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With me retire, from noife, and pain, and care; "Embath'd in bliss, and rapt in endless ease :

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Rough is the road to fame, thro' blood and war; "Smooth is my way, and all my paths are peace. "With me retire, from toils and perils free;

Leave honour to the wretch! Pleafures were made for thee,

VIII.

"Then will I grant thee all thy foul's defire; "All that may charm thine ear, and please thy fight: "All that thy thought can frame, or wish require, To fteep thy ravish'd fenfes in delight.

"The fumptuous feaft, enhanc'd with mufic's found; "Fitteft to tune the melting foul to love:

"Rich odours, breathing choicest sweets around; "The fragrant bow'r, cool fountain, shady grove: "Fresh flowers, to ftrew thy couch, and crown thy head; Joy fhall attend thy steps, and ease shall smooth thy bed.

IX.

"Thefe will I, freely, conftantly supply;

"Pleasures, not earn'd with toil, nor mix'd with woe: "Far from thy reft repining want shall fly; "Nor labour bathe in sweat thy careful brow. "Mature the copious harvest shall be thine; "Let the laborious hind fubdue the foil:

Leave the rafh foldier fpoils of war to win; "Won by the foldier thou fhalt fhare the spoil: "These fofter cares my bleft allies employ, New pleasures' to invent; to wifh, and to enjoy."

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X,

Her winning voice the youth attentive caught:

He gaz'd impatient on the smiling maid;

Still gaz'd, and liften'd: then her name besought : "My name, fair youth, is Happiness, fhe faid.

"Well can my friends this envy'd truth maintain : "They share my blifs; they beft can speak my praise: "Tho' flander call me Sloth-detraction vain ! "Heed not what Slander, vain detractor, fays: "Slander, ftill prompt true merit to defame; "To blot the brightest worth, and blast the fairest name."

XI.

By this, arriv'd the fair majestic maid:
(She all the while, with the fame modeft pace,
Compos'd, advanc'd.) "Know, Hercules," the faid
With manly tone, "thy birth of heav'nly race;

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Thy tender age that lov'd inftruction's voice,

Promis'd thee generous, patient, brave and wife; "When manhood fhould confirm thy glorious choice: "Now expectation waits to fee thee rife.

"Rife, youth! Exalt thyfelf, and me: approve "Thy high defcent from heav'n; and dare be worthy Jove.

XII.

"But what truth prompts, my tongue shall not disguise;

"The fleep afcent must be with toil fubdu'd:

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Watching and cares muft win the lofty prize

¿ Propos'd by heav'n; true blifs, and real good.

"Honour

"Honour rewards the brave and bold alone; "She fpurns the timorous, indolent, and base:

"Danger and toil stand stern before her throne; "And guard (fo Jove commands) the facred place. "Who feeks her muft the mighty cost sustain,

And pay the price of fame; labour, and care, and pain.

XIII.

"Wou'dft thou engage the gods peculiar care? "O Hercules, th' immortal powers adore!

"With a pure heart, with facrifice and pray'r "Attend their altars; and their aid implore.

"Or wou'dit thou gain thy country's loud applaufe, "Lov'd as her father, as her god ador'd?

"Be thou the bold affertor of her caufe;

"Her voice, in council; in the fight, her fword. "In peace, in war, pursue thy country's good: "For her, bare thy bold breaft; and pour thy generous blood.

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XIV.

"Wou'dft thou, to quell the proud and lift th' oppreft, "In arts of war and matchless strength excel? "Firft conquer thou thyfelf. To eafe, to reft, • To each soft thought of pleasure, bid farewel. “The night alternate, due to sweet repose, "In watches waste; in painful march, the day:

"Congeal'd, amidst the rigorous winter's fnows; "Scorch'd, by the fummer's thirst-inflaming ray. "Thy harden'd limbs fhall boaft fuperior might: Vigour shall brace thine arm, refiftless in the fight.' XV. "Hear'st

XV.

Hear'ft thou, what monfters then thou muft engage; "What dangers, gentle youth, she bids thee prove? (Abrupt fays Sloth) "ill fit thy tender age "Tumult and wars; fit age, for joy and love. "Turn, gentle youth, to me, to love and joy! "To thefe I lead : no monsters here shall stay

"Thine eafy course; no cares thy peace annoy: "I lead to blifs a nearer, fmoother way. "Short is my way; fair, eafy, fmooth, and plain : "Turn, gentle youth! With me eternal pleasures reign.'

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XVI.

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"What pleasures, vain mistaken wretch, are thine! (Virtue with fcorn reply'd :) "who fleep'ft in ease "Infenfate; whofe foft limbs the toil decline "That feafons blifs, and makes enjoyment please.

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Draining the copious bowl, ere thirst require;
Feafting, ere hunger to the feast invite :

"Whose tastelefs joys anticipate defire;

"Whom luxury fupplies with appetite :

"Yet Nature loaths; and you employ in vain

Variety and art to conquer her disdain.

XVII.

"The sparkling nectar, cool'd with fummer fnows; "The dainty board, with choiceft viands fpread; "To thee are taftelefs all! Sincere repose "Flies from thy flow'ry couch and downy bed.

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For thou art only tir'd with indolence :
"Nor is thy fleep, with toil and labour bought:

"Th' imperfect sleep that lulls thy languid fenfe
" In dull oblivious interval of thought:
"That kindly steals th' inactive hours away

"From the long, ling'ring space, that lengthens out the day. XVIII.

"From bounteous nature's unexhaufted ftores "Flows the pure fountain of fincere delights: "Averse to her, you waste the joyless hours; Sleep drowns thy days, and riot rules thy nights. "Immortal tho' thou art, indignant Jove

"Hurl'd thee from heaven, th' immortals blissful place; "For ever banish'd from the realms above,

"To dwell on earth, with man's degenerate race: "Fitter abode! On earth alike difgrac'd; "Rejected by the wife, and by the fool embrac'd.

XIX.

"Fond wretch, that vainly weenest all delight

"To gratify the fenfe referv'd for thee!

"Yet the most pleasing object to the fight, "Thine own fair action, never didft thou see.

"Tho' lull'd with softeft founds thou lieft along ; "Soft mufic, warbling voices, melting lays;

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"Ne'er did't thou hear, more fweet than fweeteft fong

Charming the foul, thou ne'er didst hear thy praise ! "No-to thy revels let the fool repair :

"To fuch, go fmooth thy fpeech; and spread thy tempting

fnare.

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