Or infamous for plunder'd provinces. 300 And haunt their slumbers in the pompous shade. 305 A tale that blends their glory with their shame! Know then this truth, (enough for man to know,) 'Virtue alone is happiness below.' 310 The only point where human bliss stands still, And tastes the good without the fall to ill; Where only merit constant pay receives, Is bless'd in what it takes, and what it gives; 315 And if it lose, attended with no pain : Without satiety, though e'er so bless'd, And but more relish'd as the more distress'd: The broadest mirth unfeeling folly wears, Less pleasing far than virtue's very tears : 320 Good, from each object, from each place acquired, For ever exercised, yet never tired; Never elated, while one man 's oppress'd; Never dejected, while another 's bless'd: And where no wants, no wishes can remain, 325 Since but to wish more virtue, is to gain. See the sole bliss Heaven could on all bestow ! Which who but feels can taste, but thinks can know; 330 Slave to no sect, who takes no private road, Sees that no being any bliss can know, But touches some above, and some below: And knows where faith, law, morals, all began, 335 340 345 Are given in vain, but what they seek they find :) ise is her present; she connects in this s greatest virtue with his greatest bliss ; 350 At once his own bright prospect to be bless'd; And strongest motive to assist the rest. Gives thee to make thy neighbor's blessing thine. 355 Extend it, let thy enemies have part; Grasp the whole world of reason, life, and sense, Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree, And height of bliss but height of charity. 360 God loves from whole to parts: but human soul The centre moved, a circle straight succeeds, Friend, parent, neighbor, first it will embrace; 365 370 Earth smiles around, with boundless bounty bless'd, Come then, my friend! my genius! come along; O master of the poet, and the song! And while the muse now stoops, or now ascends, 375 380 O! while along the stream of time thy name Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame, Say, shall my little bark attendant sail, 385 Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale? When statesmen, heroes, kings, in dust repose, Whose sons shall blush their fathers were thy foes, 390 Thou wert my guide, philosopher and friend? 395 398 UNIVERSAL PRAYER. It may be proper to observe, that some passages in the preceding Essay having been unjustly suspected of a tendency towards fate and naturalism, the author composed this prayer as the sum of all, to show that his system was founded in free-will, and terminated in piety: that the First Cause was as well the Lord and Governor of the universe as the Creator of it; and that, by submission to his will (the great principle enforced throughout the Essay) was not meant the suffering ourselves to be carried along by a blind determination, but a resting in a religious acquiescence, and confidence full of hope and immortality. To give all this the greater weight, the poet chose for his model the Lord's Prayer, which of all others, best deserves the title prefixed to this paraphrase. Father of all! in every age, In every clime adored, By saint, by savage, and by sage, Thou Great First Cause, least understood; Who all my sense confined To know but this, that Thou art good, And that myself am blind; Yet gave me, in this dark estate, Left free the human will: What conscience dictates to be done, This, teach me more than hell to shun, What blessings thy free bounty gives, For God is paid when man receives : Yet not to earth's contracted span Let not this weak, unknowing hand If I am right, thy grace impart, If I am wrong, O teach my heart Save me alike from foolish pride, At aught thy wisdom has denied, Teach me to feel another's wo, That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me. Mean though I am, not wholly so, Since quicken'd by thy breath; O lead me, wheresoe'er I go, Through this day's life or death. This day, be bread and peace my lot: All else beneath the sun, Thou know'st if best bestow'd or not, To thee, whose temple is all space, |