kind in you, and I thank you for it. I have read Dr. Clarke, and many others, the Theological Repofitory, Priestley, Graham, Lindsay, &c. and have ferioufly confidered what they argue against our Saviour; but I ftill firmly believe that Jefus is very God of very God, is my God as much as the Father, and I adore Him and pray to Him as fuch. I believe that He, as God, in his divine nature, took upon him human nature, that is, the foul and body of man. I believe that the Godhead was fully and wholly in his humanity, and that the Father, whom none hath seen or can fee in his own person, became vifible in Jefus. And therefore that whoever fimply beholds Jefus as his Lord and his God, need (in order to his peace) look no farther, nor puzzle himfelf in the difputes of men concerning their Maker.

I do not boast that I have efcaped the Arian or Socinian pollutions of my felf. I do not pretend that I am a match for the fubtilty of thofe men, unaffifted. If I have difcerned the truth from falfehood, it was not by my own light. I always beg understanding of the Spirit of the Holy One. I pray that He may lead me into all truth. I know I need not afk your prayers for me to the fame end. And it is the leaft return I can make for your love, in endeavouring to be a worker together with him for my good, to pray that he may always abide with you, and work all your works by you then you will not be ashamed, when you are reviled, even as your Master was before you, nor will your labours be in vain in the Lord; but rather be a more abundant means of advancing his glory on earth, and of promoting, fill more effectually, the prefent and eternal welfare of your fellow

creatures.

I remain, Rev. and dear Sir, your much obliged and very refpectful, bumble Servant,

J. H-SON.

POETRY.

This Satyr had its original from one of Plato's Dialogues, called the Second Alcibiades. Our author takes his rife from the birthday of his friend; on which occafion many prayers were made, and facrifices offered. Perfius first commending the purity of his friends, bows, then defcends to the impious and immoral requests of others.

ET this aufpicious morning be exprest,

LE

With a white fione, diftinguished from the reft:
White as thy fame, and as thy honour clear;
And let new joys attend on thy new added year.
Pray; for thy prayers the teft of heaven will bear;
Nor needeft thou take the gods afide to hear:
While others, e'en the mighty men of Rome,
Big fwelled with mifchief, to the temples come,
And in low murmurs, and with coftly smoke,
Heaven's help, to prosper their black vows, invoke.
So boldly to the gods mankind reveal

What from each other they, for shame, conceal.
"Give me good fame, ye powers, and make me just ;”
Thus much the rogues to public ears will truft:

* White fione.] The Romans were used to mark their fortunate days, et any thing that luckily befel them, with a white flone which they had from the Island Crota; and their unfortunate days with a Coal.

In private:-"When wilt thou Mighty Jove,
My wealthy Uncle from this world remove ?"
Or-"O thou Thunderers fon, Great + Hercules,
That once thy bounteous Deity could please
To guide my rake, upon the chinking found
Of fome vaft treafure, hidden under ground!"
"This is my neighbour Norius' his third spouse,
Of whom in happy time he rids his house.
But my eternal Wife!-Grant heaven I may
Survive to fee the fellow of this day!"
Thus that thou mayeft the better bring about
Thy wishes, thou art wickedly devout:
But prythee tell me ('tis a small request)
With what ill thoughts of Jove art thou possest?
Wouldst thou prefer him to fome man? Suppose
I dipped among the worft, and Statius chofe ?
Which of the two would thy wife head declare
The truflier tutor to an orphan heir?
Or put it thus:-Unfold to Statius, ftrait
What to Jove's ear thou didst impart of late:
He'll ftare, and O good Jupiter! will cry,
Canft thou indulge him in this villany!
And thinkeft Jove himself with patience then
Can hear a prayer condemned by wicked men?
That, void of care, he lolls fupine in state,
And leaves his business to be done by fate?
Because his thunder fplits fome sturdy tree,
And is not darted at thy house and thee?
What well-fed offering to appease the god
What powerful prefent to procure a nod,

Haft thou in ftore? What bribe haft thou prepared;
To pull him, thus unpunifhéd, by the beard?

+ Hercules was thought to have the power of bestowing all hidden treasure.

VOL. X.

4 M

Should

Should I prefent thee with rare-figured plate,
Or gold as rich in workmanship as weight;
O how thy rifing heart would throb and beat,
And thy left fide with trembling pleasure sweat!
Thou measureft by thyself the powers divine;
Thy gods are burnished, guilded is their fhrine.
O fouls, in whom no heavenly fire is found,
Fat minds, and ever groveling on the ground!
We bring our manners to the bleft abodes,
And think what pleases us, must please the gods.
Of oil and caffia one the ingredients takes,
And of the mixture, a rich ointment makes :
Another finds a way to dye in grain;

And makes Calabrian wool receive the Tyrian train;
Or from the fhells their orient treasure takes,
Or, for the golden ore, in rivers rakes.

Tell me, vain man! if I may be so bold,
What are the gods the better for this gold?

The wretch that offers from his wealthy flore
Thefe prefents, bribes the Powers to give him more.

But let us all for heaven a gift prepare,

Which the great man's great charges cannot bear :

A foul, where laws both human and divine,

In practice more than fpeculation fhine:
A genuine virtue, of a vigorous kind,
Fixt in the laft recelles of the mind:
When with fuch offerings to the gods I come;
A Cake thus given, is worth a Hecatomb.

Thus far Heathenifm could go: "Be truly righteous, a thou shalt be accepted of God." But how wide is even this ja Unto him that believeth, his Faith is counted for Righte nefs?

Infcribed to the Memory of the Hon. Col. G. VILLIERS,

Drowned in the River Piava, in the Country of Friuli, 1703,

In Imitation of Horace. Ode 28. Lib. 1.

AY, dearest Villiers, poor departed friend,

SAY,

(Since fleeting life thus fuddenly must end,)
Say, what did all thy bufy hopes avail,

That anxious thou, from pole to pole didft fail;
Eer on thy chin the springing beard began,
To spread a doubtful down, and promife man?
What profited thy thoughts, and toils, and cares,
In vigour more confirmed and riper years?
To wake e'er morning-dawn to loud alarms,
And march till clofe of night in heavy arms;
To fcorn the fummer funs and winter fnows,
And fearch through every clime thy country's foes!
That thou mightéft Fortune to thy fide engage;

That gentle peace might quell Bellona's rage:
And Anna's bounty crown her foldier's hoary age?

In vain we think that free-willed man has power,
To haften or protract thẻ appointed hour.
Our term of life depends not on our deed :
Before our birth our funéral was decreed.*

Nor awed by Forefight, nor mifled by Chance,

Imperious death directs his Ebon Lance;

People's great Henry's tomb, and leads up Holben's dance.

Alike muft every ftate, and every age,

Suftain the univerfal tyrant's rage:

For neither William's power, nor Mary's charms,
Could or repel, or pacify his arms.

Not fo; for the wicked do not (always) live out half their days.