Adorn the polish'd periods as they fall, One Madrigal of their's is worth them all. A. 'Twould thin the ranks of the poetic tribe, To dash the pen through all that you profcribe. B. No matter we could shift when they were not, And should no doubt if they were all forgot. THE PROGRESS OF ERROR. Si quid loquar audiendum. HoR. LIB. 4. OD. 2. SING mufe, (if fuch a theme, fo dark, fo long, May find a muse to grace it with a song) By what unfeen and unsuspected arts, Not all whofe eloquence the fancy fills, Mufical as the chime of tinkling rills, Weak to perform, though mighty to pretend, Can trace her mazy windings to their end; Difcern the fraud beneath the fpecious lure, Prevent the danger, or prefcribe the cure. The clear harangue, and cold as it is clear, Falls foporific on the liftlefs ear; Like quickfilver, the rhet'ric they display Shines as it runs, but grafp'd at, flips away. Plac'd for his trial on this bustling stage, From thoughtless youth to ruminating age, Free in his will to chufe or to refuse,, Man may improve the crifis, or abuse; Elfe, on the fatalifts unrighteous plan, Say, to what bar amenable were man ? With nought in charge, he could betray no trust, And if he fell, would fall because he muft; If love reward him, or if vengeance frike, His recompence in both, unjuft alike. Divine authority within his breast Brings ev'ry thought, word, action to the test, Warns him or prompts, approves him or reftrains, As reafon, or as paffion, takes the reins. Heav'n from above, and confcience from within,. Cry in his startled ear, abstain from fin. The The world around folicits his defire, Man thus endued with an elective voice, Must be supplied with objects of his choice. Where'er he turns, enjoyment and delight, Or prefent, or in profpect, meet his fight;, Thefe open on the spot their honey'd store, Thofe call him loudly to pursuit of more.. His unexhausted mine, the fordid vice: Avarice shows, and virtue is the price. Here, various motives his ambition raise, Pow'r, pomp, and fplendor, and the thirst of praise ;= There beauty wooes him with expanded arms,. E'en Bacchanalian madness has its charms. Nor thefe alone, whofe pleasures lefs refin'd,, Might well alarm the moft unguarded mind,. Seek to fupplant his unexperienc'd youth, Or lead him devious from the path of truth; "Tis |