POETRY.

Order is Heaven's first law; and this confest,
Some are, and must be, greater than the rest,
More rich, more wise; but who infers from hence,
That such are happier, shocks all common sense.

Needful austerities our wills restrain;

As thorns fence in the tender plant from harm.

Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense,
Lie in three words, health, peace, and competence;
But health consists with temperance alone;
And peace, 0 virtue! peace is all thy own.

On earth nought precious is obtain❜d,
But what is painful too;

By travel and to travel born,

Our sabbaths are but few.

Who noble ends by noble means obtains,
Or failing, smiles in exile or in chains,
Like good Aurelius let him reign, or bleed
Like Socrates, that man is great indeed.

Our hearts are fasten'd to this world,
By strong and endless ties ;

But every sorrow cuts a string,
And urges us to rise.

Oft pining cares in rich brocades are drest,
And diamonds glitter on an anxious breast.

Teach me to feel another's wo,

To hide the fault I see;

That mercy I to others show,

That mercy show to me.

This day be bread, and peace, my lot:

All else beneath the sun

Thou know'st if best bestow'd or not,

And let thy will be done.

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As, to be hated, needs but to be seen:
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

If nothing more than purpose in thy power,
Thy purpose firm, is equal to the deed:
Who does the best his circumstance allows,
Does well, acts nobly; angels could nò more.

In faith and hope the world will disagree,
But all mankind's concern is charity.

To be resign'd when ills betide,
Patient when favours are denied,

And pleas'd with favours giv'n;
Most surely this is Wisdom's part,
This is that incense of the heart,

Whose fragrance smells to Heav'n.

All fame is foreign, but of true desert;
Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart;
One self-approving hour whole years outweighs
Of stupid starers, and of loud huzzas ;
And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels
Than Cæsar with a senate at his heels.

Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life,

They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy,
The soul's calm sunshine, and the heartfelt joy,
Is virtue's prize.

Pity the sorrows of a poor old man,

Whose trembling limbs have borne him to thy door,
Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span:
Oh! give relief, and Heav'n will bless thy store,

Who lives to nature, rarely can be poor
Who lives to fancy, never can be rich.

When young, life's journey I began,
The glitt❜ring prospect charm'd my eyes;
I saw, along th' extended plain,

Joy after joy successive rise.

But soon I found 'twas all a dream;
And learn'd the fond pursuit to shun,
Where few can reach the purpos'd aim,
And thousands daily are undone.

'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours; And ask them, what report they bore to Heav'n.

All nature is but art unknown to thee;

All chance, direction which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood;

All partial evil, universal good.

Heav'n's choice is safer than our own;
Of ages past inquire,

What the most formidable fate;

"To have our own desire."

If ceaseless, thus, the fowls of heav'n he feeds,
If o'er the fields such lucid robes he spreads;
Will he not care for you, ye faithless, say?
Is he unwise? or, are ye less than they?

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heav'ns, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim:

Th' unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's power display,
And publishes to ev'ry land,
The work of an Almighty hand.

Soon as the ev❜ning shades prevail, The moon takes up the wond'rous tale, And, nightly, to the list'ning earth, Repeats the story of her birth :

Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What tho', in solemn silence, all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball;
What tho' nor real voice nor sound,
Amid their radiant orbs be found!
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
For ever singing as they shine,
"The hand that made us is Divine."

D 2

RULE IV.

Words ending with y, preceded by a consonant, upon assuming an additional syllable beginning with a consonant, commonly change y into i; as, happy, happily, happiness. But when y is preceded by a vowel, it is very rarely changed in the additional syllable ; as coy, coyly; boy, boyish, boyhood; annoy, annoyed, annoyance; joy, joyless, joyful, &c.

Grammar, p. 38. Key, p. 2.

It is a great blessing to have a sound mind, uninfluenced by fancyful humours.

Common calamities, and common blessings, fall heavyly upon the envious.

The comelyness of youth are modesty and frankness; of age, condescension and dignity.

When we act against conscience, we become the destroiers of our own peace.

We may be plaiful, and yet innocent; grave, and yet corrupt. It is only from general conduct, that our true character can be portraied.

RULE V.

Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, ending with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double that consonant, when they take another syllable beginning with a vowel: as, wit, witty; thin, thinnish; to abet, an abettor; to begin, a beginner.

But if a diphthong precedes, or the accent is on the preceding syllable, the consonant remains single: as, to toil, toiling; to offer, an offering; maid, maiden, &c.

Grammar, p. 38. Key, p. 3.

When we bring the lawmaker into contempt, we have in effect annuled his laws.

By defering our repentance, we accumulate our

sorrows.

The pupils of a certain ancient philosopher, were