2 THE BRITISH MUSE. PARAPHRASE on the First Chapter of Receptacles are form'd, dread, wide, and O GENESIS, by the late Rev. WILLIAM Thou fupreme, eternal Lord of Hofts, And yet being finite, incapacious foar deep, To bound the mighty earth surrounding floods : Which undulating with the rifing hills, Flow rapid through the plains, and feek their goal, With roaring found, as from the hollow rocks, Rebounding thunders rend the arch of Heaven! In order harmonious, and complete. fhine; And earth beholds the changing order fixt, Of days for labour, and of reiting nights. The fplendid fun, by his advance refores And clothes the earth with all the springAll Nature's drooping face to joyous ite; ing fruits, Which ripening into full maturity, vade The globe terraqueous next his skill de- The face of things, and dulnefs fpreads mands, To form the limits infurmountable fide; the whole, And leaves the earth to reft in winter's lap. But the filver moon lends her welcome rays, To throw fome comfort into mortal minds, And chear the gloom of longer dreary nights. 3 L FIFTH FIFTH DAY. View but his curious form, ponder well The elements prepared, dead matter. The frame ftupendous, thro' its various fprings To active life, endow'd with moving For human ufe, and wasteful deserts stor'd With beats ferocious, wifdom has defign'd Swarm in the air, and cover o'er the earth. And trembles at the horrid interview. parts Of nerves, veins, and arteries elastic, Propelling blood thro' all the channels round; Which by the veins return'd, keeps genial warmth Throughout the whole, and life's continu'd fpring; Mufcles, cartilages, ligaments and bones, Strength and beauty of the noble structure. But here's no image found; go further ftill, Behold the Soul, a fpark of life divine! Immortal, free, and with reflection bleft; Weighs its own actions; fwiftly rumi And fpread profufely 'round is feen Saw ye against the craggy shore The waves in wild contention rife? On the high cliff's embattled brow The caftle's ruin'd towers lie low, And, as the corn-van's winnowing fail Drives the loose chaff before the gale, The winds in giddy eddies fweep The scatter'd navy o'er the deep : Yet harmless as the halcyon breeze That gently lifts the fummer feas, The tempeft breaks on Albion's coast, Its ftrength controul'd, its fury loft; Down on the furge the looks with dauntlefs face, And fees it idly lafh her white cliff's rocky bafe. Not more fecure her rocky fhores Defy the rude wind's ftormy hoft, The billow 'gainft Britannia's coaft, Freedom on this congenial shore And still her sons a mingled line Her vaunted charter, which unites Offspring of thofe whofe patriot hoft Saw Tyranny's expiring pride Whelm'd deep in Boyne's enfanguin'd tide; In dread array they stand round Britain's throne, And guard, at Freedom's call, a Monarch all her own. To welcome George's natal hour No vain difplay of empty power, In flattery fteep'd no foothing lay Shall ftrains of adulation pay; But Commerce rolling deep and wide To Albion's fhores her fwelling tide, But Themis' olive-cinctur'd head, And white-rob'd Peace by Vict'ry led, Shall fill his breaft with virtuous pride, Shall give him power to truth allied; Joys which alone a patriot king can prove, A nation's ftrength his power, his pride a people's love. Del fion all-'twas fancy urg'd by fear, I'll rub my eyes-yes, now my vifion's clear; That cheering fmile (I thank you, mifs) was kind! I'm now collected, and dare fpeak my mind; Tho' like Macheth affrighted late I ftood, Believe me, Ladies, here all's peace within. O me this task my comrades have affign'd, A pleafing task! to speak their grateful mind In artless verfe, and fearless of excefs, Youth's genuine feelings as they rise exprefs. Before this audience when we first appear'd, The bold were aw'd, for much the boldest fear'd. The beam benignant glanc'd from Beauty's eye, Chas'd our fad gloom, and fhew'd a vernal íky. Darkling no more we horrid spectres dread, Aurora rofe-the ghotts of fancy fled. Now dawning Reafon fheds her purple ray, The welcome earnest of a fplendid day. Or in the fenate, or the tented plain. rove, Seeking coy Truth in Academus' grove, Whate'er our lot, thro' life be this our aim, To fan fair Virtue's ever-hallow'd flame! The kind attention you this day have fhewn, Our pride at prefent, we will always own. Infpir'd by you improvements fhall ap pear In happier efforts when revolves the year. Our grateful homage you might surely claim, Who imp'd our wings and bade us rife to Fame. PRO PROCEEDINGS of the Second SESSION of the Seventeenth Parliament of Great Britain. Continued from Page 388. IN the house of commons, on Wednesday, April 4, Mr. M. A. Taylor rofe to oppofe the establishment of a lottery. The evils attendant on a lottery were fo extenfive, deftructive, and notorious, that it was unneceffary to dwell on them. If the majority of the house were with him in the first inftance, it was his intention to move for a committee to inquire into the nature and caufes of the evils attending the drawing of the lottery, and, if poffible, to apply a remedy. The laws for the purpose of restraining these evils were either totally infufficient, or fcandalously neglected. He had the authority of the right hon. gentle nan oppofite to him, for the existence and the magnitude of the evils. He had frequently lamented them, and attempted to counteract the mischief by a regulating bill. Experience, how ever, had fhewn the inefficacy of it, as indeed, he feared that all other provifions would be. The evils ftill existed, and were increafing of this he had the most refpectable authority in his pocket, the addreffes of the Middlefex grand jury, part of which he read. The language held by this refpectable body deferved the moft ferious attention; and their petition to the houfe, in which the deftructive practice of infurance was mentioned, deferved their moft ferious and immediate confideration. The lottery infurance furnished opportunities of gambling to the lower orders of people, which were seized with avidity; and the confequences of which, to this part of the community, were equally deftructive and notorious. Yet the laws, repeatedly enacted, and most comprehenfive in their formation, were found wholly inadequate; as also would every other regulation for the purpose which could be framed. There remained, therefore, but one way, and that was totally to abolish the lottery. He was aware that it would be faid, that it was an unfailing financial refource, and one of the most agreeable to those who contributed to it; yet its ill effects fhould be weighed against its advantages, and the former would be found very much to preponderate. The abolition of the lottery here would not be a complete remedy, without the fame taking place in Ireland; though he doubted not, if the measure were once determined here, there would be but little difficulty in effecting it in that kingdom. But it was not inftituting the measure for the present year that fo much alarmed him; his fears were excited by the declaration of the chancellor of the exchequer, that a lottery was intended as a permanent financial refource. This he must ever oppofe: it should be only resorted to in cafes of exigency, and on particular occafions. It had been declared from authority, not long ago, that it was to remain only until the loyalifts were fatisfied: on this ground, he did not. before oppose it. He was of opinion the community would be much better ferved were the taxes repealed to be continued, and the lottery given up; and the minifter would receive more folid popularity in the applaufe of the confiderate and the juft. On thefe grounds, and for the purpofe of a speedy inftitution of a committee of inquiry into the evils he had mentioned, he muft oppose the speaker's leaving the chair. Mr. Rofe faid, that with respect to the hon. gentleman's objections to the principles of a lottery, and its peculiar excellence as a financial refource, they had been completely refuted on former occafions. One or two points he would at prefent notice; 1ft, relative to the increase of illegal offices. He affured the house, that the most diligent fearch had been made, which was in most instances fucceffful, and thofe concerned were exemplarily punished: and that, at prefent, by what he could learn, there was not one in existence. The practice might be continued, but fo fecretly, as to elude research, but it must be in a very inconfiderable degree. However, he thought fome additional powers were neceffary to be given to the commiffioners of ftamps, and, if a few regulations were made, the ftoppage of all future practices might be depended on. With respect to the abolition of a lottery, in this and the fifter kingdom, were fuch a rash measure to be adopted, the lotteries which exifted in other countries, would be reforted to by the people, and thereby entail on ourselves all the evils without one poffible benefit. Mr. Francis reininded the right hon. gentleman, whofe conduct and language on a recent occafion (the flave business) must attach to him the applaufe and gratitude of the difcerning and the juft, and the indignant lightnings of whofe eloquence, on that occafion, blafted for ever the |