And chearful something to the wretch dispense,
What thou superfl'ous hast from Providence!

As to the city Nain our Lord drew near,
He saw a youth upon his fun'ral bier;
Cropt like an early flow'r he lay thereon,

A lonely, weeping widow's only son.

A gen'rous pity fill'd his sacred breast,
Which ever rose for virtue when distrest.

Ah! do not thus, he said, in anguish grieve,
Woman, I come thy sorrows to relieve.

115

Then with that voice which winds and waves obey'd,
He call'd to instant life the prostrate dead;
Gave to the mother's fond embrace once more,
The new-rais'd child whom she had lov'd before.

of Christianity, which might afford them consolation. A sketch of this institution may be seen in the Edinburgh Magazine for March 1792. A proposal for the adoption of the scheme in Edinburgh may be seen in the Edinburgh Magazine for June 1792. A society for the relief of Blind Persons has since been instituted in Edinburgh, Bristol, and in London.

Wonder and joy possest the gazing crowd,
Who glorified the Lord with praises loud;
Saying, A mighty prophet hath appear'd,

120

And God in love his potent arm declar'd.
Fame with her thousand busy tongues in speed,
Throughall the land proclaim'd the splendid deed. 125
Which in remoter countries soon was known,
And not confin'd to Palestine alone.
But he the resurrection's potent Lord,
To all the dead will future life afford;
Will ev'ry sorrow cure, and ev'ry pain,
And give each widow her lost son again.

130

As the fair gifts of health and life he gave,
Endu'd with more than mortal pow'r to save,
A wretched father brought a son possest,
With a mad spirit, which disturb'd his rest. 135
When Jesus told that faith relief would gain,
If but that faith he truly could obtain.

Line 136. There are some good observations in Dr. Mead's Medica Sacra to shew that those who are said in Scripture to be possessed with devils

This when with melting tears he had averr'd,

His poor imperfect son both spake and hear'd.
For he was joy incapable to give,

By interchange of thoughts, or to receive;

But would amid society appear

A solitary monument of care.

O conversation, dear and sweet relief,

140

To hours, estrang'd from thee, of pining grief! 145 Thou, if propriety thy dross refine,

Can rouse and animate like gen'rous wine,

Without its danger, give to life new zest,
And ope a paradise within the breast.

And when the crowd, incited by his fame, 150
With all their sick to his retirement came;

And staid, enwrapt in wonder and in thought,
Till they were helpless as the sick they brought;

He pitied them, and hungry thousands fed,
With a few fishes and a little bread!

155

were only afflicted with natural diseases.-See also Farmer on the demoniacs and on our Saviour's temptation.

O vast delight! O feast of extacy!

O foretaste of the joys above to see!

Thus his lov'd flock the heav'nly shepherd feed,
And smile serenely in the gracious deed!

O wonderful! O envied happiness!

But wherefore envied? does he never bless ?

160

Does he not o'er our temp'rate meals preside?
Our chearful hours? our harmless pleasures guide?

165

And add to this, that in his life we find,
A bright example of the tend'rest mind.
For as the friends of Lazarus, distrest
At his decease, his loss in tears confest,
His soul soon took th' impression of their grief,
He wept, though conscious that he brought relief;
Though conscious that he purpos'd to restore 170
Their friend to life by supernat❜ral pow'r.
(For with a voice that shook the rocky tomb,
He cried, Forth, Lazarus, awaken'd come !
And as he spake, the dead man issued forth,
A type of all our future promis'd birth;

175

His body with a winding sheet was bound,

His head was cover'd with a napkin round.)

He wept not, therefore, that their friend was dead, But a soft sympathizing tear he shed

At their affliction, for his feeling heart

180

In sighs of others always bore a part.

From whence we learn the tear that gently flows,
In kind compassion to another's woes,

A spirit indicates sublime and great,

And is of highest characters a brilliant trait. 185

Hard is the little and contracted mind,
Great souls melt easily, relent, are kind.
To be dissolv'd in pity's tender care,
Makes man superior e'en to man appear.
But to be melted by the charms of sense,
T'immortal reason is a gross offence;

190

And sinks him than the bestial herd more low,
Who were not fram'd sublimer joys to know.
And sweet compassion, though at first it grieves,
Yet in reward an heav'nly pleasure leaves.

195.