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Not in the fading echoes of renown,

Pow'r's purple robes, nor Pleasure's flow'ry lap, The soul shall find enjoyment: but from these Turning disdainful to an equal good,

Thro' all th' ascent of things enlarge her view, Till every bound at length shall disappear, And infinite Perfection close the scene.

CHA P. X X X I.

Novelty.

AKENSIDE.

CALL now to mind what high capacious pow'rs
Lie folded up in man; how far beyond

The praise of mortals, may th' eternal growth
Of nature to perfection haif divine,

Expand the blooming soul. What pity then
Should Sloth's unkindly fogs depress to earth
Her tender blossom, choak the streams of life,
And blast her spring! Far otherwise design'd
Almighty Wisdom; Nature's happy cares
Thr obedient heart far otherwise incline.
Witness the sprightly joy when aught unknown
Strikes the quick sense, and wakes each active

pow'r

To brisker measures: witness the neglect
Of all familiar prospects, tho' beheld
With transport once: the fond attentive gaze
Of young Astonishment; the sober zeal
Of Age, commenting on prodigious things;
For such the bounteous providence of Heav'n,
In ev'ry breast implanting this desire

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Of objects new and strange, to urge us on
With unremitted labour to pursue.
Those sacred stores that wait the ripening soul
In Truth's exhaustless bosom. What need words
To paint its power? For this the daring youth,
Breaks from his weeping mother's anxious arms,
In foreign climes to rove; the pensive sage,
Heedless of sleep, or midnight's harmless damp,

Hangs o'er the sickly taper; and untir'd
The virgin follows, with enchanted step,
The mazes of some wise and wond'rous tale,
From morn to eve; unmindful of her form
Unmindful of the happy dress that stole
The wishes of the youth, when ev'ry maid
With envy pin'd. Hence finally by night
The village matron, round the blazing hearth,
Suspends the infant-audience with her tales,
Breathing astonishment! of witching rhymes,
And evil spirits; of the death-bed call
Of him who robb'd the widow, and devour'd
The orphan's portion; of unquiet souls
Ris'n from the grave to ease the heavy guilt
Of deeds in life conceal'd; of shapes that walk
At dead of night, and clank their chains, and wave
The torch of hell around the murd'rer's bed.
At ev'ry solemn pause the crowd recoil
Gazing each other speechless, and congeal'd
With shiv'ring sighs: till eager for th' event,
Around the belldame all erect they hang,
Each trembling heart with gratuful terrors quell'd.
AKENSIDE.

BOOK VIII.

PATHETIC PIECES

CHA P. I.

The Story of Le Fevre. Ir was some time in the summer of that year

in which Dendermond was taken by the allies, --which was about seven years before my father came into the country--and about as many after the time that my uncle Toby and Trim had privately decamped from my father's house in town, in order to lay some of the finest sieges to some of the finest fortified cities in Europe--when my uncle Toby was one evening getting his supper, with Trim sitting behind him at a small sideboard;--The landlord of a little inn in the village came into the parlour with an empty phial in his hand to beg a glass or two of sack; 'Tis for a poor gentleman,-I think, of the army, said the landlord, who has been taken ill at my house four days ago, and has never held up his head since, or had a desire to taste any thing, till just now, that he has a fancy for a glass of sack and a thin toast,--I think, says he, taking his hand from his forehead, it would comfort me.

--If I could neither beg, borrow, or buy such a thing,--added the landlord,--I would almost steal it for the poor gentleman, he is so ill.--I hope in God he will still mend continued he--we are all of us concerned for him.

Thou art a good-natured soul, I will answer

for thee, cried my uncle Toby; and thou shalt drink the poor gentleman's health in a glass of sack thyself,--and take a couple bottles with my service, and tell him he is heartily welcome to them, and to a dozen more if they will do him good.

Though I am persuaded, said my uncle Toby, as the landlord shut the door, he is a very compassionate fellow -- Trim, -- yet I cannot help entertaining a high opinion of his guest too; there must be something more than common in him, that in so short a time he should win so much upon the affections of his host:--And of his whole family, added the corporal, for they are all concerned for him. -- Step after him, said my uncle Toby,--do Trim, --and ask if he knows his name.

--I have quite forgot it, truly, said the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the corporal,--but I can ask his son again :-Has he a son with him then? said my uncle Toby.--A boy, replied the landlord, of about eleven or twelve years of age ;--but the poor creature has tasted almost as little as his father; he does nothing but mourn and lament for him night and day; -- He has not stirred from the bed-side these two days.

My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thrust his plate from before him, as the landlord gave him the account; and Trim, without being ordered, took away without saying one word, and in a few minutes after brought him his pipe and tobacco.

--Stay in the room a little, Toby.-

said my

uncle

Trim!--said my uncle Toby, after he had lighted his pipe, and smoked about a dozen

287 whiffs.--Trim came in front of his master, and made his bow ;--my uncle Toby smoked on, and said no more. -- Corporal! said my uncle Toby--the corporal made his bow.--My uncle Toby proceeded no farther, but finished his

pipe.

Trim! said my uncle Toby, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myself up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a visit to this poor gentleman.--Your honour's roquelaure, replied the corporal, has not once been had on since the night before your honour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. Nicholas ;--and besides it is so cold and rainy a night, that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, 'twill be enough to give your honour your death, and bring on your honour's torment in your groin. I fear so, replied my uncle Toby: but I am not at rest in my mind, Trim, since the account the landlord has given me.--I wish I had not known so much of this affair--added my uncle Toby--or that I had known more of it: How shall we manage it?- - Leave it, an't please your honour, to me, quoth the corporal; --I'll take my hat and stick, and go to the house and reconnoitre, and act accordingly; and I will bring your honour a full accouut in an hour--Thou shalt go, Trim, said my uncle Toby, and here's a shilling for thee to drink with his servant.--I shall get it all out of him, said the corporal, shutting the door.

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My uncle Toby filled his second pipe; and had it not been, that he now and then wandered from the point, with considering whether it was not full as well to have the curtain

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