If not, why am I subject to

His cruelty or scorn ?
Or why has man the will and pow'r

To make his fellow mourn ?

X.

Yet, let not this too much, my son,

Disturb thy youthful breast :
This partial view of human-kind

Is surely not the last !
The poor, oppressed, honest man,

Had never, sure, been born,
Had there not been some recompense

To comfort those that mourn!

XI.

O death! the poor man's dearest friend,

The kindest and the best!
Welcome the hour my aged limbs

Are laid with thee at rest!
The great, the wealthy, fear thy blow,
From

pomp and pleasure torn; But, Oh! a blest relief to those

That weary-laden mourn!

A PRAYER PRAYER

IN THE

PROSPECT OF DEATH.

I.

От

Thou unknown, Almighty Cause

Of all my hope and fear!
In whose dread presence, ere an hour,

Perhaps I must appear !

II.

If I have wander'd in those paths

Of life I ought to shun;
As something, loudly, in my breast,

Remonstrates I have done;

III.

Thow know'st that Thou hast formed me

With passions wild and strong ; And list' ning to their witching voice

Has often led me wrong.

IV.

Where human weakness has come short,

Or frailty stept aside,
Do thou, All Good! for such thou art,

In shades of darkness hide.

V.

Where with intention I have err’d,

No other plea I have,
But, Thou art good; and goodness still

Delighteth to forgive.

STANZAS

Why am I loth to leave this earthly scene!

Have I so found it full of pleasing charms! Some drops of joy with draughts of ill between:

Some gleams of sunshine 'mid renewing

storms:

Is it departing pangs my soul alarms?

Or death's unlovely, dreary, dark abode! For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms;

I tremble to approach an angry God, And justly smart beneath his sin-avenging rod.

Fain would I say, · Forgive my foul offence!'

Fain promise never more to disobey; But, should

my

Author health again dispense,
Again I might desert fair virtue's way;

I
Again in folly's path might go astray;

Again exalt the brute and sink the man; Then how should I for heavenly mercy pray,

Who act so counter heavenly mercy's plan? Who sin so oft have mourn'd, yet to temptation

ran?

O Thou, great Governor of all below!
If I
may

dare a lifted eye to Thee,
Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow,

Or still the tumult of the raging sea ; With that controling pow'r assist ev'n me,

Those headlong furious passions to confine; For all unfit I feel my powers to be,

To rule their torrent in th' allowed line,
O, aid me with thy help, Omnipotence Divine !