 | Familiar letters and poems on several occasions |  |
An EPISTLE to ---
While some, my Friend, neglectful of their ease,
For ever busy, plow the Indian Seas;
While artful Statesmen court coy Fortune's Smiles,
And plod in Politic's laborious Toils:
Let us with Care survey this wond'rous Maze,
And follow Nature through her various Ways;
Consider Man in all his Scenes of Care,
His useless Grief, his ignorant Despair.
Man, who inconstant through each Stage of Life,
Sinks into Woes, or plunges into Strife:
Subject to Fortune's Frowns, who still disdains
To bear Controul, but breaks Distinction's Reins:
Or by the headstrong Passions hurry'd on,
Grasps at a Shade, and seeks to be undone;
Various Resolves now shake his lab'ring Mind:
He stumbles next on what he ne'er design'd;
How can his diff'rent Humours be express'd?
Or who can paint the Chaos in his Breast?
With Reason blest; he still mistakes his View,
Pursues false Notions, or neglects the true;
Stubborn he roams, and heedless scorns his Guide,
And plunges deep in Falsehood's muddy Tide;
Tugs through the Sea of Life his leaky Bark,
And proud, and stubborn wanders in the Dark.
For ever busy, plow the Indian Seas;
While artful Statesmen court coy Fortune's Smiles,
And plod in Politic's laborious Toils:
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And follow Nature through her various Ways;
Consider Man in all his Scenes of Care,
His useless Grief, his ignorant Despair.
Man, who inconstant through each Stage of Life,
Sinks into Woes, or plunges into Strife:
Subject to Fortune's Frowns, who still disdains
To bear Controul, but breaks Distinction's Reins:
Or by the headstrong Passions hurry'd on,
Grasps at a Shade, and seeks to be undone;
Various Resolves now shake his lab'ring Mind:
He stumbles next on what he ne'er design'd;
How can his diff'rent Humours be express'd?
Or who can paint the Chaos in his Breast?
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Pursues false Notions, or neglects the true;
Stubborn he roams, and heedless scorns his Guide,
And plunges deep in Falsehood's muddy Tide;
Tugs through the Sea of Life his leaky Bark,
And proud, and stubborn wanders in the Dark.
Audacious Man, that Reptile of an Hour,
Presumptuous dares high Heav'ns eternal Pow'r;
Blinded by Pride, does boundless Heights explore,
And leaves those easy Paths he trod before.
A Slave to error, soars above his Sphere,
And smiles with impious Mirth at pious Fear;
With evangelic Verity finds fault,
And boldly mends what Inspiration taught.
Wou'd (tho' a Stranger to himself) dispute,
And call in question ev'ry Attribute;
Darts at Futurity the senseless Joke!
And laughs at Truths which Reverend Prophets spoke,
Asserts that Man, when Death has fix'd his Doom,
Lies like the Brutes forgotten in the Tomb.
Presumptuous dares high Heav'ns eternal Pow'r;
Blinded by Pride, does boundless Heights explore,
And leaves those easy Paths he trod before.
A Slave to error, soars above his Sphere,
And smiles with impious Mirth at pious Fear;
With evangelic Verity finds fault,
And boldly mends what Inspiration taught.
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And call in question ev'ry Attribute;
Darts at Futurity the senseless Joke!
And laughs at Truths which Reverend Prophets spoke,
Asserts that Man, when Death has fix'd his Doom,
Lies like the Brutes forgotten in the Tomb.
Forbear vain Man, give these re-searches o'er,
Nor what thou can'st not comprehend explore!
Why wou'dst thou know what Nature has forbid?
Why seek those Depths, which lye in Darkness hid?
Why wou'dst thou soar on weak Icarian wings,
And rashly pry into mysterious Things?
Impartial Heav'n, if Heav'n had thought it right!
Had laid all Nature open to thy Sight:
Had stamp'd Omniscience on thy weaker Soul,
And thou hadst known the Fabric of the whole.
Nor what thou can'st not comprehend explore!
Why wou'dst thou know what Nature has forbid?
Why seek those Depths, which lye in Darkness hid?
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And rashly pry into mysterious Things?
Impartial Heav'n, if Heav'n had thought it right!
Had laid all Nature open to thy Sight:
Had stamp'd Omniscience on thy weaker Soul,
And thou hadst known the Fabric of the whole.
This Heav'n refus'd: yet Man, that thing of Clay,
Breath of an Hour and verdure of a Day:
Boldly asserts (so boundless is his Pride,)
Reason alone, an all-sufficient Guide.
Breath of an Hour and verdure of a Day:
Boldly asserts (so boundless is his Pride,)
Reason alone, an all-sufficient Guide.
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Stop thy Career, Religion's Laws obey,
She soon will lead thee thro' a smoother Way:
Will mildly place thy Follies to thy view,
And teach those Virtues which thou shou'dst pursue,
Will bid thee open thy mistaken Eyes,
And kindly shew thee where thy Error lies:
Read with Attention, and consider well,
What Scriptures promise, and what Gospels tell;
View how each Law in Reason takes its Root,
And then those Laws, if possible, dispute.
She soon will lead thee thro' a smoother Way:
Will mildly place thy Follies to thy view,
And teach those Virtues which thou shou'dst pursue,
Will bid thee open thy mistaken Eyes,
And kindly shew thee where thy Error lies:
Read with Attention, and consider well,
What Scriptures promise, and what Gospels tell;
View how each Law in Reason takes its Root,
And then those Laws, if possible, dispute.
Mysterious Truths like gentle Rivers flow,
First rush from Rocks, then run thro' Vales below,
The silver Waves we see with Pleasure glide,
Rapid their Stream, and fertile is their Tide;
Charm'd with the Blessings of their healthful Course,
Who'd vainly seek to trace the hidden Source.
If God ne'er acts without immediate Cause,
Why all his Precepts, and for what his Laws?
Reason had taught us, if our only Guide,
To fly the Robber, and the Homicide,
And moral, and religious Want supply'd.
First rush from Rocks, then run thro' Vales below,
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Rapid their Stream, and fertile is their Tide;
Charm'd with the Blessings of their healthful Course,
Who'd vainly seek to trace the hidden Source.
If God ne'er acts without immediate Cause,
Why all his Precepts, and for what his Laws?
Reason had taught us, if our only Guide,
To fly the Robber, and the Homicide,
And moral, and religious Want supply'd.
Unhappy Nations, where no Laws subsist,
No Precepts govern, and no Rules exist!
Where strong Oppression bears despotic Sway,
And force their Subjects, trembling, to obey!
Where Ostentation leads the Way to Fame,
And Virtue's made a Tool to raise a Name!
Where Glory blazes like a Meteor bright,
The sudden Wonder of one awful Night!
Where Friendship, Falsehood, Pity, lawless Force,
Take from one Bosom a resistless Course?
Inconstant Heroes, warring in their Will,
Now fond of Virtue, and now prone to Ill!
By her assisted, Fame's Ascent they climb,
Or lost to Glory, triumph in a Crime.
No Precepts govern, and no Rules exist!
Where strong Oppression bears despotic Sway,
And force their Subjects, trembling, to obey!
Where Ostentation leads the Way to Fame,
And Virtue's made a Tool to raise a Name!
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The sudden Wonder of one awful Night!
Where Friendship, Falsehood, Pity, lawless Force,
Take from one Bosom a resistless Course?
Inconstant Heroes, warring in their Will,
Now fond of Virtue, and now prone to Ill!
By her assisted, Fame's Ascent they climb,
Or lost to Glory, triumph in a Crime.
But Heav'n, more watchful for our future Bliss,
Has pointed out the Road to Happiness,
Has blacken'd Vice with all her gloomy Train,
And bid fair Virtue spotless White remain:
“Be yours the Choice, pursue or that or this,
“Your certain Ruin, or your certain Bliss;
“Embrace not Vice, her gilded Ruin shun,
“Virtue has artless Charms, court those or be undone.
Has pointed out the Road to Happiness,
Has blacken'd Vice with all her gloomy Train,
And bid fair Virtue spotless White remain:
“Be yours the Choice, pursue or that or this,
“Your certain Ruin, or your certain Bliss;
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“Virtue has artless Charms, court those or be undone.
Here use thy Reason, all thy Efforts try,
Obey thy God, and prize Eternity:
Virtue with pious Steps pursue in Time,
Mount by Degrees, nor tumble as you climb;
Soon shall the uncouth Passage disappear,
Thy Eyes will open, and the Prospect clear.
Obey thy God, and prize Eternity:
Virtue with pious Steps pursue in Time,
Mount by Degrees, nor tumble as you climb;
Soon shall the uncouth Passage disappear,
Thy Eyes will open, and the Prospect clear.
Man, by his suff'rings, the true Hero shows,
Who calmly bears the Burden of his Woes;
Who smiles at Perils, and encompass'd round
With Troubles, bravely still maintains his Ground.
Vexation, Sorrow, Anguish, Grief and Pain,
Will form the Hero, and compleat the Man.
Who calmly bears the Burden of his Woes;
Who smiles at Perils, and encompass'd round
With Troubles, bravely still maintains his Ground.
Vexation, Sorrow, Anguish, Grief and Pain,
Will form the Hero, and compleat the Man.
S.
| Familiar letters and poems on several occasions | |