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N° 453.

Saturday, August 9.

T

Non ufitata nec tenui ferar

Penná

Hor.

HERE is not a more pleafing Exercife of the Mind than Gratitude. It is accompanied with fuch an inward Satisfaction, that the Duty is fufficiently rewarded by the Performance. It is not like the Practice of many other Virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with fo much Pleafure, that were there no pofitive Command which enjoin'd it, nor any Recompence laid up for it hereafter, a generous Mind would indulge in it, for the natural Gratification that accompanies it.

IF Gratitude is due from Man to Man, how much more from Man to his Maker The Supreain Being does not only confer upon us thofe Bounties which proceed more immediately from his Hand, but even thofe Benefits which are conveyed to us by others. Every Bleffing we enjoy, by what Means foever it may be derived upon us, is the Gift of him who is the great Author of Good, and Father of Mercies.

IF Gratitude, when exerted towards one another, naturally produces a very pleafing Senfation in the Mind of a grateful Man; it exalts the Soul into Rapture, when it is employed on this great Object of Gratitude; on this Beneficent Being who has given us every thing we already poffefs, and from whom we expect every thing we yet hope for.

MOST of the Works of the Pagan Poets were either direct Hymns to their Deities, or tended indirectly to the Celebration of their respective Attributes and Perfections. Those who are acquainted with the Works of the Greek and Latin Poets which are ftill extant, will upon Reflection find this Observation so true, that I fhall not enlarge upon it. One would wonder that more of our Chriftian Poets have not turned their Thoughts this

way,

way, especially if we confider, that our Idea of the Supream Being is not only infinitely more Great and Noble than what could poffibly enter into the Heart of an Heathen, but filled with every thing that can raise the Imagination, and give an Opportunity for the fublimest Thoughts and Conceptions.

PLUTARCH tells of a Heathen who was finging an Hymn to Diana, in which he celebrated her for her Delight in human Sacrifices, and other Inftances of Cruelty and Revenge; upon which a Poet who was present at this piece of Devotion, and feems to have had a truer Idea of the Divine Nature, told the Votary by way of Reproof, that in recompence for his Hymn, he heartily wifhed he might have a Daughter of the fame Temper with the Goddess he celebrated. It was indeed impoffible to write the Praises of one of thofe false Deities, according to the Pagan Creed, without a mixture of Impertinence and Abfurdity.

THE Jews, who before the Times of Chriftianity were the only People that had the Knowledge of the True God, have fet the Chriftian World an Example low they ought to employ this Divine Talent of which I am fpeaking. As that Nation produced Men of great Genius, without confidering them as inspired Writers, they have tranfmitted to us many Hymns and Divine Odes, which excel those that are delivered down to us by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, in the Poetry, as much as in the Subject to which it was confecrated. This I think might eafily be fhewn, if there were occafion for it.

I have already communicated to the Publick fome Pieces of Divine Poetry, and as they have met with a very favourable Reception, I fhall from time to time publish any Work of the fame Nature which has not yet appeared in Print, and may be acceptable to my Readers.

I.

WHEN all thy Mercies, O my God,

My rifing Soul furveys;

Transported with the View, I'm loft
In Wonder, Love, and Praise:

II.

Ohow fhall Words with equal Warmth
The Gratitude declare

VOL. VI.

K

Th

That glows within my ravish'd Heart?
But thou canst read it there.

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To all my weak Complaints and Cries,
Thy Mercy lent an Ear,

E'er yet my feeble Thoughts had learnt
To form themselves in Pray'r.

V.

Unnumber'd Comforts to my Soul
Thy tender Care beftow'd,
Before my infant Heart conceiv'd
From whom thofe Comforts flow'd.

VI.

When in the flipp'ry Paths of Youth
With heedlefs Steps I ran,
Thine Arm unfeen convey'd me fafe
And led me up to Man;

VII.

Through hidden Dangers, Toils, and Deaths,
It gently clear'd my Way,

And through the pleafing Snares of Vice,
More to be fear'd than they.

VIII.

When worn with Sicknefs oft haft thou
With Health renew'd my Face,
And when in Sins and Sorrows funk
Reviv'd my Soul with Grace.

IX.

Thy bounteous Hand with worldly Blifs
Has made my Cup run o'er,
And in a kind and faithful Friend
Has doubled all my Store.

X.

Ten thousand thousand precious Gifts
My Daily Thanks employ,
Nor is the leaft a chearful Heart,
That tastes thofe Gifts with Joy.

XI. Through

XI.

Through every Period of my Life
Thy Goodness I'll pursue ;

And after Death in diftant Worlds

The Glorious Theme renew.

XII.

When Nature fails, and Day and Night
Divide thy Works no more,
My ever-grateful Heart, O Lord,
Thy Mercy fhall adore.

XIII.

Through all Eternity to Thee
A joyful Song I'll raife,
For oh! Eternity's too short
To utter all thy Praife.

N 454.

Monday, Auguft 11.

ine me, Vacivom tempus ne quod duim mihi Laboris. Ter. Heau.

T is an inexpreffible Pleasure to know a little of the World, and be of no Character or Significancy in it. To be ever unconcerned, and ever looking on new Objects with an endless Curiofity, is a Delight known only to those who are turned for Speculation: Nay they who enjoy it, muft value Things only as they are the Objects of Speculation, without drawing any worldly Advantage to themselves from them, but just as they are what contribute to their Amusement, or the Improvement of the Mind. I lay one Night laft Week at Richmond; and being reftlefs, not out of Diffatisfaction, but a certain bufie Inclination one fometimes has, I rofe at Four in the Morning, and took Boat for London, with a Refolution to rove by Boat and Coach for the next Four and twenty Hours, till the many different Objects I must needs meet with fhould tire my Imagination, and give me an Inclination to a Repofe more profound than I was at that Time capable of. I beg People's Pardon for an

K 2

odd

odd Humour I am guilty of, and was often that Day. which is faluting any Perfon whom I like, whether I know him or not. This is a Particularity would be tolerated in me, if they confidered that the greatest Pleasure I know I receive at my Eyes, and that I am obliged to an agreeable Perfon for coming abroad into my View, as another is for a Vifit of Converfation at their own Houses.

THE Hours of the Day and Night are taken up in the Cities of London and Wefiminfter by People as different from each other as those who are born in different Centuries. Men of Six-a-Clock give way to thofe of Nine, they of Nine to the Generation of Twelve, and they of Twelve disappear, and make Room for the fashionable World, who have made Two-a-Clock the Noon of the Day.

WHEN we firft put off from Shoar, we foon fell in with a Fleet of Gardeners bound for the feveral MarketPorts of London, and it was the most pleafing Scene imaginable to fee the Chearfulness with which thofe indutrious People ply'd their Way to a certain Sale of their Goods. The Banks on each Side are as well peopled, and beautified with as agreeable Plantations, as any Spot on the Earth; but the Thames it felf, loaded with the Product of each Shore, added very much to the Landskip, It was very eafie to obferve by their Sailing, and the Countenances of the ruddy Virgins, who were Supercargoes, the Parts of the Town to which they were bound. There was an Air in the Purveyors for Covent Garden, who frequently converfe with Morning Rakes, very unlike the feemly Sobriety of thofe bound for Stocks Market.

NOTHING remarkable happened in our Voyage; but I landed with Ten Sail of Apricock Boats at StrandBridge, after having put in at Nine-Elms, and taken in Melons, configned by Mr. Cuffe of that Place, to Sarah Sewell and Company, at their Stall in Covent-Garden. We arrived at Strand-bridge at Six of the Clock, and were unloading; when the Hackney-Coachmen of the foregoing Night took their leave of each other at the DarkHoufe, to go to Bed before the Day was too far spent. Chimney-Sweepers pafs'd by us as we made up to the Market, and fome Rallery happened between one of the

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