LINES

ADDRESSED TO A YOUNG MAN, WHO HAD DECLARED HIMSELF CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD ALWAYS ASCERTAIN THE FEELINGS OF THE HEART FROM THE EXPRESSION OF THE COUNTENANCE.

DISCARD, my yet unpractis'd friend,
Thy too fallacious art;

Nor from the changeful mien pretend
To read the human heart!

T' unmask hypocrisy and guile,
How vain thy boasted skill!

Know man,

alas! " can smile and smile,

"And be a villain still !"

If e'en, within thy youthful breast,

No passions yet reside

That Conscience e'er would wish represt→→

No thought that Virtue hide;

Some secret sting thy heart may wound,
Some woe thy bosom feel,

That to th' observant crowd around

No feature will reveal!

Tt

How lovely yonder Rose appears,
The garden's choicest pride!
Tints art can ne'er depict it wears,
And scatters fragrance wide;
Yet while its various beauties o'er
Thine eye delighted strays,
Learn that upon its inmost core
A ruthless insect preys!

And thus, ere long, my friend shall find,
By sage experience taught,

The face, his index of the mind,
With false impressions fraught!
And doom'd himself the ills to share
Life's varied scenes impart,
Evince the cheek a smile may wear
While sorrow wrings the heart!

EPITAPH

ON TWO UNFORTUNATE LOVERS.

(See the Ballad of "Henry and Emma," in Mallet's Poems.)

YE whom design or chance may lead

Awhile to wander here,

Attend; nor, as these lines you read,
Refuse to shed a tear.

No tale they tell of fictious woe,
In Fancy's colours drest;
Inhum❜d this modest stone below,
Two faithful lovers rest.

Equal in every thing save wealth,
Their wishes too the same,
Long time the youthful pair by stealth
Indulg'd a mutual flame.

But sordid parents interpos'd,
And wedlock's rites deny'd;

The youth his eyes despairing clos'd-
The maiden heard-and dy'd!

Their hapless fate, ye parents, hear,
Nor while you mean to bless
Your darling child,-with frowns severe,

A virtuous flame repress.

And ye whom youth and beauty fire,

Unequal leagues to prove ; Learn to suppress each rash desire, Nor ruin court-for love!

CELIA.

CLASP'D in my arms as Celia laid,
Enrapt with pleasing dreams of bliss,
I fondly press'd my lovely maid
To grant the precious boon-a kiss!

Abash'd, her head the nymph reclin'd,—
My freedom with a frown repress'd;
Yet, though her features seem'd unkind,
Methought no anger fir'd her breast.

“ And is it thus, too cruel fair,

"You treat your faithful swain ?" I cried; "My passion spurn'd, and this my prayer, "Dictated by your charms, deny'd!

"Farewell, ingrate! some other swain

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'May strive that frozen breast to move; "A kinder nymph I'll seek to gain,

"Whose heart shall yield me love for love!"

Almost with thrilling joy distraught,
I heard the blushing fair reply-
"And tell me, where was Damon taught
"That not to give is to deny ?”

THE DECEITFULNESS OF HOPE.

OFT have divines and sages taught,
"Our earthly hopes how frail!"
Yet has their doctrine, wisdom-fraught,
Been deem'd an empty tale.

Some bliss, thro' Fancy's optics view'd,
All hope to gain to-morrow;
Still does the prize our grasp elude,
Replac'd, alas! by sorrow!

As mortals frequently 'tis seen,
Upon this precept trample,
So, please my muse, its truth I mean
Tillustrate by example.

"Long time I've led a weary life,”

Cries Tom, with hope elated;

"To Kate, my vixen of a wife, "By wedlock subjugated :

"At length my liberty I gain,

"Thank Fortune for the favour!

"For Kate this night her bed has ta'en, "And all the world can't save her.