HUMAN FRAILTY. WEAK and irrefolute is man; The purpose of to-day, Woven with pains into his plan, To-morrow rends away. The bow well-bent, and smart the spring, But Paffion rudely fnaps the ftring, Some foe to his upright intent Virtue engages his assent, But Pleafure wins his heart. 'Tis here the folly of the wife, Bound on a voyage of awful length, And dangers little known, A ftranger to fuperior strength, Man vainly trufts his own. But oars alone can ne'er prevail To reach the diftant coaft; The breath of Heaven muft fwell the fail, Or all the toil is loft. COWPER. ON LOVE OF PRAISE. OF all the fprings within the mind, Nor any partial, private end, Such rev'rence to the public bears; For who in glory can delight, But not the echo on the voice More, than on Virtue, praise depends; To which, of course, its real price, If praise then with religious awe Nor prieft, nor bard, nor fage hath taught. With which in character the fame, I count that foul of human fame, AKENSIDE. ODE TO SLEEP. SOFT fleep, profoundly pleafing power, Whether thou lov't to glide along, Of gentle dreams and smiles of joy, SMOLLETT. ODE ON SCIENCE. OH! heavenly-born! in deepest cells' Beneath the moffy cave; Indulge the verdure of the woods; For melancholy ever reigns, Delighted in the fylvan fcenes With fcientific light, While Dian, huntress of the yales, Seeks lulling founds and fanning gales, Tho' wrapt from mortal fight. Yet goddess, yet the way explore, Till Wisdom give the facred Nine When Solon and Lycurgus taught To erring zeal they gave new laws, Bid bright Aftræa gild the morn, To hecatomb the year; |