If they, who on thy state attend, Awe-struck, before thy presence bend, 'Tis but the natural effect Of grandeur that ensures respect; HYMN, FOR THE USE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL AT OLNEY. HEAR, Lord, the song of praise and prayer, In Heaven thy dwelling-place, From infants made the public care, And taught to seek thy face. Thanks for thy word, and for thy day, And grant us, we implore, Never to waste in sinful play Thy holy sabbaths more. Thanks that we hear, but O impart That we may listen with our heart, For if vain thoughts the minds engage What hope, that, at our heedless age, Much hope, if thou our spirits take Wisdom and bliss thy word bestows, And be thy mercies shower'd on those, STANZAS Subjoined to the Yearly Bill of Mortality of the Parish of All-Saints, Northampton,* Anno Domini 1787. Pallida Mors æquo pulsat pede pauperum ta. bernas, Regumque turres. Нов. Pale Death with equal foot strikes wide the door WHILE thirteen moons saw smoothly run All these, life's rambling journey done, Was man (frail always) made more frail Did famine or did plague prevail, No; these were vigorous as their sires, Like crowded forest-trees we stand, The axe will smite at God's command, And soon shall smite us all. * Composed for John Cox, parish clerk of Northampton. Green as the bay-tree, ever green, The gay, the thoughtless, have I seen, Read, ye that run, the awful truth, No present health can health ensure And O! that humble as my lot, These truths, though known, too much forgot, I may not teach in vain. So prays your clerk with all his heart, And, ere he quits the pen, Begs you for once to take his part, And answer all-Amen! ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1788. Quod adest, memento Componere æquus. Cætera fluminis Ritu feruntur. HOR. Improve the present hour, for all beside COULD I, from Heaven inspired, as sure presage How each would trembling wait the mournful sheet, |