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observable in all ranks and grades in society. Though clouds and darkness rest upon our prospects, though our political atmosphere is impregnated with impending storms, yet no salutary dread of the Almighty prevails. But gaiety, sensuality, infidelity, tyranny and obscenity of female fashions, are the order of the day. May God deliver us from this paralizing insensibility to moral obligation. Indeed, it requires no spirit of divination to foresee, that without repentance and reformation, we must participate the punishment, as we do the ingratitude of the favourite people of God; I mean the Jews. Some of the iniquitous nations of Europe have fell, while others are nodding to their fall.* Let us forego our national crimes, particularly the one which exhibits us to the view of angels and men, as a nation of legal impostors, and political hypocrites; I mean SLAVERY!! and we need

* When God doems a nation or individual to destruction for unrepented crimes. he usually infatuates them. When, therefore, we see them acting in such a manner, as to facilitate their own ruin, we may reasonably conclude they are judicially infatuated.

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not fear either men or devils. But if we will not do this, we may reasonably expect, that we shall share the judg ments which are now inflicting upon the people of Europe.

We will close this department by applying the following words of Christ, to the people of Christendom: "If I had not come, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin.” St. John's Gospel, chap. 15, verse 22,

"Ah! why has man the power to torture man! Why, in this land of liberty, should slaves

Be bought and sold, and fed, and chain'd like brutes!.
My very heart weeps blood, when I behold
Columbia's free-born sons exact the sweat
Of wretched Africans, whose only crime
Are sable skins, and hair unlike our own.
Sure God will visit such a cruel race-
Such hypocrites! and with just recompense:
But why does heaven permit those foes of man
To starve old age, and torture innocence ?

O death, when wilt thou come with heavenly smiles,
And snatch me from a world of guilt and woe!

What mean these doubts sure God will recompense
The wretched, harmless slave, in paradise,

Where the oppressor never dare appear.

"Is this truth doubtful? It outshines the sun;
Nay, the sun shines not, but to shew us this,
The single lesson of mankind on earth.

And yet-Yet what? No news! Mankind is mad!
Such mighty numbers list a ainst the right

(And what can't numbers when bewitch'd achieve !)

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They talk themselves to something like belief,
That all earth's joys are theirs as Athen's fool
Grinn'd from the port, on ev'ry sail his own.

They grin; but wherefore? And how long the laugh? Half ignorance, their mirth; and half a lie:

To cheat the world, and cheat themselves, they smile.
Hard either task? The most abandon'd own,
That others, if abandon'd, are undone :

Then, for themselves, the moment reason wakes
(And providence denies it long repose)
O how laborious is their gaiety!

They scarce can swallow their ebullient spleen,
Scarce muster patience to support the farce,
And pump sad laughter, till the curtain falls:
Scarce, did I say? Some cannot sit it out:
Oft their own daring hands the curtain draw,
And shew us what their joy, by their despair.

The clotted hair gor'd breast! blaspheming eye!
Its impious fury still alive in death!

Shut, shut the shocking scene. But heav'n denies
A cover to such guilt; and so should man.
Look round, O reader! See the reeking blade,
Th' invenom'd phial, and the fatal ball;
The strangling cord, and suffocating stream!
The loathsome rottenness, and foul decays
From raging riot (slower suicides!)
And pride in these more execrable still!---
How horrid all to thought!-But horrors, these,
That vouch the truth, and aid my feeble song.
From vice. sense, fancy, no man can be blest :
Bliss is too great to lodge within an hour:
When an immortal being aims at bliss,
Duration is essential to e.name.

O for a joy from reason! joy from that,

Which makes man, man: and exercis'd aright,
Will make him more: a bounteous joy! that gives
And promises; that weaves, with art divine,
The richest prospect into present peace:
A joy ambitious; joy in common held

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With thrones ethereal, and their greater far:
A joy high privileg'd from chance, time, death!
A joy, which death should double ! judgment crown ;
Crown'd higher, and still higher, at each stage,
Thro' blest eternity's long day; yet still,

Not more remote from sorrow, than from him,
Whose lavish hand, whose love stupendous, pours
So much of deity on guilty dust.

There, O my Tommy! may I meet thee there,
Where not thy presence can improve my bliss!
Affects not this the sages of the world?

Can nought affect them but what fools them too!
Eternity depending on an hour,

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Makes serious tho't man's wisdom, joy, and praise.
Nor need you blush (tho' sometimes your designs
May shun the light) at your designs on heav'n:
Sole point! where over-bashful is your blame.
Are you not wise? You know you are Yet hear
One truth, amid your num'rous schemes, mislaid,
Or over-look'd, or thrown aside, if seen;
"Our schemes to plan by this world, or the next,
"Is the sole difference between wise and fool."
All worthy men will weigh you in this scale,
What wonder, then, if they pronounce you light?
Is their esteem alone not worth your care?
Accept my simple scheme of common sense [own.
Thus, save your fame, and make two worlds your
The world replies not '-but the world persists;
And puts the cause off to the longest day,
Planning evasions for the day of doom.
So far, at that re-hearing, from redress,
They then turn witness against themselves.
Hear that. O reader! nor be wise to-morrow.
Haste, haste! a man, by nature, is in haste;
For who shall answer for another hour?
'Tis highly prudent, to make one sure friend;
And that thou canst not do, this side the skies.
Ye sons of earth! (nor willing to be more!) [free,
Since verse you think from priest-craft somewhat

Thus, in an age so gay, the muse plain truths
(Truths, which at church you might have heard in
Has ventur'd into light; well-pleas'd the verse [prose)
Should be forgot, if you the truths retain ;

And crown her with your welfare, not your praise.
But praise she need not fear: I see my fate;
And headlong leap, like Curtius, down the gulf.
Since many an ample volume, mighty tome,
Must die; and die unwept; O thou minute,
Devoted page! go forth among thy foes;
Go, nobly proud of martyrdom for truth,
And die a double death: Mankind incens'd,
Denies thee long to live: Nor shalt thou rest,
When thou art dead; in Stygian shades arraign'd
By Lucifer, as traitor to his throne;

And bold blasphemer of his friend,-the world;
The world, whose legions cost him slender pay,
And volunteers around his banner swarm;
Prudent, as Prussia, in her zeal for Gaul.

"Are all, then, fools?" the reader cries.-Yes, all, But such as hold this doctrine (new to thee;) "The mother of true wisdom is the will;"

The noblest intellect, a fool without it.
World-wisdom much has done, and more may do,
In arts and sciences, in wars and peace;

But art and science, like thy wealth, will leave thee,
And make thee twice a beggar at thy death.
This is the most indulgence can afford ;—

"Thy wisdom all can do, but-make thee wise."
Nor think this censure is severe on thee;
Satan, thy master, I dare call a dunce."

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