!2 Epigrams, Fragmenti-, and Fugitive Pieces ^ from the Greek. [Aug. 1^ 



of ornament, fpeaks at lead the true lan- 

 guage of the heart : 



n. oSiXij -e'.:D. 



Oh Poverty, how long wilt thou delay. 

 Unbidden inmate, with thy hoft at ftrife ? 



Ply to fonne other dome, nor always ftay, 

 "The lad unfought conlpnnion of my life. 



Tyrtajus, in a moft fpiiiteci and feeling 

 pafTasie of his Elegies, hjautitully con- 

 trafts ihe lerigthened fuffciings of want 

 and banifl'.mcn;, of the exiled wandsrier 

 who is reduced to fuppoit an aged parent, 

 a tender wife, ahtlplcfs offspring, in a fo- 

 reign land by beggary, with an honour- 

 able tliough premature death on the field 

 of baitle. 



TLrai^wiiy waVTiuv 'sr' 'aviwf ststsv, &c. 



But all the miferies we have juft en\i»re. 

 nted are cf Icarce any importance wh n 

 welgl'.ed in the balance with thofe which 

 man brings upon himlelf by his o*n foiiy, 

 perverlenefs, and crimes. It is with 

 foiTje appearance of reafon, when ihefe 

 ciicumftances arc taken into coafiderati-'n, 

 that he is rcpieitnted as inferior to ihe 

 brute creaticin botli in fcnfe and in enjoy- 

 ment. It is accordingly ihtis that the 

 moral poet Menander reprv>ves his vice 

 and v.inity : 



Sura ev'ty animal that creeps the earth 

 Is far moie blclT: than thofe of human birth. 

 Vain man the boaft of rcafou muit rtiij^n — 

 That empty ba.ift, laborious afs, be thine. 

 Wretched by fate, thy lot dorh Heav'n be- 



ftow, 

 And never wert thou to thyfelf a fc>e. 

 But we, if ever Jove in pity fpares, 

 Forge for ourfelves unnecelTary care;. 

 If any fneeze, vje grieve^at Satire's finile. 

 Or Calumny's rude breath, our fpirits boil. 

 Our coward-fouls ftart at an empty dream — 

 We flitinlc and tremble at the night-bird's 



fcream. 

 The Soul's contentions, mad Ambition's 



Ih-.iin;, 

 Opinion's dogmas. Law's inglorious chains, 

 Are but the modes our ferti!? minds create 

 To add new pangs i;o every Tung of Fate. 



Th- following ep p.ram by Paliadas 

 preliints a moil: monrntul image ot (he pil- 

 grimage through this '• vale of tears." 



In teats I drew life's earlied br^-ath, 

 in tears /hill give it back to death, 



__„. 3» 



miy appear deilitute cf tafte, and almoft of 

 meaning) will hive their peculiar merit anil 

 beauty. Of this nature evidently is tiie 

 epigram here trdiilbted. 



And all my paft quick-fleeting years 

 Have been one varied fcene of tears. 

 Oh race, for ever dooin'd to mourn. 

 To weaknefs, pain, and mifery born ! 

 Then driv'nto unknown fliades away, 

 To allies burnt, refulv'<i to clay ! 



So much is there in the mere taftelefs- 

 nels ot exiltence, the vacuum, the fatiety, 

 the difgull which enjoyment leaves behind 

 it. But when' to this is atlded the long 

 catalogue of evils which life affords, we 

 find ample room for the indulgence of 

 thofs melancholy fancies and gloomy 

 images with which the writings of the 

 ancients abound. They fell the univerfal 

 influence ot fo.row on ail ages and condi- 

 tions. 



Nor infant innocence, nor childLfh tears. 

 Nor youthful wit, nor manly pow'r. 

 Nor politic old-age, 

 Nor virgin's pleading, nor the widow's 

 pray'is, 

 Nor lowly cell, nor lofty tow'r^ 

 Nor prince, nor peer, nor page, 

 Can 'fcape this common bhit, or curb her 

 ftoiniy rage. 



Qu A R L E s's Emblem!. 



After fo many inilances of the melan- 

 choly which predominates in ail the an- 

 cienl poetry on ihefubjeftof human life, 

 it may be e.xpefted that a lew epigrams or 

 min>-r pcems of a contrary nature fhould 

 he brought forward to enliven the gloom 

 in which we find ourfc!ves involved. But 

 it is truly I'urpi izing how very few of a ge- 

 neral nature are to be found in the Anlho- 

 lovia, or among the fragments cf the 

 dramatic wiiteri, and tii il'c few will ap- 

 pear better phced in fome of my future 

 papei.-!, cfpecially as t'.is has already fpun 

 itlllf out to, I fear, a tedious length. The 

 folloAing, afcribed to Mttrodorus, m?.y 

 however, claim infertion here. 



Whatever path of life you chufc to tread, 

 Fiaile and wife deeds the active fenate 

 yields ; 

 At home is relt, to crown your grateful bed j 

 Great Nature leads her Graces o'er the 

 fields. 



The fea invites with golden views of gain. 

 And riches fprcad in foreign lands your 

 fame ; 



If poor, you unobferv'd can want fuftain. 

 Content with penury unallied to fname. 



If married, bleft and honour'd is your ftate ; 



if fingle, you are bleft becaufe you're 

 free ; 

 The father joys, no cares the childlefs wait. 



In youth is ftrength, in grey hairs dignity. 

 Then falfe the lay tluit bids thte hate to live, 

 Since ev'ry form of life can plcafure give. 



