found Stillness of thefe Places impofes Silence upon Men, truck with the hoarfe Ecchoings of every Sound within the fpacious Caverns of the Wood. Here Space aftonishes; Silence itself feems pregnant, whilft an unknown Force works on the Mind, and dubious Objects move the wakeful Senfe. Myfterious Voices are either heard or fancy'd, and various Forms of Deity feem to prefent themfelves, and appear more manifeft in these facred Sylvan Scenes; fuch as of old gave rife to Temples, and favour'd the Religion of the ancient World. Even we ourselves, who in plain Characters may read Divinity from fo many bright Parts of the Earth, chufe rather thefe obfcurer Places to spell out that mysterious Being, which to our weak Eyes appears at beft under a Veil of Cloud.

LESSON X.

On HAPPINESS.

Happines! our Being's End and Aim!

Good, Pleafure, Eafe, Content! whate'er thy Name:
That Something, which ftill prompts th' eternal Sigh;
For which we bear to live, nor fear to die :
Which still so near us, yet beyond us lies;
O'erlook'd, feen double, by the Fool-and Wife.
Plant of Celestial Seed! if dropt below,
Say in what mortal Soil thou deign'ft to grow?
Fair-opening to fome Court's propitious Shrine?
Or deep with Diamonds in the flaming Mine?
Twin'd with the Wreaths Parnaffian Laurels yield?
Or reapt in Iron Harvests of the Field?

Afk of the Learn'd the Way, the Learn'd are blind :
This bids to ferve, and That to fhun Mankind.
Some place the Blifs in Action, fome in Eafe;
Thofe call it Pleafure, and Contentment Thefe.-
Take Nature's Path, and mad Opinions leave;
All States can reach it, and all Heads conceive :
Obvious her Goods, in no Extreme they dwell,
There needs but thinking right, and meaning well;
And mourn our various Portions as we please,
Equal is common Senfe, and common Eafe.

ORDER

ORDER is Heaven's firft Law; and this confeft,
Some are, and muft be, greater than the reft,
More rich, more wife; but who infers from hence,
That fuch are happier, fhocks all common Senfe.-
Know, all the Good that Individuals find,

Or God and Nature meant to mere Mankind;
Reafon's whole Pleafures, all the Joys of Senfe,
Lie in three Words, Health, Peace, and Competence.

LESSON XI.

The JUGGLER.

A FABLE.

JUGGLER long through all the Town
Had rais'd his Fortune and Renown:
You'd think (fo far his Art defcends)
The Devil at his Finger's Ends.

VICE heard his Fame, the read his Bill;
Convinc'd of his inferior Skill,

She fought his Booth, and from the Croud
Defy'd the Man of Art aloud.

Is this then he fo fam'd for Slight?
Can this flow Bungler cheat your Sight?
Dares he with me difpute the Prize?
I leave it to impartial Eyes.

Provok'd, the Juggler cry'd, 'Tis done :
In Science I fubmit to none.

Thus faid, the Cups and Balls he play'd
By turns; this here, that there convey'd :
The Cards, obedient to his Words,
Are by a Fillip turn'd to Birds;
His little Boxes change the Grain,
Trick after Trick deludes the Train.
He shakes his Bg, he fhows all fair,
His Fingers fpread, and nothing there;
Then bids it rain with Show'rs of Gold,
And now his Iv'ry Eggs are told;
But when from thence the Hen he draws,
Amaz'd Spectators him applaufe.

VICE

VICE now ftept forth, and took the Place,
With all the Forms of his Grimace.

This magic Looking-glafs, the cries,

There, hand it round, will charm your Eyes.
Each eager Eye the Sight defir'd,
And ev'ry Man himself admir'd.

Next, to a Senator addreffing,

See this Bank-note; obferve the Bleffing.
Breathe on the Bill.-Heigh, pafs-'tis gone!
Upon his Lips a Padlock fhone.

A fecond Puff the Magic broke,
The Padlock vanifh'd, and he spoke.
Twelve Bottles rang'd upon the Board,
All full, with heady Liquor ftor'd,
By clean Conveyance difappear,
And now two bloody Swords are there.
A Purse she to a Thief expos'd :
At once his ready Fingers clos'd;
He opes his Fift, the Treafure's fled,
He fees a Halter in its Stead.
She bids Ambition hold a Wand,
He grafps a Hatchet in his Hand.

A Box of Charity fhe fhows;

Blow here, and a Church-warden blows: 'Tis vanifh'd with Conveyance neat,

And on the Table fmokes a Treat.

She shakes the Dice, the Board fhe knocks,
And from all Pockets fills her Box.

She next a meagre Rake addrefs'd;
This Picture fee; her Shape, her Breaft!
What Youth, and what inviting Eyes!
Hold her, and have her.--With Surprize,
His Hand expos'd a Box of Pills;
And a loud Laugh proclaim'd his Ills.
A Counter, in a Mifer's Hand,
Grew twenty Guineas at Command;
She bids his Heir the Sum retain,
And 'tis a Counter now again.
A Guinea with her Touch you fee
Take ev'ry Shape but Charity;
And not one Thing, you faw or drew,
But chang'd from what was firft in View.
The Juggler now in Grief of Heart,
With this Submiffion, own'd her Art.

"Can

"Can I fuch matchlefs Slight withstand?
"How Practice hath improv'd your Hand!
"But now and then I cheat the Throng;
"You ev'ry Day, and all Day long.

LESSON XII.

On MUSICK.

Efcend, ye Nine! defcend and fing;
The breathing Inftruments infpire,
Wake into Voice each filent String,
And sweep the founding Lyre!
In a fadly-pleafing Strain

Let the warbling Lute complain :

Let the loud Trumpet found,
Till the Roofs all around

The fhrill Echoes rebound:

While in more lengthen'd Notes and flow,
The deep, majeftic, folemn Organs blow.
Hark! the Numbers foft and clear,
Gently fteal upon the Ear;

Now louder, and yet louder rife,

And fill with fpreading Sounds the Skies;
Exulting in Triumph now fwell the bold Notes,
In broken Air, trembling, the wild Mufic floats;
Till by Degrees, remote and small,
The Strains decay,

And melt away,
In a dying, dying Fall.

LESSON XIII.

The RURAL LIFE.

H knew he but his Happiness, of Men
The happieft he who far from public Rage,

Deep in the Vale, with a choice Few retir'd,
Drinks the pure Pleasures of the Rural Life.
What tho' the Dome be wanting, whofe proud Gate
Each Morning vomits out the fneaking Croud
Of Flatterers falfe, and in their Turns abus'd?
(Vile Intercourfe!) What tho' the glitt❜ring Robe
Of every Hue reflected Light can give,

Or floating loofe, or ftiff with mazy Gold,
(The Pride and Gaze of Fools!) opprefs him not?
What tho' from utmoft Land and Sea purvey'd,
For him each rarer tributary Life

Bleeds not, and his infatiate Table heaps
With Luxury and Death? What tho' his Bowl
Flames not with coftly Juice; nor funk in Beds,
Oft of gay Care, he toffes out the Night,
Or melts the thoughtlefs Hours in idle State?
What tho' he knows not those fantastic Joys,
That ftill amufe the Wanton, ftill deceive;
A Face of Pleasure, but a Heart of Pain;
Their hollow Moments undelighted all ?
Sure Peace is his ; a folid Life, eftrang'd
To Difappointment, and fallacious Hope:
Rich in Content, in Nature's Bounty rich,

In Herbs and Fruits; whatever greens the Spring,
When Heaven defcends in Show'rs; or bends the Bough,
When Summer reddens, and when Autumn beams;

Or in the wintry Glebe whatever lies

Conceal'd, and fattens with the richest Sap:

Thefe are not wanting; nor the milky Drove,
Luxuriant, fpread o'er all the lowing Vale;
Nor bleating Mountains; nor the Chide of Streams,
And Hum of Bees inviting Sleep fincere
Into the guiltless Breaft, beneath the Shade,
Or thrown at large amid the fragrant Hay:
Nor aught befide of Profpect, Grove, or Song,
Dim Grottos, gleaming Lakes, and Fountains clear.
Here too dwells fimple Truth; plain Innocence;
Unfully'd Beauty; Sound unbroken Youth,
Patient of Labour, with a Little pleas'd;
Health ever-blooming; unambitious Toil;
Calm Contemplation, and Poetic Eafe.

LESSON