ODE III. ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF ETON COLLEGE. E diftant Spires! ye antique Tow'rs! YE That crown the watry glade Where grateful Science ftill adores And ye that from the stately brow Of Windfor's heights th' expanfe below Of grove, of lawn, of mead, furvey, Whose turf, whofe fhade, whofe flow'rs, among Wanders the hoary Thames along His filver-winding way: Ah happy hills! ah pleasing shade! Ah fields belov'd in vain! Where once my careless childhood stray'd, A ftranger yet to pain! I feel the gales that from ye A momentary blifs beftow, blow As waving fresh their gladsome wing Say, father Thames! for thou haft feen Full many a sprightly race, Difporting on thy margent green, The paths of pleasure trace, King Henry VI. founder of the College. Dryden's Fable on the Pythag. Syftem. Who foremost now delight to cleave With pliant arm thy glassy wave? The captive linnet which enthral ? 25 To chafe the rolling circle's speed, Or urge the flying ball? 30 While fome, on earnest bus'nefs bent, Their murm'ring labours ply 'Gainft graver hours, that bring constraint, 35 To fweeten liberty; Some bold adventurers difdain The limits of their little reign, Gay hope is theirs, by fancy fed, Alas! regardless of their doom, No fenfe have they of ills to come, Yet fee how all around 'em wait The minifters of human fate, And black Misfortune's baleful train! Ah! fhew them where in ambush stand, Thefe fhall the fury Paffions tear, Disdainful Anger, pallid Fear, 55 60 And Shame that fculks behind; And hard Unkindness' alter'd eye, Lo! in the vale of years beneath A grifly troop are seen, * And Madness laughing in his ireful mood. 80 Dryden's Fable of Palamon and Arcite, This racks the joints, this fires the veins, That ev'ry lab'ring finew strains, 85 Those in the deeper vitals rage; Yet ah! why fhould they know their fate, 95 And happiness too swiftly flies? ODE IV. TO ADVERSITY. DAUGHTER of Jove, relentless pow'r, Thou tamer of the human breaft, Whofe iron fcourge and tort'ring hour The bad affright, afflict the best! Bound in thy adamantine chain, The proud are taught to tafte of pain, And purple tyrants vainly groan With pangs unfelt before, unpity'd and alone. 100 When firft thy fire to fend on earth 15 And from her own fhe learn'd to melt at others' wo. Scar'd at thy frown terrific fly Self-pleafing Folly's idle brood, Wild Laughter, Noife, and thoughtless Joy, And leave us leifure to be good. 20 Light they difperfe; and with them go The fummer friend, the flatt'ring foe; By vain Profperity receiv'd, To her they vow their truth, and are again believ’d. Wisdom, in fable garb array'd, 25 Immers d in rapt'rous thought profound, And Melancholy, filent maid, With leaden eye, that loves the ground, Still on thy folemn steps attend; Warm Charity, the gen❜ral friend, With Juftice, to herself fevere, And Pity, dropping foft the fadly-pleafing tear. Oh! gently on thy fuppliant's head, Dread goddefs! lay thy chaft'ning hand, Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad, Nor circled with the vengeful band: (As by the impious thou art seen,) With thund'ring voice and threat'ning mien, 30 35 |