In thofe alone does the

great

Cæfar live;

'Tis all the conquer'd world could give!
We poets madder yet than all,

With a refin'd fantastic vanity,

Think we not only have but give eternity.

Fain would I fee that prodigal,

Who his to-morrow would bestow,

For all old Homer's life e'er fince he dy'd till now.

O N

ST.

ARDA LI O,

WHO FROM A STAGE PLAYER BECAME A CHRISTIAN, AND SUFFERED MARTYRDOM.

[WATTS.]

ARDALIO jeers, and his comic strains

The myft'ries of our bleeding God profanes,
While his loud laughter fhakes the painted fcenes.

Heav'n heard, and strait around the smoking throne
The kindling lightning in thick flashes shone,
And vengeful thunder murmur'd to be gone.

Mercy stood near, and with a fmiling brow Calm'd the loud thunder; "There's no need of you; "Grace fhall descend, and the weak man fubdue."

Grace

Grace leaves the fkies, and he the ftage forfakes, He bows his head down to the martyring ax, And as he bows, this gentle farewel fpeaks;

"So goes the comedy of life away:

"Vain earth, adieu, heav'n will applaud to-day; "Strike, courteous tyrant, and conclude the play.”

DEATH AND

ETERNITY.

[WATTS.]

My thoughts, that often mount the skies,

Go, fearch the world beneath,
Where nature all in ruin lies,
Aud own her fov'reign, Death.

The tyrant, how he triumphis here!
His trophies spread around!
And heaps of duft and bones appear
Through all the hollow ground.

These skulls, what ghafly figures now!
How loathfome to the eyes!

Thefe are the heads we lately knew

So beauteous and fo wife.

But

But where the fouls, thofe deathless things,
That left this dying clay?

My thoughts now ftretch out all your wings, And trace Eternity.

O that unfathomable fea!

Thofe deeps without a shore! Where living waters gently play, Or fiery billows roar.

Thus muft we leave the banks of life,
And try this doubtful fea;

Vain are our groans, and dying strife,
To gain a moment's stay.

There we shall swim in heav'nly bliss,
Or fink in flaming waves,

While the pale carcase thoughtless lies
Among the filent graves.

Some hearty friend fhall drop his tear

On our dry bones, and say,

"Thefe once were ftrong, as mine appear,

"And mine must be as they.

Thus fhall our mould'ring members teach

What now our fenfes learn:

For duft and afhes loudeft preach

Man's infinite concern.

THE

THE GOD OF

THUNDER.

[WATTS.]

O THE immenfe, th' amazing height,
The boundlefs grandeur of our God,
Who treads the worlds beneath his feet,
And fways the nations with his nod!

He fpeaks; and lo, all nature flakes,
Heav'n's everlafting pillars bow;
He rends the clouds with hideous cracks,
And shoots his fiery arrows through.

Well, let the nations ftart and fly

At the blue lightning's horrid glare, Atheists and emperors fhrink and die,

When flame and noise torment the air.

Let noise and flame confound the skies,

And drown the fpacious realms below, Yet will we fing the Thunderer's praise,

And fend our loud Hofannas through.

Celestial King, thy blazing pow'r

Kindles our hearts to flaming joys,

We fhout to hear thy thunders roar,

And echo to our Father's voice.

Thus,

Thus fhall the God our Saviour come,

And lightnings round his chariot play :
Ye lightnings fly to make him room,
Ye glorious ftorms, prepare his way.

DEATH ITS CAUSES AND VARIETY.

[MILTON.]

BUT

many fhapes

Of Death, and many are the ways that lead
To his grim cave, all difmal; yet to sense
More terrible at th' entrance than within.
Some, as thou faw'ft, by violent ftroke fhall die,
By fire, flood, famine, by intemp❜rance more
In meats and drinks, which on the earth shall bring
Diseases dire, of which a monftrous crew
Before thee fhall appear; that thou may'st know
What mifery th' inabftinence of Eve

Shall bring on men. Immediately a place
Before his eyes appear'd, fad, noisome, dark,
A lazar-house it seem'd, wherein were laid
Numbers of all difeas'd, all maladies
Of ghaftly fpafm, or racking torture, qualms
Of heart-fick agony, all feverous kinds,
Convulfions, epilepfics, fierce catarrhs,