Had we their wisdom, should we, often warned, Sad wafte! for which no after-thrift atones: Learn then ye living! by the mouths be taught That, foon or late, death also is your lot, for you. ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1789. -Placidaque ibi demum morte quievit. VIRG. There calm at length he breathed his foul away. "OH moft delightful hour by man "Experienced here below, "The hour that terminates his span, "His folly, and his woe! "Worlds fhould not bribe me back to tread "Again life's dreary waste, "To fee again my day o'erspread "With all the gloomy past. "" My home henceforth is in the skies, "Earth, feas, and fun adieu! "All heaven unfolded to my eyes, "I have no fight for you." So fpoke Afpafio, firm poffeft Then breathed his foul into its reft, He was a man among the few Sincere on virtue's fide; And all his ftrength from fcripture drew, To hourly ufe applied. That rule he prized, by that he feared, Nor ever frowned, or fad appeared, But when his heart had roved. For he was frail as thou or I, And evil felt within: But when he felt it, heaved a figh, Such lived Afpafio; and at laft -. His joys be mine, each Reader cries, When my laft hour arrives: They shall be yours, my Verse replies, ON A SIMILAR OCCASION, FOR THE YEAR 1790. Ne commonentem recta sperne. Despise not my good counsel. BUCHANAN. He who fits from day to day, Hardly knows that he has fung. Where the watchman in his round Wakes the fooner for his cry. So your verfe-man I, and clerk, Yearly in my fong proclaim Death at hand-yourfelves his mark And the foe's unerring aim. Duly at my time I come, Publishing to all aloud Soon the grave must be your home, And your only fuit, a shroud. But the monitory ftrain, Oft repeated in your ears, Can a truth, by all confeffed Of fuch magnitude and weight, Grow, by being oft expreffed, Trivial as a parrot's prate? Pleasure's call attention wins, Hear it often as we may; New as ever seem our fins, Though committed every day. |