"T I. The SLUGGAR D. IS the voice of the fluggard; I heard him complain, "You have wak'd me too foon, I must flumber again." As the door on its hinges, fo he on his bed, Turns his fides and his shoulders and his heavy head. "A little more fleep, and a little more flumber;" Thus he waftes half his days, and his hours without number; And when he gets up, he fits folding his hands, I pafs'd by his garden, and faw the wild brier, I made him a vifit, ftill hoping to find He had took better care for improving his mind : Said I then to my heart, "Here's a leffon for me:" II. IN NO II. INNOCENT PLAY. ABROAD in the meadows to fee the young lambs Run fporting about by the side of their dams, With fleeces fo clean and fo white; Or a neft of young doves in a large open cage, If we had been ducks, we might dabble in mud; But Thomas and William, and fuch pretty names, Not a thing that we do, nor a word that we say, For he's ftill in earnest that's hurt: How rude are the boys that throw pebbles and mire! There's none but a madman will fling about fire, And tell you, « 'Tis all but in spoft.” III. The ROSE. HOW fair is the rofe! what a beautiful flower! The glory of April and May ! But the leaves are beginning to fade in an hour, Yet Yet the Rofe has one powerful virtue to boast, Above all the flowers of the field: When its leaves are all dead, and fine colours are loft, Still how sweet a perfume it will yield! So frail is the youth and the beauty of men, Though they bloom and look gay like the Rofe : But all our fond care to preserve them is vain; Time kills them as fast as he goes. Then I'll not be proud of my youth or my beauty, But gain a good name by well-doing my duty; WE IV. The THIEF. HY fhould I deprive my neighbour Hands were made for honeft labour, Not to plunder or to steal, 'Tis a foolish felf-deceiving By fuch tricks to hope for gain : All that's ever got by thieving Turns to forrow, shame, and pain Have not Eve and Adam taught us Their fad profit to compute? Oft we fee a young beginner Theft will not be always hidden, Guard my heart, O God of heaven, Left I steal what is not given, Guard my heart and hands from fin. V. The ANT or EM MET. HESE Emmets how little they are in our eyes! ΤΗ We tread them to duft, and a troop of them dies Yet, as wife as we are, if we went to their school, They don't wear their time out in fleeping or play, And for winter they lay up their stores : They manage their work in fuch regular forms, One would think they forefaw all the frofts and the ftorms, And so brought their food within doors. But But I have lefs fenfe than a poor creeping Ant, When death or old age shall stare in my face, Now, now, while my ftrength and my youth are in bloom, Let me think what will ferve me when fickness shall come, And pray that my fins be forgiven: Let me read in good books, and believe, and obey, That when death turns me out of this cottage of clay, I may dwell in a palace in heaven. VI. Good Refolutions. THOUGH I am now in younger days, Nor can I tell what shall befal me, I'll prepare for every place Where my growing age fhall call me. Should I be rich or great, Others fhall partake my goodness; I'll fupply the poor with meat, Never fhewing fcorn or rudeness. Where I fee the blind or lame, Deaf or dumb, I'll kindly treat them; I deferve to feel the fame If I mock, or hurt, or cheat them. |