«79^* °N ^^' young's night thoughts. 15 y 



Night Fourth. 



" A much indebted mufe, O I'orie ! intrudes, 

 " Amid the fmiles of fortune and of youth ; 

 " Thine ear is patient of a ferious fonp. 

 " How deep implanted in the bread of man 

 " The dread of death ? I fing its fov'rcign cure. 



" Why ftart at death ? Where is he ? Death arriv'J 

 " Is paft ; not come, or gone ; he's never here. 

 " E'er hope, fcnfation fails; black-boding man 

 " Receives, notfiiffert, death's tremendu-ius blow. 

 " The knell, the fhroud, the mattock, and the grave ; 

 " The deep damp vault, the durknefr;, and the worm ; 

 " Thtfe are the bng-bears of a winter's cVe, 

 " The terrors of the living, not the dead. 



From this, the writer runs wild, and continaes with 

 very flight and tranfient, if any lucid intervalb, to the 

 end of tlie poemf. 



The following detached lines, among others, difplay 

 the fpirit of poetry, blended with conceit and aftecla- 

 tion. 



+ The following lines, being the beginning of Night Ninth, may be 

 confidered as one of the ftw remaining lucid intervals, referred to by 



out author. Pity that one who could write fo well at times, fiiuuU 



have been fo little under the guidance of reafon, in general. PJit, 



" As when a traveller, a long day paft 



*' In painful fcarch of v. hat he cannot find, 



" At night's approach, content with the next cot, ^ ' 



" There ruminates, a while, his labour lofb ; 



" Then cheers his heart, with what his (ate affords, 



" Am' chants his fonntt to deceive the time, 



♦* Till the due fcafon calls him to rei)ofc : 



" Thus 1, long-travell'd in the ways of men, 



" And dancing, with the reft, the giddy maze, 



" Where difappoinlmcnt Imiles at bope\ career, 



" Warn'd by the languor of life's ev'ning ray, 



" At length have hous'J nie in an humble fhed ; 



" When, future wand'ring banifh'd from my thought, 



" And waiting, patient, the fweet hour of reft, 



" I chace the moments with a ferious fong — 



" Soog fouthcs our jiains ; and age has pains to foothe.* 



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