Since ftill to me extend your gen'rous cares, My study, health, employment, and affairs

There ever in the fame dull channel flow,
A lazy current, uniformly flow.

Thus ftill from hour to hour, from day to day, 35
Life's glimm'ring taper languishes away;
A doubtful flame, a dim portentous light,
That wastes, and fickens into endless night.

The modes of drefs, the Sophist's keen debate, The various politics of church or state,

A foul like yours will think but trivial news,
Beneath the care of friendship, and the mufe.

In vain I urge dull thought from line to line,
Fancy grows reftive to the fond defign:
Here let the muse her weary pinions rest.
Be ever kind, and Oh! be ever blest.

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45

I

To Mifs A. H. on her Marriage.

Hate the stiff addrefs, the studied phrafe

Of formal compliment, and empty praise, « Where fancy labours to express the heart With all the paint, and impotence of art:

But when with merit friendship's charms confpire 5 To bid my hand refume the votive lyre,

Once more my veins their former raptures know, And all the mufes in my bofom glow.

10

O thou! whofe foul with ev'ry sweetness crown'd, Diffuses light and life, and pleasure round; Whose heart with ev'ry tender fense endow'd, Glows, like creative love, ferenely good; Whose easy manners at one view display

Fancy's quick flash, and reafon's steady ray;

While each internal charm, with fweet furprise, 15 Beams thro' thy form, and lights thy radiant eyes:

Blefs'd

Blefs'd with those joys, may all thy moments flow, Which confcious virtue only can bestow:.

20

That foft, eternal funshine of the mind,
Sweet as thy charms, and as thy foul refin'ḍ.
May heav'n protect thee with a father's care,
And make thee happy, as it made thee fair.
O may the man now facred to thy choice,
With all his foul the real bleffing prize;
One common end o'er all your views prefide, 25
One wish impel you, and one purpose guide;
Be all your days aufpicious, calm, and bright,
One scene of tender, pure, unmix'd delight,
Till time and fate exhaust their endless store,
And Heaven alone can make your pleasure more. 30

***** ***** *********

To the Reverend Mr. JAMESON.

HY mourns my friend, what cause shall I affign?

WHY

Why fmarts that tender, honeft foul of thine? What ftar, a foe to all that's good and great, Dares, with malignant influence, dafh thy fate?

5

15

Why shrinks my heart with fears not understood? What strange portentous sadness chills my blood? O! breathe thy latent forrows in mine ear, And prompt the ftarting fympathetic tear. As tender mothers, with affiduous view, Their infant offspring's wand'ring steps pursue, 10 As, wing'd from heav'n, celestial guardians wait To fnatch their fav'rite charge from instant fate, Friendship thy close attendant shall remain, Prepar'd to foften, or partake thy pain: Whether thy form, to pale disease a prey, Beneath its preffure pants the tedious day; Or if fome tender grief diffolves thy mind, Each with extinguish'd, and each hope refign'd For thee my fpirits shall more languid flow; For thee the flame of life fufpend its glow; For thee this heart with forrows new shall groan, And add thy part of anguish to its own. Whatever scenes thy penfive walk invite, Thither thy friend shall bend his speedy flight. Say, fhall our focial steps together ftray

Thro' groves that glimmer with a twilight ray?

20

25

Or

Or through fome boundless folitary plain,
Where melancholy holds her penfive reign?
Say, through embow'ring myrtles shall we rove
Bedew'd with recent tears by hopeless love?
Or, where neglected worth, from men retir'd,
In uncomplaining agony expir'd;

There in the filent cyprefs fhade reclin'd,
Let each in each a faithful fuff'rer find;

ས་

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There let our mingling plaints to heaven afcend; 35
There let our eyes their ceaseless currents blend:
Our mingling plaints shall stop the paffing gale,
And each enamour'd echo figh the tale.

For whilft I fpeak, ev'n in this mortal hour,
Perhaps relentless death exerts its pow'r,
Perhaps the shaft already wings its way

Too furely aim'd, and * Barnet falls its prey.
Him nature, with no common care, defign'd,
His form embellish'd, and his foul refin'd;

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* Mr. Barnet, an Englishman, a dear and intimate friend of our poet. He was a student of phyfic in the University of Edinburgh; and at the time the above epiftle was written, lay dangeroufly ill of a fever, of which he died a few days after; in the bloom of youth; much lamented by all who knew him, but particularly by Mr. Blacklock; who fcarce ever mentions his name without a téar.