From hence, as from a hill, I view below the crowded world, a mighty wood in show, where several wanderers travel day and night, by different paths, and none are in the right.

CORINNA.

Corinna, in the bloom of youth
was coy to every lover,
regardless of the tenderest truth,

no soft complaint could move her.
Mankind was her's, all at her feet
lay prostrate and adoring;
the witty, handsome, rich and great,
in vain alike imploring.

But now grown old, she would repair
her loss of time, and pleasure;
with willing eyes, and wanton air,
inviting every gazer.

But love's a summer flower, that dies
with the first weather's changing,

the lover, like the swallow, flies

from sun to sun still ranging.

Myra, let this example move
your foolish heart to reason;
youth is the proper time for love,
and age is virtue's season.

MEDITATION ON DEATH.

Enough, enough, my soul, of worldly noise, of aëry pomps, and fleeting joys; what does this busy world provide at best,

but brittle goods that break like glass, but poison'd sweets, a troubled feast,

and pleasures like the winds, that in a moment pass? thy thoughts to nobler meditations give,

and study how to die, not how to live.

How frail is beauty? Ah! how vain, and how short-liv'd those glories are, that vex our nights and days with pain, and break our hearts with care!

in dust we no distinction see,

such Helen is, such, Myra, thou must be.

How short is life? why will vain courtiers toil, and crowd a vainer monarch, for a smile? what is that monarch, but a mortal man, his crown a pageant, and his life a span ? with all his guards and his dominions, he must sicken too, and die as well as we. Those boasted names of conquerors and kings, are swallow'd, and become forgotten things: one destin'd period men in common have, the great, the base, the coward, and the brave, all food alike for worms, companions in the grave. The prince and parasite together lie,

no fortune can exalt, but death will climb as high.

TO MYRA.

Since truth and constancy are vain,
since neither love nor sense of pain,
nor force of reason can persuade,
then let example be obey'd.

In courts and cities, could you see
how well the wanton fools agree;

were all the curtains drawn, not one, perhaps, but who is Minerva, naked from abo with Venus and the wife of exposing ev'ry beauty bare descending to the Trojan h yet this was she whom poe goddess of chastity and far Penelope, her lord away gave am'rous audiences al now round the bowl the s with wine, provoking mir then down they take the their strength, it seems, Thus twenty cheerful wi she's yet immortaliz'd f Smile Myra, then, re and be as much secure by all those matchless by my own matchless so will I sing, such w that when th' astonis a nymph of spotless Myra shall be th' im