Mufa nos fuper æthera Quadrigis volitantibus
Lætos transferet ad locos, Et vireta recondita Effulgent ubi nobilis Scriptorum veterum chorus, Queis Judæa fuperbiit Dilectis penitus Deo ; Et quos Græcia, fertilis Mater artium et ingenî; Et quos Roma potens tulit, Quum Parcæ aurea fæcula Nerent, Cæfare fub bono; Et quos magnanimus Leo Fovit, Italiæ decus; Et quos noftra Britannia, Romæ et Helladis æmula, Et quos Gallia nutriit, Cultis Gallia moribus; Et, quos dicere fi velim Dicentem fugiet dies.
Hos inter, ftrepitu procul, Vanâ fpe procul, et metu, Curas fallere fi datur, Nil ultra cupio, aut peto: Nam magni Patris hactenus Nunquam claufa benignitas Frugi quod fatis eft viro,
Et, fervo quod inutili
Ultra quàm fatis est, dedit. Sufficit mihi, fi modò
Me pulcrarum amor artium, Et, quamquam tenuis, labor Secernent nebulonibus, Detractoribus, invidis, Quos obfcura filentia
Nocte, fic meritos, prement.
Ergò abfint querimoniæ : Dum ftulti querimur, dies Protrudit fubiens diem, et Vita præcipitans volat. Et meus Genius mihi
Nuper ad caput adftitit ; Nec te, inquit, fenium gravat, Nec dum triftis hyems adeft, Etfi ver breve fervidis
Olim præteriit rotis ;
Sed, mortalibus haud licet
Luci fidere craftinæ ;
Collige, ut levis exeas,
Quum fignum dederit PATER.
REMARK AT THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
"The Bishop of Bangor [Dr. Z. Pearce ], and Mr. "Warburton, have been willing to appear as my "friends and my coadjutors in this work." *
IBIT et hoc noftri per fæcula fœdus amoris, Doctorumque inter nomina nomen ero: Forfan et extinctum non fpernet Patria dulcis, Forfitan et dicet, "Tu quoque nofter eras." Talibus inferiis placabilis umbra quiefcet; Lenibunt Manes talia dona meos.
Intereà labor ipfe levat faftidia vitæ ; Eterno rectum fub duce pergat iter! Scriptores fancti, falvete, et cana Vetuftas ; Salve, Mufa, nimis blanda tenaxque comes: Tu puero teneris penitus dilecta fub annis; Tune etiam emerito cura futura viro? Ne tamen æternum, moefta atque irata, recede, Sed raro, fed vix fæpe rogata, veni. Hæc, Fortuna, tuis non funt obnoxia regnis, Livorin hæc poterit juris habere nihil.
* See the fecond edition of Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, published 1767. Vol. I. page 249.
As yet this world no being-place had found; Wild chaos rul'd, and fable-vested night, Whilft jarring atoms, through the vast profound By chance and discord led to doubtful fight, Strove with tumultuous rage and restlefs might; Till Harmony and Love compos'd the fray, And chas'd the fhades of ancient night away.
Love, whose approach the darkness dares not bide, Shot from his ftarry eyes ten thousand rays : She to the chords her softest touch apply'd, Then louder 'gan the fwelling notes to raise, And fung fair Peace, and beauteous Order's praise. Her voice sweet founded thro' the boundless deep, And all was calm, and all did filence keep.
The lift'ning atoms straight forgot their hate, And pleas'd, yet wond'ring at their change, they ftood;
Strange force of founds, fuch fury to abate! Then each with fond embrace the other woo'd, And each eternal peace and union vow'd.
Love bound them, nothing loath, in lafting chains, And o'er them all, his willing fubjects, reigns.
Then yon bright orb began to roll askance, His course effaying through th' ecliptic way; And wand'ring ftars to move in mystic dance, And skies their azure volumes to display: Then 'gan the earth to fmile in fair array,
And new-born man, with wonder and delight, Gaz'd all around him on the beauteous fight.
This work perform'd, the goddefs took her flight, Winging the wide-expanded fields of air, To her own native place, the realms of light, Where dwell the gods, devoid of grief and care. Around her golden throne they all repair;
Enwrapp'd in filent tranfport, while fhe fings Sweet lays, refponfive to the trembling ftrings,
Yet thence, though rarely, the celestial guest Deigns to defcend, unfeen of mortal eyn, And gently glides into the poet's breast: She comes; and lo! he feels the pow'r divine; New images begin to rife and fhine,
Keeping due meafure, moving hand in hand, And fober judgment leads the fprightly band.
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