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Diftant alike from each, to neither lean,

But ever keep the happy GOLDEN ΜΕΑΝ.
Be careful still to guard thy Soul from Wrong,
And let thy Thought prevent thy Hand and Tongue.
Let not the stealing God of Sleep furprize
Nor creep in. Slumbers on thy weary Eyes,
E'er ev'ry Action of the former Day
Strictly thou doft and righteoufly furvey.
With Rev'rence at thy own Tribunal stand,
And answer justly to thy own Demand.
Where have I been? In what have I tranfgrefs'd?
What Good or Ill has this Day's Life exprefs'd?
Where have I fail'd in what I ought to do?

In what to God, to Man, or to my felf I owe?
Inquire fevere what e'er from firft to last,

From Morning's Dawn 'till Ev'ning's Gloom, has paft.
If Evil were thy Deeds, repenting mourn,

And let thy Soul with strong Remorse be torn.
If Good, the Good with Peace of Mind repay,
And to thy fecret Self with Pleasure fay,
Rejoice, my Heart, for all went well to Day.

Thefe Thoughts and chiefly thefe thy Mind fhould move,

Employ thy Study, and engage thy Love.

Thefe are the Rules which will to Virtue lead,'
And teach thy Feet her heav'nly Paths to tread.
This by his Name I fwear, whofe facred Lore,
Firft to Mankind explain'd the Myftick FOUR,
Source of Eternal Nature and Almighty Pow'r.
In all thou doft firft let thy Prayers afcend,
And to the Gods thy Labours first commend,

From them implore Succefs, and hope a profp'rous End,

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So fhall thy abler Mind be taught to foar,
And Wifdom in her fecret Ways explore;
To range through Heav'n above and Earth below,
Immortal Gods and mortal Men to know.

So fhalt thou learn what Pow'r does all controul,
What bounds the Parts, and what unites the Whole:
And rightly judge, in all this wondrous Frame,
How univerfal Nature is the fame.

So fhalt thou ne'er thy vain Affections place
On Hopes of what fhall never come to pass.

Man, wretched Man, thou shalt be taught to know, Who bears within himself the inborn Caufe of Woe. Unhappy Race! that never yet could tell

How near their Good and Happiness they dwell.
Depriv'd of Senfe, they neither hear nor fee;
Fetter'd in Vice, they seek not to be free,
But ftupid to their own fad Fate agree:

Like pond'rous Rolling-ftones, opprefs'd with Ill,
The Weight that loads 'em makes 'em roll on still,
Bereft of Choice, and Freedom of the Will.
For native Strife in ev'ry Bofom reigns,
And fecretly an impious War maintains:

Provoke not THIS, but let the Combat ceafe,

And ev'ry yielding Paffion fue for Peace.

Wouldst thou, great Jove, thou Father of Mankind,

Reveal the Demon for that Task affign'd,
The wretched Race an End of Woes would find.
And yet be bold, O Man, Divine thou art,
And of the Gods Celestial Effence Part.
Nor facred Nature is from thee conceal'd,
But to thy Race her myftick Rules reveal'd.

Thefe

Thefe if to know thou happily attain,

Soon fhalt thou perfect be in all that I ordain.
Thy wounded Soul to Health thou shalt restore,
And free from ev'ry Pain fhe felt before.

Abstain, I warn, from Meats unclean and foul,
So keep thy Body pure, fo free thy Soul;
So rightly judge; thy Reafon, fo, maintain;
Reason which Heav'n did for thy Guide ordain,
Let that beft Reafon ever hold the Rein.

Then if this mortal Body thou forfake,
And thy glad Flight to the pure Æther take,
Among the Gods exalted fhalt thou fhine,
Immortal, Incorruptible, Divine:

The Tyrant Death fecurely fhalt thou brave,
And fcorn the dark Dominion of the Grave,

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POEM

Upon the Late

Glorious Succeffes

OF

Her MAJESTY's Arms, &c.

Humbly Infcrib'd to the Right Honourable the

EARL of GODOLPHIN,

Lord High-Treasurer of ENGLAND.

By N. ROWE, Efq;

Extremum rediiffe pudet.

Printed in the Year MDCCXIX.

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