Bards rapt beyond the moon on Fancy's wings, And mighty mafters of the vocal strings:
Those who on labour'd speeches waste their oil, Those who in crabbed calculations toil, Who measure earth, who climb the starry road, And human fates by heav'nly figns forebode, Pleasure's philofophers, Lyceum's pride, Difdainful foaring up to heights untry'd. All who in learned trifles spin their wit, Or comment on the works by triflers writ. Who are yon active females, like in face To the lewd harlots, in the nether Space, Vile agents of voluptuous Sin?
Ev'n here, eternal shame!
They boast some rarer less ignoble spoils,
Art, wit, and reason, tangled in their toils.
And Fancy, with th' Opinions in her rear, Enjoys these ftudious walks, no stranger here:
Where wild hypothefis, and learn'd romance
Too oft lead up the philofophic dance. Still these ingenious heads alas! retain Delufion's dose, ftill the vile dregs remain Of ignorance with madding folly join'd, And a foul heart pollutes th' embellish'd mind. Nor will prefumption from their fouls recede, Nor will they from one vicious plague be freed,
'Till, weary of these vanities, they've found Th' exalted way to Truth's enlighten'd ground, Quaff'd her cathartic, and all cleans'd within, By that strong energy, from pride and fin,
Are heal'd and fav'd. But loit'ring here they spend
Life's precious hours in thinking to no end:
From science up to science let them rise,
And arrogate the swelling style of wise, Their wisdom's folly, impotent and blind, Which cures not one distemper of the mind. Enough. Difcover now the faithful read, Which mounts us to the joys of Truth's abode. Survey this folitary wafte, which rears Nor bush nor herb, nor cottage there appears. At distance fee yon ftrait and lonely gate (No crowds at the forbidding entrance wait) Its avenue a rugged rocky foil,
Travell'd with painful step and tedious toil. Beyond the wicket, tow'ring in the skies
See Difficulty's cragged mountain rife,
Narrow and fharp th' afcent; each edge a brink, Whence to vaft depth dire precipices fink.
Is that the way to Wisdom? Dreadful way! The landfkip frowns with danger and difmay.
Yet higher ftill, around the mountain's brow
Winds yon huge rock, whofe fteep smooth fides allow No track. Its top two fifter figures grace,
Health's rofy habit glowing in their face.
With arms protended o'er the verge they lean, The promptitude of friendship in their mien. The pow'rs of Continence and Patience, there Station'd by Wisdom, her commiffion bear To rouze the spirit of her fainting fon Thus far advanc'd, and urge and urge him on. Courage! they call, the coward's floth disdain,
Yet, yet awhile, the noble toil fuflain :
A lovely path foon opens to your fight.
But ah! how climb'd that rock's bare flipp'ry height?
These generous guides, who Virtue's courfe befriend, In fuccour of her pilgrim, fwift defcend,
Draw up their trembling charge; then, fmiling, greet With kind command to reft his weary feet,
With their own force his panting breaft they arm, And with their own intrepid spirit warm:
Next, plight their guidance in his future way
To Wifdom, and in rapt'rous view display
The blissful road (there it invites your eyes)
How fmooth and easy to the foot it lies,
Through beauteous land, from all annoyance clear,
Of thorny evil and perplexing fear.
Yon lofty grove's delicious bow'rs to gain,
You cross th' expanse of this enamell'd plain; A meadow with eternal beauty bright,
Beneath a purer heav'n, o'erflow'd with light.
• The third court, or the virtuous life.
Full in the center of the plain, behold
A court far-flaming with its wall of gold And gate of diamond, where the righteous reft;
This clime their home, the country of the blest :
Here all the Virtues dwell, communion sweet! With Happiness, who rules the peaceful feat. In ftation at th' effulgent portal, fee
A beauteous form of mildest majesty.
Her eyes how piercing! how fedate her mien ! Mature in life, her countenance ferene: Spirit and folid thought each feature fhows, And her plain robe with state unftudy'd flows. She ftands upon a cube of marble, fix'd
As the firm rock, two lovely nymphs betwixt, Her daughters, copies of her looks and air, Here candid Truth, and sweet Perfuafion there : She, fhe is Wifdom. In her ftedfast eye Behold th' oppreffive type of certainty: Certain her way, and permanent the deed Of gift fubftantial to her friends decreed. She gives the confidence erect and clear, She gives magnanimous contempt of fear, And bids th' invulnerable mind to know Her fafety from the future shafts of woe.
O treasure, richer than the fea or land! But why without the walls her deflin'd fland? There standing, she presents her potent bowl, Divine cathartic, which restores the soul. H
In fome dire disease,
Machaon's fkill firft purges off the lees:
Then clear and ftrong the purple current flows, And life renew'd in every member glows: But if the patient all controul despise, Juft victim of his ftubborn will he dies.
So Wisdom, by her rules, with healing art
Expells Delufion's mifchiefs from the heart; Blindness, and error, and high-boasting pride, Intemp'rance, luft, fierce wrath's impetuous tide, Hydropic avarice, all the plagues behind
Which in the first mad court oppress'd the mind.
Thus purg'd, her pupil thro' the gate the brings,
The Virtues hail their gueft, the guest enraptur'd fings.
In brazen chains her dreaded feet furround. There bounteous Liberality expands
To want, to worth, her ever-loaded hands.
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