COULD I, like URIEL, on fome pointed ray, To fair diftant Eden wing my way,
Outstrip the moments, fcorn the swifteft wind,
And leave e'en wing'd defire to lag behind;
So ftrong, fo fwift, I'd fly the port to gain ;
The speed of angels should pursue in vain.
AH! whither, whither would my fancy stray?
Nor hope fuftains, nor reafon leads the way:
No, let my eyes in fcalding forrows flow,
Vaft as my lofs, and endless as my woe:
Flow, till the torrent quench this vital flame,
And with increasing hours, increase the stream.
Yet, CLIO, hear, in pity to my fmart;
If gentle pity e'er could touch thy heart:
Let but one line fufpend my conftant care,
Too faint for hope, too lively for despair :
Thee let me ftill with wonted rapture find
The mufes patronefs, and poet's friend.
To DORINDA, with Venice Preferv'd.
F friendship gains not pardon for the muse,
Immortal OTWAY, fure, will plead excufe:
For eyes like thine he wrote his moving lays,
Which feel the poet, and which weep his praise.
Whether great JAFFIER tender griefs inspires,
Struggling with cruel fate, and high defires;
Or BELVIDERA's gentler accents flow,
When all her foul fhe breathes in love and woe:
Drawn from the heart the various paffions fhine,
And wounded nature bleeds in ev'ry line.
As when fome turtle fpies her lovely mate
Pierc'd by the ball, or flutt'ring in the net;
Her little heart juft bursting with defpair,
She droops her wings, and breathes her foul in air.
With the Manual of Epictetus, and Tablature of Cebes.
O, happy leaves! to ANNA's view disclose
What folid joy from real virtue flows;
When, like the world, felf-pois'd, th' exalted foul,
Unfhaken, scorns the ftorms that round her roll; And, in herself collected, joys to find
Th' untainted image of th' Eternal Mind.
To bid mankind their end fupreme pursue, On God and nature fix their wand'ring view; To teach reluctant paffion to obey,
Check'd, or impell'd by reason's awful fway; 10 From films of error purge the mental eye,
Till undiffembled good in profpect lie;
The foul with heav'n-born virtue to inflame:
Such was the Stoic's and Socratic's aim.
Where beauty, truth and good, unclouded reign, Fair hands like thine revolve their labour'd
Imbibe their truth, and in their task engage;
With rapture would they hail fo fair a fight,
And feel new blifs in heav'n's fupreme delight. 20
In Answer to a Letter fhe wrote the Author from
AY Heaven's beft bleffings on thy head
defcend,
Whofe goodness recollects an abfent friend;
Brighter and brighter may thy moments roll,
Joy warm thy heart, and virtue tune thy foul;
With length'ning life still happier be thy state,
As by thy worth, diftinguish'd by thy fate.
Oh! if my ardent vows fuccefsful prove;
If merit charms, if God himself be love;
*The young Lady to whom the MONODY is infcribed.
Of all the lots his bounty e'er affign'd
To bless the best, the noblest of mankind;
For none shall happier constellations shine,
None boast a sphere of ampler bliss than thine.
Few of thy fex, alas! how wond'rous few,
Bestow thofe kind regards to virtue due:
A humble name, of wealth too fmall a fhare, 15
A form unfeemly, or a clownish air;
These cafual faults the fqueamish fair disgust,
Who, to be thought refin'd, become unjust.
Not fuch DORINDA's more intense furvey,
It looks for charms unconscious of decay;
Surface and form pervades with nobler taste,
And views God's image on the heart imprest.
I ever share thy kind esteem,
In fortune's change, and life's tumultuous dream
If future hours be ting'd with colours
There let thy friendship mix its heav'nly ray;
O'er all my fate if adverse planets reign,
O let thy gentle pity footh my pain :
With this one precious good fecurely bleft,
Let chance or fortune regulate the rest.
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