Exact and steady as the fage's eye

Through GALILEO's tube furveys the sky,
With ready view the tranfient object feize,
Swift as the motion of the rapid breeze,
Pursue the uncertain mark with fwift addrefs,
And catch the fleeting moment of fuccefs?

Ere yet the Mufe her lay preceptive end Ye eager youths thefe friendly rules attend: 'Tis not enough, that cautious aim, and fure, From erring fhots your brave compeers fecure, That prudence guard thofe ills which erft might flow

From the wing'd javelin, and the founding bow;

For on the gun unnumber'd dangers wait,

And various forms of unexpected fate.

Drawn thro' the thorny hedge, the uncertain lock

May give with sudden spring, a deadly shock;

Or

Or the loofe fpark the rapid flash may raife, And wrap the fulphurous duft in instant blazę.

'Tis hence the military race prepare

The novice youth with fuch affiduous care,

And teach him with punctilious art to wield

The weighty fire-lock in the embattled field.

Though fome may deem the attention urg'd too far,

As the mere pomp and circumftance of war;
When closely wedg'd the firm battalions stand,
Rank prefs'd on rank, and band impelling band,
Did not faftidious zeal with cautious plan
Define each act, and every motion scan,

Oft would the bullets 'mid the battles roar

The thirsty herbage die with friendly gore,

And oft the dangerous weapon's kindling breath

Change fields of exercife, to fields of death.

Behold yon' eager race who o'er the plain,

With ftimulating heel and loofen'd rein,

Their panting courfers urge to leave behind

The rapid currents of the northern wind, Though, as with headlong rage they rush along, Impending dangers feem to wait the throng;

Though accident with more apparent face

Seem to attend the ardor of the chace;

Yet, 'mid thefe calmer fports, with ghaftly mien
The pallid form of flaughter lurks unfeen;
And while the hunter checks his bold career

To pour on RUSSEL's tomb the forrowing tear,
The sportive train who haunt the fatal glades
Where hoary CAMUS flows by GRANTA's fhades,
Shall weep the unexpected blow that gave

Their much-lov'd COTTON to a timelefs grave.

Lamented youth! when erft on WARLEY'S plains

We led in radiant arms our ruftic fwains,

What

What time BRITANNIA, friendless and forlorn,

Her fhores expos'd, her naval trophies torn,

Bold in her native vigor dar'd oppose

Rebellious fubjects, and combining foes;

In vain thy generous bofom burn'd to stand
The manly bulwark of an injur'd land,
Or nobly bleeding by the hoftile ball,

In freedom's, and in ALBION's cause to fall;
Doom'd by relentless fate, to prefs the ground,
The unhappy victim of a cafual wound.

Votaries of rural joy! with mine while flow
Your kindred ftreams of fympathetic woe,
By falutary care, ah! learn to shun

The hidden dangers of the unguarded gun!
And, as in fields of pleasure you acquire

The foldier's manly toil and fteady fire,

His cautious ufe of arms attentive heed,

Careful by no inglorious wound to bleed,

Nor lavish life, but in the facred caufe

Of BRITAIN'S injur'd rights, and violated laws.

AERO