And, through the cloister's deep recess, In vain, through beauty, fortune, wit, It dwells not in the faithless smile 9 Howe'er our varying notions rove, To place its being in some state, 12 To temper'd wishes, just desires, And deaf to folly's call, attends SECTION VIII. The Fire-Side. DEAR Chloe, while the busy crowd, Tho' singularity and pride Be call'd our choice, we'll step aside, 2 From the gay world, we'll oft retire Where love our hours employs; Ine world has nothing to bestow; From our own selves our joys must flow, And that dear hut, our home. 4 Of rest was Noah's dove bereft, When with impatient wing she left That safe retreat, the ark; 5 Tho' fools spurn Hymen's gentle pow'rs, 6 Our babes shall richest comfort bring; We'll form their minds, with studious care, And train them for the skies. They'll grow in virtue ev'ry day, And recompense our cares. 8 No borrow'd joys! they're all cur own, Monarchs! we envy not your state ; 9 Our portion is not large indeed! In this the art of living lies, To want no more than may suffice, 10 We'll therefore relish, with content, 11 To be resign'd when ills betide, And pleas'd with favours giv'n: Whose fragrance smells to heav'n. 13 Thus, hand in hand, thro' life we'll go ; And mingle with the dead. 14 While conscience, like a faithful friend And smooth the bed of death.--COTTON SECTION IX. Providence Vindicated in the present state of Man. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, And now a bubble burst, and now a world. 3 Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions soar; Hope springs eternal in the human breast: He asks no angel's wing, no seraph's fire; Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense, Aspiring to be angels, men rebel: And who but wishes to invert the laws Of ORDER, sins against th' ETERNAL CAUSE.-POPR SECTION X. Selfishness Reproved. HAS God, thou fool! work'd solely for thy good, 'Thy joy, thy pastime, thy attire, thy food? Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn, For him as kindly spreads the flow'ry lawn. Is it for thee the lark ascends and sings? Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings. Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat ? Loves of his own, and raptures swell the note. 2 The bounding steed you pompously bestride, Shares with his lord the pleasure and the pride Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain? The birds of heav'n shall vindicate their grain. Thine the full harvest of the golden year? Part pays, and justly, the deserving steer. The hog that ploughs not, nor obeys thy call, Lives on the labours of this lord of all. 3 Know, nature's children all divide her care; The fur that warms a inonarch, warm'd a bear. While man exclaims, "See all things for my use!" "Set man for mine!" replies a pamper'd goose. And just as short of reason he must fall, Who things all made for one, not one for all Grant that the pow'rful still the weak control Be man the wit and tyrant of the whole : Nature that tyrant checks; he only knows, And helps another creature's wants and woes. Say, will the falcon, stooping from above, Smit with her varying plumage, spare the dove. Admires the jay the insect's gilded wings? Or hears the hawk when Philomela sings? 5 Man cares for all: to birds he gives his woods, To beasts his pastures, and to fish his floods; For some his int'rest prompts him to provide, For more his pleasures, yet for more his pride. All feed on one vain patron, and enjoy Th' extensive blessing of his luxury. That very life his learned hunger craves, He saves from famine, from the savage saves ; Nay, feasts the animal he dooms his feast; And, till he ends the being, makes it blest : Which sees no more the stroke, nor feels the pain, Than favour'd man by touch ethereal slain. The creature had his feast of life before; Thou too must perish, when thy feast is o'er!-OPE SECTION XI. Human Frailty. WEAK and irresolute is man; The purpose of to-day, To-morrow rends away. 2 The bow well bent, and smart the spring, But passion rudely snaps the string, And it revives again. 8 Some foe to his upright intent, Finds out his weaker part; |