A raven while with gloffy breast, The legislature call'd it May. As ever swept a winter sky, Shook the young leaves about her ears, Left the rude blaft should snap the bough, But juft at eve the blowing weather, And all her fears were hufh'd together: And now, quoth poor unthinking Ralph, "Tis over, and the brood is fafe; (For (For ravens though as birds of omen, They teach both conj'rers and old women To tell us what is to befall, Can't prophefy themselves, at all.) The morning came, when neighbour Hodge, And deftin'd all the treafure there A gift to his expecting fair, Climb'd like a fquirrel to his dray, And bore the worthless prize away. MOR A L. 'Tis providence alone fecures In every change, both mine and your's: Safety confifts not in escape From dangers of a frightful fhape, An earthquake may be bid to spare The man that's ftrangled by a hair. 2 A COMPARISON. THE lapfe of time and rivers is the fame, No wealth can bribe, no pray'rs persuade to stay, And a wide ocean fwallows both at laft. Though each resemble each in ev'ry part, A difference strikes at length the musing heart; ANOTHER. Addeffed to a YOUNG LADY. SWEET ftream that winds through yonder glade, Apt emblem of a virtuous maid Silent Silent and chafte fhe fteals along Far from the world's gay bufy throng, With gentle yet prevailing force Intent upon her deftin'd course, Graceful and useful all she does, Bleffing and bleft where'er fhe goes, VERSES, fuppofed to be written by ALEXANDER SELKIRK, during his folitary Abode in the Island of JUAN FERNANDEZ. I. I AM monarch of all I furvey, My right there is none to difpute, From the centre all round to the fea, I am lord of the fowl and the brute. Oh folitude! where are the charms That fages have seen in thy face? Better dwell in the midst of alarms, Than reign in this horrible place. VGL. I. X I am II. I am out of humanity's reach, The beafts that roam over the plain, Their tamenefs is fhocking to me. III. Society, friendship, and love, Divinely bestow'd upon man, Oh had I the wings of a dove, My forrows I then might affuage IV. Religion ! |