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Maintain, with founder fenfe, that dreams forebode;
For Homer plainly fays they come from God.
Nor Cato faid it but fome modern fool

Impos'd in Cato's name on boys at school.

Believe me, madam, morning dreams foreshow
Th' events of things, and future weal or woe:
Some truths are not by reason to be try'd,
But we have fure experience for our guide.
An ancient author, equal with the best,
Relates this tale of dreams among the reft.

Two friends or brothers, with devout intent,
On fome far pilgrimage together went.
It happen'd fo that, when the fun was down,
They just arriv'd by twilight at a town:
That day had been the baiting of a bull,
'Twas at a feast, and every inn so full,
That no void room in chamber, or on ground;
And but one forry bed was to be found:
And that fo little it would hold but one,
Though till this hour they never lay alone.

So were they forc'd to part; one stay'd behind,
His fellow fought what lodging he could find:
At laft he found a stall where oxen ftood,
And that he rather choose than lie abroad.
'Twas in a farther yard without a door;
But, for his eafe, well litter'd was the floor.

His fellow, who the narrow bed had kept,
Was weary, and without a rocker flept:
Supine he fnor'd; but in the dead of night,
He dreamt his friend appear'd before his fight,

Who,

Who, with a ghaftly look and doleful cry,
Said, Help me, brother, or this night I die:
Arife, and help, before all help be vain,
Or in an ox's ftall I fhall be flain.

Rous'd from his reft, he waken'd in a start,
Shivering with horror, and with aking heart;
At length to cure himself by reafon tries;
'Tis but a dream, and what are dreams but lies?
So thinking, chang'd his fide, and clos'd his eyes.
His dream returns his friend appears again

;

The murderers come, now help, or I am slain :
'Twas but a vision still, and vifions are but vain.
He dreamt the third but now his friend appear'd

:

Pale, naked, pierc'd with wounds, with blood bef.near'd:
Thrice warn'd, awake, faid he; relief is late,
The deed is done; but thou revenge my fate :
Tardy of aid, unfeal thy heavy eyes,
Awake, and with the dawning day arise :
Take to the western gate thy ready way,
For by that paffage they my corpfe convey:
My corpfe is in a tumbril laid, among

The filth and ordure, and inclos'd with dung:
That cart arreft, and raise a common cry;

For facred hunger of my gold, I die:

Then fhew'd his griefly wound: and last he drew
A piteous figh; and took a long adieu.

The frighted friend arose by break of day,
And found the stall where late his fellow lay.
Then of his impious hoft inquiring more,
Was anfwer'd that his guest was gone before :

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Muttering, he went, faid he, by morning-light,
And much complain'd of his ill reft by night.
This rais'd fufpicion in the pilgrim's mind;
Because all hofts are of an evil kind,

And oft to share the spoils with robbers join'd.

His dream confirm'd his thought: with troubled look Straight to the western gate his way he took; There, as his dream foretold, a cart he found, That carry'd compoft forth to dung the ground. This when the pilgrim faw, he ftretch'd his throat, And cry'd out murder with a yelling note. My murder'd fellow in this cart lies dead, Vengeance and juftice on the villain's head. Ye magiftrates, who facred laws dispense, you I call, to'punish this offence.

On

The word thus given, within a little space,
The mob came roaring out, and throng'd the place.
All in a trice they caft the cart to ground,

And in the dung the murder'd body found;

Though breathlefs, warm, and recking from the
wound.

Good heaven, whose darling attribute we find
Is boundless grace, and mercy to mankind,
Abhors the cruel; and the deeds of night
reveals in open light :
By wondrous ways
Murder may pafs unpunifh'd for a time,
But tardy juftice will o'ertake the crime.
And oft a speedier pain the guilty feels:

The hue and cry of heaven pursues him at the heels,

}

Freff

Fresh from the fact; as in the present cafe,
The criminals are feiz'd upon the place :
Carter and hoft confronted face to face.
Stiff in denial, as the law appoints,

On engines they diftend their tortur'd joints :
So was confeffion forc'd, th' offence was known,
And public justice on th' offenders done.

Here may you fee that vifions are to dread;
And in the page that follows this, I read
Of two young merchants, whom the hope of gain
Induc'd in partnership to cross the main :
Waiting till willing winds their fails fupply'd,
Within a trading-town they long abide,
Full fairly fituate on a haven's fide.

One evening it befel, that looking out,
The wind they long had wish'd was come about:
Well-pleas'd they went to reft; and if the gale
Till morn continued, both refolv'd to fail.
But as together in a bed they lay,

The younger

had a dream at break of day.

A man he thought stood frowning at his fide:
Who warn'd him for his fafety to provide,
Nor put to fea, but fafe on fhore abide.
I come, thy genius, to command thy stay;
Truft not the winds, for fatal is the day,
And death unhop'd attends the watery way.

The vifion faid: and vanish'd from his fight:
The dreamer waken'd in a mortal fright :
Then pull'd his drowsy neighbour, and declar'd
What in his flumber he had feen and heard.

L 3

}

His

His friend fmil'd fcornful, and with proud contempt
Rejects as idle what his fellow dreamt.

Stay, who will stay: for me no fears reftrain,
Who follow Mercury the god of gain ;
Let each man do as to his fancy feems,

I wait not, I, till you have better dreams.
Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes ;
When monarch reason fleeps, this mimic wakes:
Compounds a medley of disjointed things,

A mob of coblers, and a court of kings
Light fumes are merry, groffer fumes are sad :
Both are the reasonable foul run mad;

And many monftrous forms in fleep we see,
That neither were, nor are, nor e'er can be.
Sometimes forgotten things long caft behind
Rufh forward in the brain, and come to mind.
The nurfe's legends are for truths receiv'd,
And the man dreams but what the boy believ'd.
Sometimes we but rehearse a former play,
The night reftores our actions done by day;
As hounds in fleep will open for their prey.
In fhort, the farce of dreams is of a piece,
Chimeras all; and more abfurd, or lefs:
You, who believe in tales, abide alone;
Whate'er I get this voyage is my own.

Thus while he spoke, he heard the shouting crew
That call'd aboard, and took his laft adieu.

The veffel went before a merry gale,

}

And for quick paffage put on every fail:

But

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