365

The centre mov'd, a circle strait succeeds,
Another still, and still another spreads;
Friend, parent, neighbour, first it will embrace;
His country next; and next all human race ;
Wide and more wide, th'o'erflowings of the mind
Take ev'ry creature in, of ev'ry kind;
Earth smiles around, with boundless bounty blest,
And Heav'n beholds its image in his breaft.

370

Come then, my Friend! my Genius! come along;

Oh master of the poet, and the fong!

VARIATIONS.

374

VER. 373. Come then, my friend! &c.] in the MS. thus,

And now transported o'er so vast a Plain,

While the wing'd courser flies with all her rein,

NOTES.

five Species of Elocution, from which, as from its Sources, Longinus deduceth the SUBLIMEа

VER. 373. Come then, my Friend! &c.] This noble Apostrophe, by which the Poet concludes the Essay in an address to his friend, will furnish a Critic with Examples of every one of those | Conception :

And while the Muse now stoops, or now afcends, To Man's low paffions, or their glorious ends,

VARIATIONS.

While heav'n-ward now her mounting wing she feels,
Now scatter'd fools fly trembling from her heels,
Wilt thou, my St John! keep her course in fight,
Confine her fury and assist her flight?

NOTES.

Come then, my Friend! my Genius! come along,
O Master of the Poet, and the Song!

And while the Muse now ftoops, and now afcends,

To Man's low passions, or their glorious ends,

2. The Second, that Pa

the same Time, melts and

thetic Enthusiasm, which, at

inflames:

Teach me, like thee, in various nature wife,
To fall with dignity, with temper rise,
Form'd by thy converse, happily to steer
From grave to gay, from lively to fevere;
Correct with spirit, eloquent with Eafe,
Intent to reason, or polite to please.

3. A certain elegant Formation and Ordonance of Figures:

O! while along the stream of Time thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame,
Say, shall my little bark attendant fail,
Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale!

4. A fplendid Diction :

When ftatefemen, heroes, kings, in dust repose,
Whose fons shall blush their fathers were thy foes,
Shall then this verse to future age pretend
Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend?

Teach me, like thee, in various nature wife,
To fall with dignity, with temper rife;
Form'd by thy converse, happily to steer
From grave to gay, from lively to fevere;
Correct with spirit, eloquent with ease,
Intent to reason, or polite to please.
Oh! while along the stream of Time thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame,

380

385

Say, shall my little bark attendant fail,
Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale?
When statesmen, heroes, kings, in dust repose,
Whose sons shall blush their fathers were thy foes,
Shall then this verse to future age pretend

Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend? 390
That urg'd by thee, I turn'd the tuneful art

From founds to things, from fancy to the heart ;

NOTES.

That, urg'd by thee, I turn'd the tuneful art,
From founds to things, from fancy to the heart;
For Wit's false mirror held up Nature's light;

5. And fifthly, which in

cludes in itself all the rest,

a Weight and Dignity in the Composition:

Shew'd erring Pride whatever is, is RIGHT;

That REASON, PASSION, answer one great AIM;
That true SELF-Love and SOCIAL are the SAME;
That VIRTUE only makes our Bliss below;

And all our Knowledge is OURSELVES TO KNOW?

G

For Wit's false mirror held up Nature's light; Shew'd erring Pride, WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT;

That REASON, PASSION, answer one great aim; 395 That true SELF-LOVE and SOCIAL are the same; That VIRTUE only makes our Bliss below;

And all our Knowledge is, OURSELVES TO KNOW.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 397. That Virtue only, &c.) in the MS. thus,

That just to find a God is all we can,
And all the Study of Mankind is Man.

THE

UNIVERSAL

PRAYER.

DEO OPT. ΜΑΧ.

G2