Cle. Let's join to bless that Power who brought us here,

Adore his goodness, and his will revere;
Assur'd, that peace exists but in the mind,
And piety alone that peace can find.

Ur. In its true light this transient life regard :
This is a state of trial, not reward.

Though rough the passage, peaceful is the port,
The bliss is perfect, the probation short.
Of human wit beware the fatal pride;
An useful follower, but a dangerous guide:
On holy faith's aspiring pinions rise;
Assert your birthright, and assume the skies.
Fountain of Being! teach us to devote
To Thee each purpose, action, word, and thought!
Thy grace our hope, thy love our only boast,
Be all distinctions in the Christian lost!
Be this in every state our wish alone,
Almighty, Wise, and Good, Thy will be done!

ODE TO CHARITY.

TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CHARACTERS OF THE PIECE.

I.

O CHARITY, divinely wise,

Thou meek-ey'd daughter of the skies!
From the pure fountain of eternal light,
Where, fair, immutable, and ever bright,
The beatific vision shines,

Where angel with archangel joins
In choral songs to sing His praise,
Parent of life, Ancient of days,
Who was ere time existed, and shall be
Through the wide round of vast eternity;
Oh come, thy warm celestial beams impart,
Enlarge my feelings, and expand my heart!

II.

Descend from radiant realms above,
Thou effluence of that boundless love
Whence joy and peace in streams unsullied flow,
Oh deign to make thy lov'd abode below!

Though sweeter strains adorn'd my tongue
Than saint conceiv'd or seraph sung,
And though my glowing fancy caught
Whatever art or nature taught,

Yet if this hard unfeeling heart of mine
Ne'er felt thy force, O charity divine!
An empty shadow science would be found:
My knowledge ignorance, my wit a sound!

III.

Though my prophetic spirit knew
To bring futurity to view,

Without thy aid e'en this would nought avail,
For tongues shall cease, and prophecies shall fail.
Come then, thou sweet immortal guest,
Shed thy soft influence o'er my breast,
Bring with thee faith, divinely bright,
And hope, fair harbinger of light,
To clear each mist with their pervading ray,
To fit my soul for heaven, and point the way;
There perfect happiness her sway maintains;
For there the God of peace for ever reigns.

ESSAYS

ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS,

PRINCIPALLY DESIGNED FOR

YOUNG LADIES.

As for you, I shall advise you in a few words: aspire only to those virtues that are PECULIAR TO YOUR SEX; follow your natural modesty, and think it your greatest commendation not to talked of one way or the other.

Oration of Pericles to the Athenian Women.

[First published in 1777.]