T

Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains,
His loft dominions, and for her alone
Wept out his tender foul; fudden the heart
Of this young, conqu'ring, loving, godlike Roman,
Felt all the great divinity of virtue.

His wishing youth ftood check'd, his tempting power,
Restrain'd by kind humanity. At once

He for her parents and her lover call'd.
The various scene imagine. How his troops.

Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant ;
While, ftretch'd below, the trembling fuppliants lay,
Rack'd by a thoufand mingling paffions-fear,
Hope, jealoufy, difdain, fubmiffion, grief,
Anxiety, and love in every shape.

To these as different fentiments succeeded,
As mix'd emotions, when the man divine
Thus the dread filence to the lover broke.

"We both are young; both charm'd. The right of

66 war

"Has put thy beauteous mistress in my power;
"With whom, I could, in the most facred ties,
"Live out a happy life. But, know, that Romans,
"Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer.
"Then, take her to thy foul: and, with her, take
"Thy liberty and kingdom. In return,
"I ask but this-When you behold these eyes,
"Thefe charins with tranfport, be a friend to Rome."
Ecftatic wonder held the lovers mute;

While the loud camp, and all the cluft'ring croud
That hung around, rang with repeated fhouts.
Fame took the alarm, and through refounding Spain
Blew fast the fair report; which, more than arms,
Admiring nations to the Romans gain'd.

LLOT

LADY RANDOLPH'S SOLILO U Y.

YE

E woods and wilds! whofe melancholy gloom Accords with my foul's sadness, and draws forth The voice of forrow from my bursting heart-Farewell a while. I will not leave you long: For, in your fhades, I deem fome spirit dwells ; Who, from the chiding ftream, or groaning oak, Still hears, and answers to Matilda's moan. Oh, Douglas! Douglas! if departed ghosts Are e'er permitted to review this world, Within the circle of that wood thou art ; And, with the paffion of immortals, hear'st My lamentation: hear'ft thy wretched wife Weep, for her husband flain, her infant loft. My brother's timeless death I feem to mourn, Who perifhed with thee on this fatal day. To thee I lift my voice; to thee address The plaint, which mortal ear has never heard. Oh! difregard me not. Though I am call'd Another's now, my heart is wholly thine. Incapable of change, affe&ion lies Buried my Douglas, in thy bloody grave.

shit & ed

ན,ཉྙཱུ,

IV.

THE COUNTRYMAN AND JUPITER, ERSPENT with toil, beneath the shade, A peafant refted, on his fpade... "How hard," he cries, "it is to bear "This load of life from year to year!

Ο

"Soon

#

Soon as the morning ftreaks the skies, "Industrious labour bids me rise ; "With sweat I earn my homely fare, "And every day renews my care."

66

Jove heard the difcontented ftrain, And thus rebuk'd the murm'ring fwain. ́. Speak out your wants, then, honeft friend : "Unjuft complaints the gods offend. "If you repine at partial fate,

64

0

Inftru&t me what could mend your ftate, "Mankind, in every ftation, fee. "What wish you? Tell me what you'd be” So faid, upborne upon a cloud, The clown furvey'd the anxious crowd. "Yon face of care," fays Jove, "behold: "His bulky bags are fill'd with gold. "See with what joy he counts it o'er ! "That fum, to-day, hath fweell'd his ftore." "Were I that man," (the peafant cry'd) "What blefling could I ask beside ?"

J

Hold," fays the god; "firft, learn to know "True happiness from outward show. "This optic glafs of intuition"Here, take it, view his true condition," He look'd, and faw the mifer's breaft,

A troubled ocean, ne'er at reft;
Want ever ftares him in the face,
And fear anticipates difgrace.
With confcious guilt, he faw him ftart;
Extortion gnaws his trobbing heart;
And never, or in thought or dream,
His breaft admits one happy gleam.

66

May Jove," he cries," reject my pray'r, "And guard my life from guilt and care.

N 4

"My

My foul abhors that wretch's fate : "Oh! keep me in my humble state. "But, fee, amidst a gaudy crowd, "Yon minister fo gay and proud; “On him what happiness attends, "Who thus rewards his grateful friends !""First take the glafs," the god replies; "Man views the world with partial eyes." "Defend me from this hideous fight," Exclaims aloud the ftartled wight:

Corruption, with corrofive fmart, "Lies cank'ring on his guilty heart: "I fee him, with polluted hand, "Spread the contagion o'er the land. "Now av'rice, with infatiate jaws, "Now rapine, with her happy claws, "His bofon tears. His confcious breaft Groans, with a load of crimes oppreft. "See him, mad and drunk with power, "Stand tott'ring on ambition's tower. "Sometimes, in fpeeches vain and proud, "His boafts infult the nether crowd; "Now, feiz'd with giddinefs and fear, "He trembles left his fall is near. "Was ever wretch like this? he cries: "Such mifery, in fuch difguife! "The change, O Jove, I difavow; "Still be my lot the fpade and plough." He, next, confirm'd by fpeculation, Rejects the lawyer's occupation; For, he the statesman seem'd in part, And bore fimilitude of heart.

86

66

46

Nor did the Soldier's trade inflame
His hopes with thirst of spoil and fame :

The

The miseries of war he mourned;
Whole nations into deferts turn'd.

THUS, weighing life in each condition, The clown withdrew his rafh petition. WHEN thus the god-" How mortals err! "If you true happiness prefer, "Tis to no rank of life confin'd, "But dwells in every honeft mind. "Be juftice, then, your fole purfuit: "Plant virtue, and content's the fruit."

So Jove, to gratify the clown,
Where firft he found him, fet him down.

OF

F man's firft disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With lofs of Eden, till one greater man
Reftore us, and regain the blissful feat,
Sing heav'nly mufe! that, on the fecret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft infpire

That shepherd, who firft taught the chofen feed,
In the beginning, how the heav'ns and earth
Rofe out of chaos: or, if Sion hill

i

PARADISE LOST.

Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Faft by the oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous fong,

That, with no middle flight, intends to foar
Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in profe or rhime.

N 5

And,