SWEET girl! affection’s pleading voice attend,
And hear the tender counsels of a friend;
By friendship’s pen impress’d, these lines receive,
And tho’ they seem severe, their truth believe.
When fairy fancy, with her aspect bland,
O’er the calm scene extends her magic wand;
When animating hope her mandate hears,
And cloath’d in light, her angel form appears;
Suspect the scene in which such glories shine,
Nor think these perfect pleasures shall be thine.
These flattering joys which on our prospects rise,
Are disappointments deck’d in hope’s disguise.
O fear the hand which paints the scene too bright,
So falsely smiling on the enraptur’d sight:
Imagination blinds the eye of youth,
And veils the glories of immortal truth,
Till sage Experience our instructor prove,
And ev’ry intervening mist remove.
And I would teach thy inexperienc’d mind
To act the nobler part to man assign’d;
Yet hard the lesson, when the anxious sight
Has dwelt so long on scenes of fond delight.
Susan, if e’er fond youth (as youth will love
In visionary scenes uncheck’d to rove)
With pleasing images thy mind decoy,
Trust not the false imaginary joy:
These lines rememberthis advice revere,
Nor think to taste unsullied pleasure here.
Life is the pathway , not the goal for man;
Eternal wisdom laid the mighty plan,
And placed an ample recompence in view,
For those who virtue’s steady course pursue;
Those everlasting joys which round us shine,
When earth’s fair scenes, and health, and life, decline.
No clouds shall then obstruct the glorious ray,
Which lights the spirit to eternal day.
Let not the joys which youth and health impart,
Too fondly fascinate and fill thy heart;
Since these will fade as youth and health decay,
They shine the passing baubles of a day.
And wisdom’s voice for nobler ends design’d,
Ordain’d to counsel and direct the mind,
Unerring guideseach shade of doubt removes
Instructsdirectsadmonishesreproves.
Wisdom refers her pleasures to the skies,
And these are joys which ask some sacrifice.
Who then that has the substance plac’d in view,
Content a passing shadow would pursue?
Who satisfied resign the proffer’d gold,
And in his hand the worthless tinsel hold?
Who would prefer the pleasures of an hour,
(So soon by all confess’d a scentless flow’r,)
To lasting peaceto joys that never die,
And all the riches of eternity?
This is not wisdom’s part, whose nobler aim,
Was, is, and ever will remain, the same.
She seeks those lasting treasures to secure,
Which thro’ eternal ages shall endure.
Forgive these hints; I would not wish to screen
Each opening blossom that adorns thy scene;
But as I form the wreath, I would entwine
Some useful flow’retsseeking to combine
Pleasure with usefulness, and to my friend,
Not unacceptable, this off’ring send.
In fancy now I see her fondly gaze,
On the wild waves, while Phoebus lends his rays
To decorate the wide extended main,
And gild the surface of the wat’ry plain:
And recollection pictures to my view,
Joys which I felt when all these scenes were new;
When like herself stray’d along the shore,
And listen’d first to ocean’s deaf’ning roar.
With mute astonishment the scene I view’d,
And through its wide extent each wave pursued;
While all the tints that deck the opening day,
Reflected in the wat’ry mirror lay:
Saw the light vessel by the billows toss’d,
While ev’ry sense, in admiration lost,
Confess’d the awful grandeur of the whole,
And own’d the Power that could the waves controul.
His is the voice that winds and waves obey,
Whose power and wisdom all His works display.
These scenes an endless theme of praise supply,
But what are these compar’d to Deity!
What are the wonders that around us rise,
To Him who form’d the earth, the sea, the skies!
When first the raging element I view’d,
This great comparison my soul subdued.
My much lov’d girlthese hasty lines receive,
And tho’ they seem severe, their truth believe.
May Heav’n’s rich blessings on thy steps attend:
Which prayer shall close the off’ring of
A FRIEND.
(Elizabeth Bath)
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