WINTER.

A DIRGE.

THE

I.

HE Wintry Weft extends his blast,

And hail and rain does blaw;

Or, the ftormy North fends driving forth

The blinding fleet and fnaw:

While, tumbling brown, the Burn comes down,

And roars frae bank to brae;

And bird and beast in covert reft,

And pafs the heartless day.

II.

"The fweeping blaft, the fky o'ercaft *,"

The joyless Winter day,

Let others fear, to me more dear

Than all the pride of May :

The Tempeft's howl, it foothes my foul,

My griefs it seems to join;

The leaflefs trees my fancy please,

Their fate refembles mine!

*Dr. Young,

III:

Thou Pow'r Supreme, whofe mighty Scheme

Thefe woes of mine fulfil,

Here, firm, I reft, they must be beft,

Because they are Thy Will!

Then all I want (Oh, do thou grant
This one requeft of mine!)

Since to enjoy Thou dolt deny,
Afif me to refign!

THOU unknown, Almighty Cause

Of all my hope and fear!

In whofe dread Presence, ere an hour,

Perhaps I must appear

II.

If I have wander'd in those paths

Of life I ought to fhun;

As Something, loudly, in my breast,

Remonftrates 1 have done;

III.

Thou know'ft that Thou haft formed me

With Paffions wild and ftrong ;

And lift'ning to their witching voice

Has often led me wrong.

IV.

Where human weakness has come short, Or frailty ftept afide,

Do Thou All-Good! for fuch Thou art,

In fhades of darkness hide.

V.

Where with intention I have err'd,

No other Plea I have,

But, Thou art good; and Goodness fill Delighteth to forgive.

STANZAS

ON THE SAME OCCASION.

WH

H Y am I loth to leave this earthly scene?
Have I found it so full of pleasing charms?
Some drops of joy with drops of ill between ;
Some gleams of funshine mid renewing storms:
Is it departing pangs my foul alarms?

Or Death's unlovely, dreary, dark abode?
For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms;
I tremble to approach an angry GOD,
And juftly fmart beneath his fin-avenging rod.

Fain would I fay, Forgive my foul offence !'
Fain promife never more to disobey;

But, fhould my Author health again difpenfe,
Again I might defert fair Virtue's way;

Again in folly's path might go aftray;

Again exalt the brute and fink the man ; Then how fhould I for Heavenly Mercy pray, Who act fo counter Heavenly Mercy's plan? Who fin fo oft have mourn'd, yet to temptation ran

?