Then led to reft, the day's long toil they drown,
Deep funk in fleep, and filk, and heaps of down.
At length 't is morn, and at the dawn of day,
Along the wide canals the zephyrs play :
Fresh o'er the gay parterres the breezes creep,
And shake the neighbouring wood to banish sleep.
Up rife the guests, obedient to the call:
An early banquet deck'd the fplendid hall;
Rich luscious wine a golden goblet grac'd,
Which the kind master forc'd the guests to taste.
Then, pleas'd and thankful, from the porch they go;
And, but the landlord, none had caufe of woe;

His

cup was vanish'd; for in fecret guise

The younger gueft purloin'd the glittering prize.
As one who fpies a ferpent in his way,
Gliftening and basking in the summer ray,
Disorder'd ftops to fhun the danger near,

r;

Then walks with faintnefs on, and looks with fear
So feem'd the Sire; when far upon the road,
The fhining fpoil his wiley partner show'd.

He ftop'd with filence, walk'd with trembling heart,
And much he wish'd, but durft not ask to part:
Murmuring he lifts his eyes, and thinks it hard,
That generous actions meet a base reward.

While thus they pass, the fun his glory fhrouds, The changing fkies hang out their fable clouds; A found in air prefag'd approaching rain, And beafts to covert fcud across the plain. Warn'd by the figns, the wandering pair retreat, To feek for fhelter at a neighbouring feat.

'Twas built with turrets, on a rifing ground,
And ftrong, and large, and unimprov'd around;
Its owner's temper, timorous and fevere,
Unkind and griping, caus'd a defert there.

As near the Miser's heavy doors they drew,
Fierce rifing gufts with fudden fury blew;
The nimble lightning mix'd with fhowers began,
And o'er their heads loud rolling thunders ran.
Here long they knock, but knock or call in vain,
Driven by the wind, and batter'd by the rain.
At length fome pity warm'd the master's breast
(Twas then his threshold first receiv'd a gueft);
Slow creeking turns the door with jealous care,
And half he welcomes-in the fhivering pair;
One frugal faggot lights the naked walls,
And nature's fervor through their limbs recalls:
Bread of the coarseft fort, with eager wine,
(Each hardly granted) ferv'd them both to dine;'
And when the tempest first-appear'd to cease,
A ready warning bid them part in peace.

With still remark the pondering Hermit view'd,
In one fo rich, a life so poor and rude ;

And why should such, within himself he cry'd,
Lock the loft wealth a thousand want befide?
But what new marks of wonder foon took place,
In every fettling feature of his face ;

When from his veft the young companion bore
That cup, the generous Landlord own'd before,

And

And paid profufely with the precious bowl
The ftinted kindness of this churlish foul.
But now the clouds in airy tumult fly;
The fun emerging opes an azure sky;
A fresher green the smelling leaves display,
And, glittering as they tremble, chear the day:
The weather courts them from the poor retreat,
And the glad master bolts the wary gate.

While hence they walk, the Pilgrim's bofom wrought With all the travel of uncertain thought;

His partner's acts without their cause appear,
'Twas there a vice, and feem'd a madness here :
Detefting that, and pitying this, he goes,
Loft and confounded with the various fhows.
Now night's dim shades again involve the sky,
Again the wanderers want a place to lye,
Again they fearch, and find a lodging nigh.
The foil improv'd around, the mansion neat,
And neither poorly low, nor idly great:
It feem'd to speak its mafter's turn of mind,
Content, and not to praise, but virtue kind.

Hither the walkers turn with weary feet,
Then blefs the manfion, and the master greet:
Their greeting fair, beftow'd with modeft guise,
The courteous master hears, and thus replies :
Without a vain, without a grudging heart,
To him who gives us all, I yield a part;
From him you come, for him accept it here,
A frank and fober, more than coftly cheer..

G..3

}

He

He spoke, and bid the welcome table spread,
Then talk of virtue till the time of bed,
When the grave houshold round his hall repair,
Warn'd by a bell, and close the hours with prayer.
At length the world, renew'd by calm repose,
Was strong for toil, the dappled morn arose;
Before the Pilgrims part, the younger crept,
Near the clos'd cradle where an infant flept,
And writh'd his neck: the Landlord's little pride,
O ftrange return! grew black, and gasp'd, and dy’d.
Horror of horrors! what! his only fon!

How look'd our Hermit when the fact was done;
Not hell, though hell's black jaws in funder part,
And breathe blue fire, could more affault his heart,
Confus'd, and ftruck with filence at the deed,
He flies, but trembling fails to fly with speed.
His fteps the Youth purfues; the country lay
Perplex'd with roads, a fervant fhow'd the way:
A river crofs'd the path; the paffage o'er
Was nice to find; the fervant trod before;
Long arms of oaks an open bridge supply'd,
And deep the waves beneath the bending glide.
The Youth, who feem'd to watch a time to fin,
Approach'd the careless Guide, and thrust him in;
Plunging he falls, and rifing lifts his head,
Then flashing turns, and finks among the dead.
Wild, fparkling rage inflames the father's eyes,
He burfts the bands of fear, and madly cries,
Detefted wretch ! But fcarce his fpeech began,
When the ftrange partner feem'd no longer man:

His youthful face grew more ferenely sweet;
His robe turn'd white, and flow'd upon his feet;
Fair rounds of radiant points invest his hair; :
Celestial odours breathe through purpled air;
And wings, whofe colours glitter'd on the day,
Wide at his back their gradual plumes display.
The form etherial burft upon his fight,
And moves in all the majesty of light.

Though loud at firft the Pilgrim's paffion grew,
Sudden he gaz’d, and wist not what to do ;
Surprize in fecret chains his words fufpends,
And in a calm his fettling temper ends.
But filence here the beauteous Angel broke
(The voice of mufic ravish'd as he spoke).

Thy prayer, thy praife, thy life to vice unknown, In fweet memorial rife before the throne: Thefe charms, fuccefs in our bright region find, And force an Angel down, to calm thy mind; For this, commission'd, I forsook the sky, Nay, cease to kneel-Thy fellow-servant I. Then know the truth of government divine, And let thefe fcruples be no longer thine. The Maker justly claims that world he made, In this the right of Providence is laid; Its facred majesty through all depends On ufing fecond means to work his ends: 'Tis thus, withdrawn in ftate from human eye, The Power exerts his attributes on high, Your actions uses, nor controls your will, And bids the doubting fons of men be still.