ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1790. "Ne commonentem recta sperne." BUCHANAN. Despise not my good counsel. He who sits from day to day, Where the prison'd lark is hung, Heedless of his loudest lay, Hardly knows that he has sung. Where the watchman, in his round, So your verse-man I, and clerk, Duly at my time I come, Publishing to all aloud Soon the grave must be your home, But the monitory strain, Oft repeated in your ears, Seems to sound too much in vain, Wins no notice, wakes no fears. Can a truth by all confess'd Of such magnitude and weight, Grow, by being oft impress'd, Trivial as a parrot's prate? Pleasure's call attention wins, Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell, O then, ere the turf or tomb Spirit of instruction come, Make us learn that we must die. ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1792. "Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas, Happy the mortal, who has traced effects VIRGIL. THANKLESS for favours from on high, But he, not wise enough to scan To ages, if he might. To ages, in a world of pain, To ages, where he goes Gall'd by Affliction's heavy chain, And hopeless of repose. Strange fondness of the human heart, Enamour'd of its harm! Strange world, that cost it so much smart, And still has power to charm. Whence has the World her magic power? Why deem we Death a foe? Recoil from weary life's best hour, And covet longer woe? The cause is Conscience-Conscience oft Her tale of guilt renews: Then, anxious to be longer spared, 'Tis judgment shakes him; there's the fear Pay!-follow Christ, and all is paid; ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1793. "De sacris autem hæc sit una sententia, ut conserventur." CIC. DE LEG. But let us all concur in this one sentiment, that things sacred be inviolate. He lives, who lives to God alone, For other source than God is none, To live to God is to requite His love as best we may; But life, within a narrow ring Is falsely named, and no such thing, Can life in them deserve the name, Who only live to prove For what poor toys they can disclaim |