The golden verses of pythagoras

PN OWN YMA oer 2. THE GOLDEN VERSES OF PYTHAGORAS. Translated from the Greck, Perform thy vows, observe thy plighted troth, And let religion bind thee to thy oath, The heroes next demand thy just regard, Renown'd on earth, and to the stars preferr’d, To light and endless life their virtue’s sure reward. Due rites perform and honours to the dead, For what concerns the rest of human kind, Chuse out the man to virtue best inclin'd : : Him to thy arms receive, him to thy bosom bind. Possess’d of such a friend, preserve im stills Nor thwart his counsels with thy stubborn will; prove, And yield®o all his offices of love: Him, from thy heart, so true, so justly dear, Let no rash word nor light offences tear. Bear all thou canst, still with his failings strive, And to the utmost still, and still forgive; For strong necessity alone explores, The sccrct vigour of our latent pow’rs, Rouzes and urges on the lazy heart, Force, to itself unknown before, t’exert, DH snare; ; While the prisons re-echo the groans of despair; Each word, each deed be in the balance laid, While the state deals out taxes, the army dismay5 Whilethe rich areupheld, and the poor doom’d to pay, Humanity saddens with pity, to sec . “When thy past life shall strictly be survey’d, For wealth, the perishing, uncertain good, The scale of injustice; and trembles—like me! While patriots are slander’d, and venel slaves rise; Ebbing and flowing like the fickle flood, That knows no sure, no fix’d abiding place, But wand'ring loves From hand to hand to pass; Revolve the getter’s joy and looser's pain, And think if it be worth thy while to gain. While Pow’r grows a giant, and Liberty dics; „While a phantom of virtue o’er energy While war spreads its thunder o’er land and o'er sea, OF all those sorrows that attend mankind, Ah! who can but listen, and murmur—like me? While the bosom which loves, and confesses its flame, Nor think it ehance, nor murmur at the load H For know, what man calls Fortune is from God. In what thou may'st from wisdom seek relief, By the high-titled female is branded with shame; While acoronet hides what the humble despise, And the lowly must fall, that the haughty may rise; And Jet her healing hand assuage thy gricf; ©! who can the triumphs of Infamy sce, Yet still whate'er the righteous doom ordains, What cause soever multiplies thy pains, = Let not those pains as ills be understood, For God delights not to afflict the good. ‘The reas’ning art to various ends applied, Is oft a sure, but oft an erring guide. Thy judgment therefore sound and cool preserve, Nor shrink from the reptiles, and shudder—like me? Ah, World, thou vile World, how I sicken to trace The anguish that hourly augments for thy race! How I turn from the worst, while I honour the best; The enlighten’d adore, and the venal detest ! And, O, with what joy to the grave would I Ace— Nor lightly from thy resolution swerve; Sincethe World, the base World, HAS NO PLEASURE FOR ME, Mrs. Robinson, The dazzling pomp of words does oft deceive, PPL LLL Ge by the Rev, J. Bidlake, Children of Plenty! who the cheering rays Of liberal Fortune’s golden sunshine share, While love parental crowns your cloudless days, Prevail upon thee with a Syren’s song, To do thy soul’s immortal essence wrong. OF good and ill by words or deeds exprest, Meets every wish, prevents each rising care; … Chuse for thyself, and always chuse the best. Let wary thought each enterprize forerun, And ponder on thy task-before begun, —_ hd THE NATURAL SON, Let not example, let no soothing tongue, NN VAE Clee WE MORAL. , AND reigns, Andthe broad wing of Freedom is lozded with chains; This nearly does, and first thyself concern; Let rev'rence ofthyself thy thoughts controul, And guard the sacred temple of thy soul. Let justice o’er thy word and deed preside, 7 Know that the day of great account will come, When fools and liars labour to persuade, Be dumb, and let the babblers vainly plead. This above all, this precept chiefly learn, From each dishonest act of shame forbear; Of others, and thyself, alike beware, ZE THE NATURAL SON. While the court breeds the sycophant, train’d to en- And sweet persuasion wins the casy to believe. By use thy stronger appetites assuage, Thy gluttony, thy sloth, thy lust, thy rage: PAS Rowe. With patience bear the lot to thee assign'd ; To ev’ry wise, to ev’ry pious shade. With lowly duty to thy parents bow, And grace and favour to thy kindred show : _ Preceptive, Moral, &c. Andallthe good and all the ill most justly be repaid, First to the gods thy humble homage pay; The greatest this, and first of laws obey: Pliant to all his admonitions . on tue And reason ev’n thy meanest actions guide : For know that death is man’s appointed doom, wur “Ah! do not spurn misfortune’s outcast child, Who knows no shelter, finds no friendly door; Sen Times al Pieces.