"Rome, for empire far renown'd, Tramples on a thousand states; Soon her pride shall kiss the groundHark! the Gaul is at her gates! "Other Romans shall arise, Heedless of a soldier's name; "Then the progeny that springs "Regions Cæsar never knew Such the bard's prophetic words She, with all a monarch's pride, "Ruffians, pitiless as proud, Heav'n awards the vengeance due: Empire is on us bestow'd, Shame and ruin wait for you." COWPER. TH 36. THE BUILDERS. [AN EASTERN LEGEND.] HERE'S an isle far off, under India's skies, Where the mariner oft at eve descries, When the heavens are calm, and the winds asleep, Dark ruins beneath the shining deep, Of towers up-built, as the tale is told, By Lords of that isle, in days of old; Who, aping the Babel-builders' skill, Heap'd stone on stone, aspiring still, Till, lodged aloft on their piles of pride, Earth, sea, and heaven, these Lords defied. But little they knew, when towering so, In vain did the wise, whose prescient ear It was all in vain-unmoved they stood, were gone. In the light of heaven one instant shone T. MOORE. 37. GRATITUDE TO GOD. WHEN all thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys; O, how shall words, with equal warmth, Thy providence my life sustain'd, To all my weak complaints and cries, Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt Unnumber'd comforts to my soul Before my infant heart conceived From whence these comforts flow'd. When in the slippery paths of youth, Through hidden dangers, toils, and death, When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou And when in sin and sorrow sunk, Revived my soul with grace. Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss And in a kind and faithful friend Ten thousand thousand precious gifts, Through every period of my life, When nature fails, and day and night My ever-grateful heart, O Lord, Through all eternity to Thee For, oh eternity's too short ADDISON. 38. THE THREE SONS. HAVE a son, a little son, a boy just five years old, I eyes gentle mould: They tell me that unusual grace in all his ways appears, The food for grave inquiring speech he everywhere doth find. Strange questions doth he ask of me, when we together walk; He scarcely thinks as children think, or talks as children talk Nor cares he much for childish play, doats not on bat or ball, But looks on manhood's ways and works, and aptly mimics all. His little head is busy still, and oftentimes perplex'd With thoughts about this world of care, and thoughts about the next. He kneels at his dear mother's knee, she teacheth him to pray, And strange, and sweet, and solemn are the words which he will say. Oh! should my gentle child be spared to manhood's years like me, And when I look into his eyes, and stroke his thoughtful brow, I'll not declare how bright and fair his little features be; |