1809. ] 
So thy unvaried mind was alwaysone 5 
And with such clear serenity still shone, 
As caus’d thy little world to seem all teme 
perate zone. . 
In thee extremes were join’d ; 
The loftiest and the lowliest mind: 
Thus tho’ some part of heaven's vast round 
Appear but low and seem to touch the ground; 
Yet *tis well known to circle in the spheres, 
And truly held to be above the stars. 
Thou stoodst at once secure 
From all the flattery and obloquy of fame , 
Its rough and gentler breath were both to thee 
the same: 
Nor this could thee exalt, nor that depress 
thee lower-; 
Less the heaven dreads that it should fired be 
By the weak: flitting sparks that upwards ftys 
Less the bright: goddess iof the night 
Fears those loud howlings that revile her light 5 
Than thou malignant tongues thy worth, 
~ sheuld blast, 
Which was too great for envy’s cloud to 
overcast ; 
> Twas thy brave methed to despise contempt; 
And make what was the fault the punish- 
ment; eps 
So clouds, which would obscure the sur, oft 
gilded:be, 
And shades are taught to lend him pageantry; 
So diamonds, when the envious night 
Wouid shroud their: splendor, look most 
bright, 
And fronvits-darkness borrow light. 
Fond Pleasure, whose soft magic oft beguiles 
Raw, unexperienc’d souls, 
And with smooth flattery cajoles, 
Could ne’er ensnare thee with her wiles, 
Or make thee captive to her soothing smiles; 
In vain that pimp of vice essays 
Todraw thee to her warm embrace. 
Thy prudence still the Syren.past, 
Without being pinion’d to the mast; 
Thou didst such-ignorance over knowledge 
+ prize, 
For thus to be unskill’d is to'be wise ; 
Virtue alone thy actions guided here, 
Thou by no other card thy life didst steer 5 
No sly decoy would serve 
‘Fo make thee from her rigiddictates Swerve: 
Thy love ne’er thought her worse ; 
Because thou hadst so. few competitors, 
Theu could’st adore her when ador’d by none, 
Content to be her votary alone; 
Thy generous leyalty 
Would ne’er a mercenary be, 
But choose to serve her still without a livery : 
Yet wast thou not of recompence debarr’d, 
But counted honesty its own reward ; 
” 
Thou didst not wish a greater bliss to accrue,_ 
For to be good to thee was to be happy too; 
The secret triumph of thy mind ; 
Which thou in doing well didst always find, 
Were heaven enough, were there none ¢lse 
design’d. 
Original: Poetry. 
163) 
- Thou wastra living system, where were wrote, 
All those high morals which in books are” 
sought, 
Thy practice did more virtues share 
Than heretofore the learned Porch e’er knewy 
Or in the Stagyrite’s scant ethics.grew.5 
Devout thou wast, as holy hermits are, 
Who spend their time in extacy and prayer 5 
Modest as infant roses in their bloom, 
Which in a blush their lives consume 5 
So chaste, the dead are only more, 
Who. lie divore’d. from objects and from: 
ower 3 : 
So pure, that if blest saints again could be 
Taught innocence, they’d gladly learn of thee. 
Thy. virtues. only. thus could fairer. be | 
Advantag’d by the foil of misery 5 
Thy soul, which hasten’d now to be enlarg’d 
And of its grosser load discharg’d, 
Began toact above its former rate 
And gave.a prelude of the unbody’d state:: 
So dying tapers, near their fall, 
When their own lustre lights their funeral, 
Contract their strength into one brighter fire, 
And in that blaze triumphantly expire ; 
So the bright globe that rules the skies, 
Alttio” he gild the air with glorious rise, 
Reserves his choicest beams until he dies. 
The sharpest pains thou didst with courage 
bear, : 
And still thy looks so unconcern’d didst wear; ete 
Beholders seem’d more indispos’d than thee, 
For they were sick in effigy 3 
Like’ some well-fashion’d arch thy patience 
stood, 
And purchas’d firmness from its:greater load 5 
Those shapes of torture, which to view, in. 
aint: er 
Would. make another, faint, 
Thou. could’st endure in sharp reality, 
And smile to feel what others shriek to see : 
Those Indians, who their kings by torment 
choose, : 
Could ne’er thy sway refuse 5 __ 
If he deserves to reign who suffers best, 
Had those fierce savages thy patience view'dy 
Thy claims had been confest, 
They with a crown we 
Had paid thy fortitude, 
And turn’d thy death-bed to a throne. » 
Fate paus’d awhile with wonder struck, 
And turned again the dreadful book 5 
And hop’d she*had mistook, 
And wisht she might have cut another line 3 
But dire Necessity 
Soon cried ’twas thine, 
And bad her give the blow of destiny: ;. 
Strait she obeys : the vital powers grow 
‘Too weak to grapple with a stronger foe; 
Life’s sapt foundation every moment sinks 3_ 
Each breath to lesser compass shrinks 5 
Last panting gasps grow weaker each rebound, 
Like the faint tremblings of a pausing sound 
And doubtful twilight hovers o'er the light, 
Ready to usher in eternal aight 5 
: ¥ee 
