"Tis here the folly of the wise,

Through all his art, we view;

And while his tongue the charge denies,
His conscience owns it true.

Bound on a voyage of awful length,
And dangers little known,
A stranger to superior strength,
Man vainly trusts his own.

But oars alone can ne'er prevail
To reach the distant coast;

The breath of heav'n must swell the sail,

Or all the toil is lost..

COWPER.

SECTION XII.

Ode to Peace.

COME, peace of mind, delightful guest!
Return, and make thy downy nest
Once more in this sad heart:
Nor riches I, nor pow'r pursue,
Nor hold forbidden joys in view;
We therefore need not part.

Where wilt thou, dwell, if not with me,
Form av'rice and ambition free,

And pleasure's fatal wiles;
For whom, alas! dost thou prepare
The sweets that I was wont to share,
The banquet of thy smiles?

The great, the gay, shall they partake
The heav'n that thou alone canst make 2
And wilt thou quit the stream,
That murmurs through the dewy mead,
The grove and the sequester'd shade,
To be a guest with them?

For thee I panted, thee I priz'd,
For thee I gladly sacrific'd
Whate'er I lov'd before;
And shall I see thee start away,

And helpless, hopeless, hear thee say--
Farewell! we meet no more?

COWPER

"Tis here the folly of the wise,

Through all his art, we view;

And while his tongue the charge denies,
His conscience owns it true.

Bound on a voyage of awful length,
And dangers little known,
A stranger to superior strength,
Man vainly trusts his own.

But oars alone can ne'er prevail
To reach the distant coast;

The breath of heav'n must swell the sail,

Or all the toil is lost..

COWPER.

SECTION XII.

Ode to Peace.

COME, peace of mind, delightful guest!
Return, and make thy downy nest

Once more in this sad heart:
Nor riches I, nor pow'r pursue,

Nor hold forbidden joys in view;
We therefore need not part.

Where wilt thou dwell, if not with me
Form av'rice and ambition free,
And pleasure's fatal wiles;

For whom, alas! dost thou prepare
The sweets that I was wont to share,
The banquet of thy smiles?

The great, the gay, shall they partake
The heav'n that thou alone canst make?
And wilt thou quit the stream,
That murmurs through the dewy mead,
rove and the sequester'd shade,
e a guest with them?

e I panted, thee I priz'd,
ee I gladly sacrific'd

lov'd before;

hee start away,

less, hear thee say-
eet no more?

COWPER

SECTION XIH.

Ode to Adversity.

DAUGHTER of Heav'n, relentless power, Thou tamer of the human breast, Whose iron scourge, and tort'ring hour,. The bad affright, afflict the best! Bound in thy adamantine chain, The proud are taught to taste of pain, And purple tyrants vainly groan. With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone.. When first thy Sire to send on earth Virtue, dis darling child, design'd, To thee he gave the heav'nly birth, And bade to form her infant mind. Stern rugged nurse! thy rigid lore With patience many a year she bore;

What sorrow was, thou bad'st her know; And from her own she learn'd to melt at other's

WO..

Scar'd at thy frown terrific, fly

Self pleasing folly's idle brood,

Wild laughter, noise, and thoughtless joy,

And leave us leisure to be good.

Light they disperse; and with them go
The summer friend, the flatt ring foe.

By vain prosperity receiv'd,

To her they vow their truth, and are again believ'd.

Wisdom, in sable garb array'd,

Immers'd in rapt'rous thought profound,
And melancholy, silent maid,

With leaden eye, that loves the ground,
Still on thy solemn steps attend;
Warm charity, the gen'ral friend,

With justice, to herself severe,

And pity, dropping soft the sadly pleasing tear.

Oh, gently on thy suppliant's head;

Dread pow'r, lay thy chast'ning hand!

Not in thy gorgon terrors clad,

Nor circled with the vengeful band,

(As by the impions thou art seen,)

With thund'ring voice, and threat'ning mien, With screaming horror's funeral cry,

Despair, and fell disease, and ghastly poverty.'

Thy form benign, propitious, wear,
Thy milder influence impart;
Thy philosophic train be there,
To soften, not to wound my heart.
The generous spark extinct revive ;.
Teach me to love and to forgive;
Exact my own defects to scan;

What others are to feel; and know myself a man.

SECTION XIV.

GRAY.

The Creation required to praise its Author.

BEGIN, my soul, th' exalted lay!

Let each enraptur'd thought obey,

And praise th' Almighty's name :

Lo! heaven and earth, and seas and skies,
In one melodious concert rise,

To swell th' inspiring theme.

Ye fields of light, celestial plains,
Where gay transporting beauty reigns,
Ye scenes divinely fair!
Your Maker's wond'rous pow'r proclaim,
Tell how he form'd your shining frame,
And breath'd the fluid air.

Ye angels, catch the thrilling sound!
While all th' adoring thrones around
His boundles mercy sing :

Let ev'ry list'ning saint above
Wake all the tuneful soul of love,

And touch the sweetest string.

Join, ye loud spheres, the vocal choir;
Thou dazzling orb of liquid fire,
The mighty chorus aid;
Soon as gray ev'ning gilds the plain,
Thou, Moon, protract the melting strain,
And praise him in the shade.