Strike on the innate spark which lay immers'd,
Thick clogg'd, and almost quench'd in total night
On me it fell, and cheer'd my joyless heart.
Unwelcome is the first bright dawn of light
To the dark soul; impatient, she rejects;
And fain would push the heavenly stranger back;
She loáths the cranny which admits the day;
Confus'd, afraid of the intruding guest;
Disturb'd, unwilling to receive the beam,
Which to herself her native darkness shews.

The effort rude to quench the cheering flame
Was mine, and e'en on Stella could I gaze.
With sullen envy, and admiring pride;
Till, doubly rous’d by Montague, the pair.
Conspire to clear my dull imprison's fense,
And chase the mists which dimm'a

my

visual beam, Oft as I trod my native wilds alone; Strong gusts of thought would rise, but rise to die ;; The portals of the swelling foul ne'er op'a By liberal converse ; rude ideas firove Awhile for vent, but found it not, and died :: Thus rust the mind's best powers. Yon starry orbšy Majestic ocean, flowery vales, gay groves, Eye-wasting lawns, and heaven-attempting hills, Which bound th' horizon, and which curb the view ;; All those, with beauteous imagery, awak'd My ravish'd soul to ecstasy untaught, To all the transport the rapt

sense can bear; But all expir’d for want of powers to speak; All perish'd in the mind as soon as born, Eraz’d more quick than cyphers on the shore,. O'er which the cruel waves, unheedful, rok.. H 6

Such:

Such timid rapture as young * Edwin seiz'd,
When his lone footsteps on the fage obtrude,
Whose noble precept charm’d his wond'ring ear ;;
Such rapture fillid + Ladilia's vacant soul,
When the bright moralift, in softness drest,
Opes all the glories of the mental world,
Deigns to direct the infant thought, to prune
The budding sentiment, uprear the stalk
Of feeble fancy, bid idea live,
Woo the abstracted fpirit from its cares,
And gently guide her to the scenes of peace.
Mine was that balm, and mine the grateful heart,
Which breathes its thanks in rough, but timid ftrainsa,

YEARSLEX

HAIL

AIL CHARITY! thou nymph divine,,

Mutual, at whose benignant shrine

Discordant nations bow ;
Come in thy kindest melting hour,
And with thy heart-dilating pow'r,

O make this bofom glow...
But “ thy sweet visage is too bright
« To hit the sense of human fight,”

Or shine beneath the skies :.

Man fondly boasts thy charms to fee
While the dim veil of fantasy

Beclouds his gazing eyes.

Does Charity regardless stand,
With aspect cold, and close her hand,

At helpless Mis'ry's cry;
Whilft. at fictitious tales of woe,
She bids her floods of sorrow. flow,

And heaves her throbbing figh?

Does Charity, with tearless eye,,
See truth and error mingled lie,

In philosophic fight ;
Bid disputants who can't agree,
With jarring faiths, in unity

As infidels unite ?

With Charity, majestic queen,
Wisdom and Truth are ever seen,

Celestial fisters twain :.
She bids the tender heart expand,

wide the lib'ral hand,
And sooths the mourner's pain..

She opens

When Error lifts his standard high,
She casts a firm indignant eye,

And frowns with look fevere ; .
Yet while she scorns his lawless reign,
O'er the poor slaves that hug his chain :

She drops the pitying tear..

Softly

Softly she breathes her gentle fighis,
While the bright dew-drops in her eyes,

Morn's.pearly tears are seen;
But soon her sympathetic rays
Dissolve them in meridian blaze,

And gild a sky ferene.

Come, pour thy radiance o'er my mind,,
Which yet to half thy charms is blind,

And cold to thine embrace ; shine, with kindest melting mien, Thro? all the clouds that intervene,

And veil thy heavenly face..

HUDSON..

8 E.c: T. LXXXIX.

THE COMPLAINT,

HY should I fix my longing eyes.

On fading charms below the skies ;; While angels, from yon crystal seats above

Point me to purer joys on high,

Which, ever-blooming, never die, And stoop with heavenly smiles to court a mortal's love?

Ah! whilst a pilgrim I remain,

Flesh holds me in its galling chain,
And binds my lighter fpirit's foaring wings;

That pants to leave these scenes below,

This glitt'ring pomp, this fleeting show, And with unclouded face behold celestial things.

Now

Now in fome happier hour, my mind

Leaves sublunary toys behind, Climbs the bright road, and claims her heavenly birthg

But while she wings her joyful flight,

Some gilded trifle's dazzling fight
Glides in between,, and calls her back to earth.

Blest source of harmony divine,

Who bad'st the light from darkness shines, And order spring from wild chaotic gloom ;

These jarring elements controul,

And o'er the weary wand'ring foul
Diffuse celestial peace, and Eden's virgin blooms.

Teach me with trembling joy to use

Whate'er thy providence shall choose, Whate'er on earth thy bounty shall impart ;

And while life's busy cares demand

The ceaseless labours of my hand, Be thou the rest, the treasure of my

heart. And when the pleasing awful day

Shall bid these mortal pow'rs decay, Diffolve the strife, and wipe away my tears ;

Then. shall the spirit drop her chains,

And fly to learn angelic ftrains, Where not a jarring note shall found to everlasting years.

Hudson.

SECT