her fellow's or preferve herself
In her fuperior functions unimpair'd,'
Thither fhe turns exulting; that the claims
As her peculiar good on that thro' all
The fickle seasons of the day the looks
With rev'rence ftill; to that as to a fence
Against affliction and the darts of pain
Her drooping hopes repair; and once oppos'd
To that all other pleasure, other wealth,
Vile as the drofs upon the molten gold
Appears, and loathfome as the briny fea
To him who languibes with thirst and fighs
For fome known fountain pure. For what can
With virtue? which of Nature's regions valt
Can in fo many forms produce to fight
Such pow'rful beauty beauty which the eye
Of Hatred cannot look upon fecure, ♪
Which Envy's felf contemplates, and is turn'd
Ere long to tenderness, to infant fmiles, 335
Or tears of humbleft love. Is aught so fair
In all the dewy landscapes of the fpring,
The fummer's noontide groves, the purple eve
At harvest-home, or in the frosty moon-
Glitt'ring on fome smooth fea, is aught so fair
As virtuous friend hip as the honour'd roof.
Whither from highest heav'n immortal Love
His torch ethereal and his golden bow
Propitious brings, and there a temple holds
To whofe unfpotted fervice gladly vow'd
The focial band of parent, brother, child,
With fmiles and fweet difcourfe and gentle deeds i
Adore his pow'r? What gift of richest climeni
E'er drew fuch eager eyes, or prompted fuch;
Deep wishes, as the zeal that fnatcheth back...
From Slander's pois'nous tooth a foe's renown, O
Or croffeth danger in his lion walk
A rival's life to refcue as the young
Athenian warrior fitting down in bonds
That his great father's body might not wants,
A peaceful, humble, tomb? the Roman wife :
Teaching her lørd how harmless was the wound
Of death, how impotent the tyrant's rage, col. Who nothing more could threaten to afflict
Their faithful love ? Or is there in th' abyfs, 36ä
Is there among the adamantine spheres
Wheeling unshaken thro' the boundless void
Aught that with half fuch majefty can fill
The human bofom as when Brutus rofe
Refulgent from the stroke of Cæfar's fate
Amid the crowd of patriots, and his arm
Aloft extending, like eternal Jove
When guilt brings down the thunder, call'd aloud
On Tully's name, and fhook the crimson fword
Of juftice in his rapt astonish'd eye,
And bad the father of his country Hail!
For lo the tyrant proftrate on the duft,
And Rome again is free? Thus thro' the paths
Of human life, in various pomp array'd,
Walks the wife daughter of the Judge of Heav'n, 375
Fair Virtue! from her Father's throne fupreme
Sent down to utter laws fuch as on earth
Moft apt he knew, most pow'rful, to promote
The weal of all his works, the gracious end
Of his dread empire. And tho' haply man's
Obfcurer fight fo far beyond himself
And the brief labours of his little home
Extends not, yet by the bright presence wond
Of this divine instructress, to her sway
Pleas'd he affents, nor heeds the distant goal
To which her voice conducts him. Thus hath God,
-Still looking tow'rd his own high purpose, fix'd-1)
The virtues of his creatures, thus he rules
The parent's fondness and the patriot's zeal,
Thus the warm fenfe of honour and of fhame, 390
The vows of gratitude, the faith of love,
And all the comely intercourse of praife,
The joy of human life, the earthly heav'n.
How far unlike them muft the lot of guilt Be found! or what terrestrial wo can matchThe self-convicted bofom which hath wrought The bane of others, or enflav'd itself With fhackles vile? Not poifon nor sharp fire, Nor the worst pangs that ever monkish hate Suggested, or defpotick Rage impos'd, ' Were at that feafon an unwish'd exchange, When the foul loathes herself, when flying thence To crowds on ev'ry brow fhe fee's portray'd
Fell demons, Hate or Scorn, which drive her back To folitude, her Judge's voice divine
To hear in fecret, haply founding thro
The troubled dreams of midnight, and still, still
Demanding for his violated laws
Fit recompenfe, or charging her own tongue
To speak th' award of justice on herself;
For well he knows what faithful hints within
Were whisper'd to beware the lying forms.
Which turn'd her footsteps from the fafer way,
What cautions to fufpect their painted dress,
And look with steady eyelid on their smiles,
Their frowns, their tears. in vain: the dazzling hues
Of Fancy and Opinion's tager voice
Too much prevail'd for mortals tread the pathr In which Opinion fays they follow good
Or fly from evil; and Opinion givesaro sd) I 1420 Report of good or evil as the scene
Was drawn by Fancy, pleasing or deformid; woll
Thus her report can never there be true to, barot số
Where fancy cheats the intellectual egevnna listed a
With glaring colours and distorted lines to erad 425
Is there a man to whom the name of death
Brings terror's ghastly pageants conjur’d up
Before him, deathbed groans and difmal vows,
And the frail foul plung'd headlong from the brink
Of life and daylight down the gloomy air
An unknown depth to gulfs of tort'ring fire
Unvisited by mercy ? then what hand
Can fnatch this dreamer from the fatal toils
Which Fancy and Opinion thus confpirent.ss.
To twine around his heart? or who shall hush 435
Their clamour when they tell him that to die,
To risk thofe horrors, is a diret curfe
Than bafeft life can bring Tho' Love with pray'rs Moft tender, with Affliction's facred tears,
Befcech his aid, tho' Gratitude and Eaith
Condemn each step, which loiters, yet let none
Make answer for him that if any frown
Of danger thwart his path he will not (tay
Content, and be a wretch, to be fecude.
Here vice begins then at the gate of life,
Ere the young multitude to diverfe roads
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