CHORUS. Bleft æra, come! when war fhall cease, With all her wasting train; And justice, innocence, and peace Thro' endless years remain. PSALM XCVII. Paraphrased. HERE is in no collection of devout compofitions THER a greater diverfity of matter than in the Pfalms of DAVID. They appear to have been pen'd while the author was under the immediate impreffion of those feelings which he fo admirably defcribes; whether of religious pensiveness, devout contemplation, admiration of God's attributes, pious joy, gratitude, and thanksgiv. ing, arifing from the various ftate of kis mind or temporal affairs. They are, therefore, wonderfully fitted and adapted to the cafe of men in general, who, at one time or other, are in fome of thofe fituations, and actuated by the fame fenfations: And as they are written with great fervour of Spirit, folidity of understanding, Strength of fancy, and a foul illuminated by divine inSpiration, it is not to be wondered that they have fo often charmed the best and greatest geniuses.-Sundry of our most celebrated English poets have employed their pens in rendering divers of thofe excellent pieces into verfe-and there is not a fublimer and more mufical poem in the compofitions of Addison, than that which is wrought out of the 19th pfalm. I have thus far premised, to induce, if possibie, those youths among us, who have enjoyed the advantage of a liberal liberal education, and have leifure for literary pursuits and a taste and capacity for poetry, which fome have lately evinced, to turn their talents towards fuch inftructive performances.-The Holy Scriptures are the true fountain from which to extract the richest draughts of poefy, both as to dignity of matter and embellishment of figures; witness the noble use the great Milton made of them in his marvellous poems, and though few must expect to reach to fuch heights as did that prodigy of learning and genius, yet all, according to their ability, may follow his illuftrious example; and if we would wish to excel and atchieve any thing great and laudable, we should always look to a mark fuperior to ourSelves. The 145th pfalm, in particular, one of those paraphrafed below, is a most beautiful picture of the Supreme Being, whom the Pfalmift extols for thofe amiable attributes, which most of all must effect men with joy, as fubjects of God's moral government, his goodness and mercy. Such a theme needs no apology; and as to the prefent handling of it, if it fhould excite others, of a fimilar tafte, who, like the Author, may fometimes have an hour in the country unoccupied by duty, bufinefs, or friends, which they would wifh rationally to employ in fuch like amusements, be hopes it will plead his excufe. PSALM XCVII. PARAPHRASED. XULT, O earth! ye nations found his praise, Ext One God fupreme, with pow'r unbounded Offspring of nature! the glad tidings hear, The ardent ftrain, lo! joyous Zion heard, Praising Praifing transported, and in fweet accord, PSALM |