A Miscellany of Poems consisting of Original Poems, Translations, Pastorals in the Cumberland Dialect, Familiar Epistles, Fables, Songs, and Epigrams, by the late Reverend Josiah Relph ... With a Preface and a Glossary |
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PYTHAGORAS'S GOLDEN VERSES. |
 | A Miscellany of Poems |  |
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PYTHAGORAS'S GOLDEN VERSES.
The Gods first worship, as enjoin'd by law,An oath regarding with religious awe:
The Heroes then, and Stygian Powers allow
Their proper homage and the honours due:
And pay just def'rence to a parent's name,
Nor want thy relatives the right they claim:
Civility belongs to all the rest:
Be intimate with none except the best.
To gentle words and acts obliging bend:
Nor for a little failing hate thy friend,
As far as possible, for Power, we see,
Is a near neighbour to Necessity.
These be thy care. And still beneath thee keep
Anger and appetite and lust and sleep.
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Nor when alone: but most thyself revere.
Then justice exercise in word and deed:
And act in all affairs with utmost heed.
But know that every one is doom'd to dye;
And riches favour some, from others fly.
Whatever share of human ills be thine,
Bear it with resignation, nor repine:
Yet ease them, if thou canst; but keep in mind,
That Fate to good men has but few assign'd.
Reports of various kinds are apt to stray;
But let not these divert thee from thy way:
The slanders, that malicious tongues may feign,
Hear unconcern'd, nor let them give thee pain.
And be these following precepts all thy care:
Let none by courteous deeds or speeches fair,
Ever prevail with thee to do or say
What thine own interest offers to betray.
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An inconsiderate action speaks a fool.
And every thing with apprehension leave,
That may hereafter give thee cause to grieve.
Do nought in ign'rance; but what's needful know;
So shall thy life in happiest tenour flow.
Let health be valu'd as a real good,
And use a mean in exercise and food.
(What gives no future grief I call a mean)
Nor chuse a costly diet, but a clean.
Of acts, that envy may create, beware.
Nor spend too freely, nor too frugal spare.
Keep always to a mean: extremes offend,
Act circumspectly; and regard the end.
Nor close thine eyes, 'till thrice with strict survey
Thou look'st o'er all the actions of the day.
Into what follies have I heedless run?
What duties have I not, what have I done?
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The bad: impartial blame, the good approve.
Let these thy meditations all employ;
Be these thy labour, and be these thy joy.
For these to Virtue's paths thy steps will bring,
By him who gives our life freshnature's fourfold spring.
But first to Heaven apply for aid divine,
Then execute with courage thy design.
These precepts well observe, and thou shalt know
The state of things above, and things below.
Shalt know, as far as suits with human art,
Nature is uniform thro' ev'ry part:
That no false hopes may pass with thee for true,
Nor any secret thing escape thy view
Shalt know, that men misfortunes oft demand;
Hapless, who see not good, when close at hand!
And few know evils or to ease or fly;
So thick the cloud that hangs o'er Reason's eye.
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Meeting with many a hindrance in our way:
For strife unseen attacks us, ever nigh,
Born with us, which we should not dare, but fly.
Thou shouldst, O Jove, or lessen human woe,
Or every one his fate before-hand shew.
But thou have hopes, since man's of heav'nly line,
Whom Nature shews whatever is divine.
Of which if ought be thine, thou wilt retain
These precepts, and thy soul secure from pain.
The delicacies we forbad, refuse,
And great exactness at lustrations use.
Delib'rate cautiously in each affair,
The reins committing still to Reason's care.
And if to Heaven releas'd thy soul shall soar,
A God thou shalt become, a mortal man no more.
| A Miscellany of Poems | |