From lumin'd Windows glancing on the Eye,
Around, athwart, the frisking Shadows fly.
There Midnight Riot spreads illufive Joys,
And Fortune, Health, and dearer Time destroys.
Soon Death's dark Agent, to luxuriant Ease,
Shall wake sharp Warnings in fome fierce Disease.
O Man! thy Fabrick's like a well-form'd State ; Thy Thoughts, first-rank'd, were fure defign'd the Great! Paffions Plebeians are, which Faction raise;
Wine, like pour'd Oil, excites the raging Blaze:
Then giddy Anarchy's rude Triumphs rise:
Then fov'reign Reason from her Empire flies:
That Ruler once depos'd, Wisdom and Wit,
To Noife and Folly, Place and Pow'r, fubmit;
Like a frail Bark thy weaken'd Mind is toft,
Unfteer'd, unbalanc'd, 'till its Wealth is lost.
The Mifer-pirit eyes the spend-thrift Heir,
And mourns, too late, Effects of fordid Care.
His Treasures fly to cloy each fawning Slave;
Yet grudge a Stone, to dignify his Grave.
For this, low-thoughted Craft his Life employ'd!
For this, tho' wealthy, he no Wealth enjoy'd;
For this, he grip'd the Poor, and Alms denied,
Unfriended liv'd, and unlamented died.
Yet fmile, griev'd Shade! when that unprofp'rous Store
Faft-leffens, when gay
Hours return no more;
Smile at thy Heir, beholding, in his Fall,
Men once oblig'd, like Him, ungrateful All!
Then Thought-inspiring Woe his Heart shall mend,
And prove his only wife, unflatt'ring Friend.
Folly exhibits thus unmanly Sport,
While plotting Mischief keeps referv'd her Court.
Lo! from that Mount, in blafting Sulphur broke,
Stream Flames voluminous, enwrap'd with Smoke!
In Chariot-shape they whirl up yonder Tow'r,
Lean on its Brow, and like Deftruction lour!
From the black Depth a fiery Legion fprings;
Each bold, bad Spectre claps her founding Wings :
And straight beneath a fummon'd, trait'rous Band,
On Horror bent, in dark Convention stand:
From each Fiend's Mouth a ruddy Vapour flows,
Glides thro' the Roof, and o'er the Council glows:
'The Villains, close beneath th Infection pent,
Feel, all-poffefs'd, their rifing Galls ferment;
And burn with Faction, Hate, and vengeful Ire,
For Rapine, Blood, and Devastation dire!
But Juftice marks their Ways: She waves, in Air,
The Sword, high-threat'ning, like a Comet's Glare.
While here dark Villany her felf deceives,
There ftudious Honefty our View relieves."
A feeble Taper, from yon lonefome Room,
Scatt'ring thin Rays, juft glimmers thro' the Gloom.
There fits the fapient BARD in museful Mood,
And glows impaffion'd for his Country's Good!
All the bright Spirits of the Juft, combin'd,
Inform, refine, and prompt his tow'ring Mind!
He takes the gifted Quill from Hands divine,
Around his Temples Rays refulgent shine!
Now rapt! now more than Man!-I see him climb,
To view this Speck of Earth from Worlds fublime!
I fee him now o'er Nature's Works prefide!
How clear the Vifion! and the Scene how wide!
Let fome a Name by Adulation raise,
Or Scandal, meaner than a venal Praife!
My Muse (he cries) a nobler Profpect view!
Thro' Fancy's Wilds fome Moral's Point purfue!
From dark Deception clear-drawn Truth display,
As from black Chaos rofe refplendent Day!
Awake Compaffion, and bid Terror rise!
Bid humble Sorrows ftrike fuperior Eyes!
So pamper'd Pow'r, unconfcious of Distress,
May fee, be mov'd, and, being mov'd, redress.
Ye Traytors, Tyrants, fear his ftinging Lay!"
Ye Pow'rs unlov'd, unpitied in Decay !on
But know, to you sweet-bloffom'd Fame he brings,
Ye Heroes, Patriots, and paternal Kings!
O Thou, who form'd, who rais'd the Poet's Art,
(Voice of thy Will!) unerring Force impart!
If wailing Worth can gen'rous Warmth excite,
If Verfe can gild Inftruction with Delight,
Inspire his honest Muse with orient Flame,
To rife, to dare, to reach the noblest Aim!
But, O my Friend! myfterious is our Fate!
How mean his Fortune, tho' his Mind elate!
Eneas-like he paffes thro' the Crowd,
Unfought, unfeen beneath Misfortune's Cloud;
Or feen with flight Regard: Unprais'd his Name ::
His after-Honour, and our after-Shame.
The doom'd Defert to Avrice stands confefs'd;
Her Eyes averted are, and steel'd her Breast.
Envy afquint the future Wonder eyes:
Bold Infult, pointing, hoots him as he flies;
While coward Cenfure, fkill'd in darker Ways,
Hints fure Detraction in diffembled Praife!
Hunger, Thirst, Nakedness, there grievous fall! :
Unjust Derifion too!-that Tongue of Gall!
Slow comes Relief, with no mild Charms endued,
Ufher'd by Pride, and by Reproach pursued.
Ford'd Pity meets him with a cold Respect,
Unkind as Scorn, ungen'rous as Neglect.
Yet, fuff'ring Worth! thy Fortitude will shine!' Thy Foes are Virtue's, and her Friends are thine! Fatience is thine, and Peace thy Days shall crown; Thy Treasure Prudence, and thy Claim Renown: Myriads, unborn, fhall mourn thy hapless Fate, And Myriads grow, by thy Example, Great!
"Hark! from the Watch-Tow'r rolls the Trumpet's
Sweet thro' ftill Night, proclaiming Safety round!
Yon Shade illustrious quits the Realms of Reft,
To aid fome Orphan of its Race diftreft,
Safe winds him thro' the fubterraneous Way,
That mines yon Manfion, grown with Ruin grey,
And marks the wealthy, unsuspected Ground,
Where, green with Ruft, long-buried Coins abound.
This plaintive Ghost, from Earth when newly fled,
Saw thofe, the Living trufted, wrong the Dead;
He faw, by Fraud abus'd, the lifeless Hand
Sign the falfe Deed, that alienates his Land;
Heard, on his Fame, injurious Cenfure thrown,
And mourn'd the beggar'd Orphan's bitter Groan.
Commiffion'd now the Falfhood he reveals,
To Justice foon th'enabled Heir appeals;
Soon, by this Wealth, are coftly Pleas maintain❜d,
And, by difcover'd Truth, loft Right regain'd.
But why (may fome enquire) why kind Success,
Since myftic Heav'n gives Mis'ry oft to bless?
Tho' Mis'ry leads to Happiness, and Truth,
Unequal to the Load, this languid Youth.
Unftrengthen'd Virtue fcarce his Bofom fir'd,
And fearful from his growing Wants retir'd.
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