Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound; ; So should desert in arms be crown'd. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, Amid the tuneful choir, With flying finger touch'd the lyre: And heavenly joys inspire. When he to fair Olympia press'', The list ning crowd admire the lofty sound; With ravish'd ears the monarch hears, And seems to shake the spheres. The jolly god in triumph comes ! He shows his hones! face : Bacchus, ever fair and young, Bacchus blessings are a treasure ; Rich the treasure ; Sweet the pleasure; Fought all his battles o'er again; He chose a mournful muse, Soft pity to infuse : . By too severe a fate, Fall'n, from his high estate, With downcast look the joyless victor sat, The various turns of fate below; And tears began to flow. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Never ending, still beginning.. If the world be worth thy winning, Take the good the gods provide thee. Gaz'd on the fair, Who caus' d his care; Sigh'd and 'look'd, and sigh'd again : Now strike the golden lyre agaia ; Has rais'd up his head, As a wak'a from the dead See the furies arise ! See the snakes that they rear, How they hiss in their hair, Each a torch in his band ! And, buried, remain Inglorioas on the plain. How they point to the Persian abodes, And glittering temples of their hostile gode ! This led the way, To light him to his prey; Thus long ago, And sounding lyre At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame. Enlarg'd the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown : She drew an angel down. PART II. c. SECTION 1.ET ELOQUENCE OF THE PULPIT. ITRUTH and integrity have all the advantages of ap pearance, and many more. If the show of any thing be good for any thing, I am sure the reality is better; for why does any man (issemble, or seem to be that which he is not, but because he thinks it good to bave the qualities he pretends to ? For, to counterfeit and dissemble, is to put on the appearance of some real excelJency. Now, the best way for a man to seem to be any thing, is really to be what he would seem to be. Be. sides, it is often as troublesome te support the pretence of a good quality, as to have it; and if a man have it not, it is most likely he will be discovered to want it; and then all his labor to seem to have it, is lost. There is something unnatural in painting, which a skilful eye will easily discern from native beauty and complexion. It is hard to personate and act a part long ; for where truth is not at the bottom, nalure will always be endeav.. ouring to return, and will betray herself at one time or other. Therefore, if any man think it convenient to seem good, let him be so indoed; and then his goodness will appear to every one's satisfaction; for truth is convincing, and carries its own light and evidence along with it; and will not only commend us to every man's conscience, but, which is much more, to God, who searcbeth our hearts : so that, upon all accounts, sincerity is true wisdom. Particularly as to the affairs of this world, integrity hath many advantages over all the artificial modes of dissimulation and deceit. It is much the plainer and easier, much the safer and more secure way of dealing in the world; it hath less of trouble and difficulty, of entanglement and perplexity, of danger and hazard in it; it is the shortest and nearest way to our end, carrying us thither in a straight line ; and will hold out and last longest. The arts of deceit and cunning continually grow weaker, and less effectual and serviceable to those that practise them; whereas integrity gains strength by use; and the more and longer any man practiseth it the greater service it does him, by confirming his reputation, and encouraging those with whom he hath to do to repose the greatest confidence in him ; which is an unspeakable advantage in business and the affairs of life. A dissembler must be always upon his guard, and watch himself carefully, that he do not contradict his own pretensions : for he acts an unnatural part, and therefore must put'a continual force and restraint upon himself ; whereas, he that acts sincerely, hath the easiest task in the world; because he follows nature, and so is put to no trouble and care about his words and actions ; he Deeds not invent any pretence beforehand, nor make ex. cuses afterwards, for any thing he hath said or done. But insincerity is very troublesome to manage. A hypocrite hath so many things to attend to, as make his life a very perplexed and intricate thing. A liar hath need of a good memory, lest he contradict at one time, what he said at another. But truth is always consist. ent with itself, and needs nothing to help it out; it is always near at hand, and sits upon our lips, and is ready to drop out before we are aware; whereas a lie is troublesome, and one trick needs a great many more to make it good. Add to all this, that sincerity lis the most compendious wisdom, and an excellent instrument for the speedy dis. *patch of business. It creates confidence in those we have to deal with, saves the labor of many inquiries, and brings things to an issue in a few words. It is like tray. elling in a plain beaten road, which commonly brings Y |