Murray's English Reader

10. But if a hermit you're resolv'd to dwell, And bid to social life a last farewell;

'Tis impious

God never made an independent man;
'Twould jar the concord of his gen'ral plan.
See every part of that stupendous whole,

Whose body nature is, and God the soul;" To one great end the general good conspire, From matter, brute, to man, to seraph, fire. 11. Should man through nature solitary roam, His will his sovereign, every where his home, What force would guard him from the lion's jaw! What swiftness wing him from the panther's paw ? Or should fate lead him to some safer shore, Where panthers never prowl, nor lions roar, Where liberal nature all her charms bestows, Suns shine, birds sing, flowers bloom, and water flows, Fool, dost thou think he'd revel on the store, Absolve the care of Heaven, nor ask for more? Though waters flow'd, flow'rs bloom'd, and Phœbus

shone,

He'd sigh, he'd murmur, that he was alone.
For know, the Maker on the human breast
A sense of kindred, country, man, impress'd.
12. Though nature's works the ruling mind declare,

And well deserve inquiry's serious care,
The God (whate'er misanthropy may say,)
Shines, beams in man with most unclouded ray.
What boots it thee to fly from pole to pole ?
Hang o'er the sun, and with the planets roll?
What boots through space's furthest bourns to roam ?
If thou, O man, a stranger art at home.
Then know thyself, the human mind survey:
The use, the pleasure, will the toil repay.
13. Nor study only, practise what you know;
Your life, your knowledge, to mankind you owe.
With Plato's olive wreath the bays entwine;
Those who in study, should in practice shine.
Say, does the learned lord of Hagley's shade,
Charm man so much by mossy fountains laid,
As when arous'd he stems corruptions course,
And shakes the senate with a Tully's force?
Wuen freedom gasp'd beneath a Cesar's feet,
Then public virtue might to shades retreat:
But where she breathes, the least may useful be,
And freedom. Britain, still belongs to thee.

14. Though man's ungrateful, or though fortune frown;

Is the reward of worth, a song, or crown ?
Nor yet unrecompens'd are virtue's pains;
Good Allen lives, and bounteous Brunswick reigns.

1

On each condition disappointments wait,
Enter the hut, and force the guarded gate.
Nor dare repine though early friendship bleed :
From love, the world, and all its cares, he's freed.
But know, adversity's the child of God;

Whom Heaven approves of most, must feel her rod.
15. When smooth old Ocean, and each storm's asleep,
Then ignorance may plough the wat'ry deep :
But when the demons of the tempest rave,
Skill must conduct the vessel through the wave
Sidney, what good man envies not thy blow?
Who would not wish Anytus* for a foe?
Intrepid virtue triumphs over fate :
The good can never be unfortunate;
And be this maxim graven in thy mind;
The height of virtue is, to serve mankind.

16. But when old age has silver'd o'er thy head,
When memory fails, and all thy vigour's fled,
Then mayst thou seek the stillness of retreat,
Then hear aloof the human tempest beat;
Then will I greet thee to my woodland cave,
Allay the pangs of age, and smooth thy grave.

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