Their raptures now that wildly flow
No yesterday nor morrow know;
'Tis Man alone that joy descries
With forward and reverted eyes.
Smiles on past Misfortune's brow
Soft Reflection's hand can trace,
And o'er the cheek of Sorrow throw
A melancholy grace;
While Hope prolongs our happier hour,
Or deepest shades, that dimly lour
And blacken round our weary way,
Gilds with a gleam of distant day.
Still, where rosy Pleasure leads,
See a kindred Grief pursue;
Behind the steps that Misery treads
Approaching Comfort view:
The hues of bliss more brightly glow
Chastised by sabler tints of woe,
And blended form, with artful strife,
The strength and harmony of life.
See the wretch that long has tost
On the thorny bed of pain,
At length repair his vigour lost
And breathe and walk again:
The meanest floweret of the vale,
The simplest note that swells the gale,
The common sun, the air, the skies,
To him are opening Paradise.
ON A FAVOURITE CAT, DROWNED IN A TUB OF
GOLD FISHES
'Twas on a lofty vase's side,
Where China's gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow,
mrest f the tabby kind
ensive Selima, reclined,
n ne lake below.
Ser conscious tail her joy declared.
The far round face, the snowy beard,
The reivet of her paws,
Fur coat that with the tortoise vies.
Ser ears of jet, and emerald eyes-
She saw, and purr'd applause.
Shad she gazed, but 'midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glid,
The Ge of the stream:
Thery armour's Tyrian hu
Trang chest purple, to the view
Herreya a golden gleam.
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw
With many an ardent wish
She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize-
What female heart can gold despise
What Cat's averse to fish?
Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent.
Nor knew the gulf between-
Malignant Fate sat by and ser
The slippery verge her feet beguited
She tumbled headlong in!
Eight times emerging from the fina
She mew'd to every watery God
Some speedy aid to send:—
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stir
Nor cruel Tom nor Susan heard-
A favourite has no friend!
From hence, ye Beauties! undeceived
Know one false step is ne'er retrieved,
And be with caution bold:
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize,
Nor all that glisters, gold!
ORGE BUBB DODINGTON, LORD MELCOMBE
LOVE thy country, wish it well,
Not with too intense a care;
'Tis enough that, when it fell,
Thou its ruin didst not share.
Envy's censure, Flattery's praise,
With unmoved indifference view:
Learn to tread Life's dangerous maze
With unerring Virtue's clue.
Void of strong desire and fear,
Life's wide ocean trust no more;
Strive thy little bark to steer
With the tide, but near the shore.
Thus prepared, thy shorten'd sail
Shall, when'er the winds increase,
Seizing each propitious gale,
Waft thee to the port of Peace.
Keep thy conscience from offence
And tempestuous passions free,
So, when thou art call'd from hence,
Easy shall thy passage be.
-Easy shall thy passage be,
Cheerful thy allotted stay,
Short the account 'twixt God and thee, Hope shall meet thee on thy way.
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