"Let experience now decide, "Twixt the good and evil try'd, In the smooth, enchanted ground, Say, unfold the treasures found.
"Structures, rais'd by morning dreams, Sands that trip the flitting streams,
Down, that anchors on the air,
Clouds, that paint their changes there..
"Seas, that smoothly dimpling lie,
While the storm impends on high,
Showing in an obvious glass,
Joys, that in possession pass.
"Transient, fickle, light and gay,
Flatt'ring, only to betray;
What, alas, can life contain !
Life! like all its circlesvain.
"Will the stork, intending rest,
On the billow build her nest?
Will the bee demand his store,
From the bleak and bladeless shore?
"Man, alone, intent to stray,
Ever turns from wisdom's way,
Lays up wealth in foreign land,
Sows the sea, and ploughs the sand.
"Soon this elemental mass,
Soon encumb'ring world shall pass,
Form be wrapt in wasting fire,
Time be spent, and life expire.
"Then, ye boasted works of men,
Where is your asylum then?
Sons of pleasure, sons of care,
Tell me, mortals, tell me where?
"Gone, like traces on the deep,
Like a sceptre, grasp'd in sleep,
Dews, exhal'd from morning glades,
Melting snows, and gliding shades.
"Pass the world, and what's behind
Virtue's gold, by fire refin'd;
From an universe deprav❜d,
From the wreck of Nature sav'd.
"Like the life-supporting grain,
Fruit of patience, and of pain,
On the swain's autumnal day,
Winnow'd from the chaff away.
"Little trembler, fear no more, Thou hast plenteous crops in store➡ Seed, by genial sorrow sown, More than all thy scorners own. "What tho' hostile earth despise, Heav'n beholds with gentler eyes; Heav'n thy friendless steps shall guide, Cheer thy hours, and guard thy side. "When the fatal trump shall sound, When th' immortals pour around,Heav'n shall thy return attest, Hail'd by myriads of the bless'd. "Little native of the skies, Lovely penitent, arise;
Calm thy bosom, clear thy brow,
Virtue is thy sister now.
"More delightful are my woes,
Than the rapture, Pleasure knows,
Richer far the weeds I bring,
Than the robes that grace a king.
"On my wars of shortest date,
Crowns of endless triumph wait;
On my cares, a period bless'd,
On my toils, eternal rest.
"Come, with Virtue at thy side,
Come, be ev'ry bar defy'd;
Till we gain our native shore,
Sister, come, and turn no more."
THE breezy morning breath'd perfume, The wak'ning flow'rs unveil'd their bloom, Up with the sun from short repose, Gay Health and lusty Labour rose; The milk-maid carol'd at her pail, And shepherds whistled o'er the dale; When love, who led a rural life, Remote from bustle, state, and strife, Forth from his thatch-roof'd cottage stray'd And stroll'd along the dewy glade. A nymph, who lightly tripp'd it by, To quick attention turn'd his eye; He mark'd the gesture of the fair, Her self-sufficient grace and air; Her steps, that, mincing, meant to please, Her study'd negligence and ease; And, curious to enquire what meant This thing of prettiness and paint, Approaching, spoke, and bow'd observant, The lady, slightly, "Sir, your servant.” "Such beauty in so rude a place! Fair one, you do the country grace; At court, no doubt, the public care; But Love has small acquaintance there."
"Yes, Sir," reply'd the flutt'ring dame,
This form confesses whence it came?
But dear variety, you know,
Can make us pride and pomp forego.
My name is Vanity. I sway
The utmost islands of the sea.
Within my court all honour centers;
I raise the meanest soul that enters,
Endow with latent gifts and graces,
And model fools for posts and places.
"As Vanity appoints at pleasure,
The world receives its weight, and measure;
Hence all the grand concerns of life,
Joy, cares, plagues, passions, peace, and strife.
"Reflect how far my power prevails,
When I step in, where nature fails,
And ev'ry breach of sense repairing,
Am bounteous still, where heav'n is sparing.
"But chief in all their arts, and airs,
Their playing, painting, pouts, and pray'rs,
Their various habits, and complexions,
Fits, frolics, foibles, and perfections,
Their robing, curling, and adorning,
From noon to night, from night to morning,
From six to sixty, sick or sound,
I rule the female world around."
"Hold there a moment," Cupid cry'd,
"Nor boast dominion quite so wide,
Was there no province to invade,
But that by love and meekness sway'd?
All other empire I resign,
But be the sphere of beauty mine.
"For in the downy lawn of rest,
That opens on a woman's breast,
Attended by my peaceful train,
I choose to live, and choose to reign.
"Far-sighted Faith I bring along,
And Truth above an army strong-
And Chastity, of icy mold,
Within the burning tropics cold—
And Lowliness, to whose mild brow,
The pow'r and pride of nations bow-
And Modesty, with down-cast eye,
That lends the morn her virgin dye-
And Innocence, array'd in light,
And Honour, as a tow'r upright;
With sweetly winning graces, more
Than poets ever dreamt of yore,
In unaffected conduct free,
All smiling sisters, three times three-
And rosy Peace, the cherub bless'd,
That nightly sings us all to rest.
"Hence, from the bud of nature's prime,
From the first step of infant time,
Woman, the world's appointed light,
Has skirted ev'ry shade with white;
Has stood for imitation high,
To ev'ry heart and ev'ry eye:
From ancient deeds of fair renown,
Has brought her bright memorials down,
To Time affix'd perpetual youth,
And form'd each tale of love and truth.
"Upon a new Promethean plan,
She moulds the essence of a man-
Tempers his mass, his genius fires,
And, as a better soul, inspires.
"The rude she softens, warms the cold, Exalts the meek, and checks the bold,
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