Pleasure retreats with wanton smiles,
And Strength-unnerving eyes;
Hoping in vain by Parthian wiles

To conquer as she flies:

Sloth with reluctance quits her foul embrace,
Rough Care and manly Toil assume her place.

Virtue with firm quaternion band

His eager steps precedes ;

A flambeau grasping in her hand,
To light to glorious deeds:

The sister-train his toils with glory crown,
And point the arduous paths to fair renown.

By these inspir'd young Scipio trod
To Fame th' adventurous way;
"By Love," he cry'd, "let Paphos' god
The softer soul betray;

A nobler quarry lures the hero's eye :"
He spoke, and bade th' unconquer'd eagle fly.

Hence then, ye Slaves, whom Ease delights,
To yon lone cloyster stray,

Where monkish apathy invites
To dose tame life away:

True Worth, that spurns the hermit's sluggard cell,
In Glory's active courts delights to dwell.

ODE II.

ON

AMBITION.

BY SIR JAMES MARRIOT, BART.

THE mariner, when first he sails,
While his bold oars the sparkling surface sweep,
With new delight, transported hails
The blue expanded skies, and level deep.

Such young Ambition's fearless aim,

Pleas'd with the gorgeous scene of wealth and power, In the gay morn of early fame,

Nor thinks of evening's storm and gloomy hour.

Life's opening views bright charms reveal, Feed the fond wish, and fan the youthful fire; But woes unknown those charms conceal, And fair illusions cheat our fierce desire.

There Envy shows her sullen mien,

With changeful colour, grinning smiles of hate:
There malice stabs, with rage serene :

In deadly silence, treacherous Friendships wait.

High on a mountain's lofty brow,

'Mid clouds and storms, has glory fix'd her seat;
Rock'd by the roaring winds that blow,
The lightnings blast it, and the tempests beat.

Within the sun-gilt vale beneath,

More moderate Hope with sweet Contentment dwells;
While gentler breezes round them breathe,
And softer showers refresh their peaceful cells.

To better genius ever blind,

That points to each in varied life his share,

Man quits the path by heaven design'd, To search for bliss among the thorns of care,

Our native powers we scorn to know ; With stedfast error still the wrong pursue; Instruct our forward ills to grow ; While sad successes but our pain renew.

In vain heaven tempers life with sweet, With flowers the way, that leads us home, bestrews, If dupes to passion, and deceit,

We drink the bitter, and the rugged choose.

Few can on Grandeur's stage appear, Each lofty part with true applause sustain, No common virtue safe can steer

Where rocks unnumber'd lurk beneath the main.

Then happiest he, whose timely hand To cool Discretion has the helm resign'd;

Enjoys the calm, in sight of land,

From changing tides secure, and trustless wind.

AND wilt thou, Romeo, still maintain That Beauty holds a boundless reign? Soft power, by all confest!

See'st thou the coward and the brave, The free-born Briton and the slave, With equal rapture blest ›

The Gods, indulgent to mankind,
The tenderest passions of the mind
With frugal hands dispense;
For faithless I can ne'er believe
That rude untutor❜d hearts perceive
The finer joys of sense.