God loves from whole to parts; but human soul
Must rise from individual to the whole.
Self-love but serves the virt'ous mind to wake,
As the small pebble stirs the peaceful lake;
The centre mov'd a circle strait succeeds,365
Another still, and still another spreads,
Friend, parent, neighbour, first it will embrace,
His country next, and next all human race,
Wide and more wide, th' o'erflowings of the mind
Take ev'ry creature in of ev'ry kind;370
Earth smiles around, with boundless bounty bless'd,
And heav'n beholds its image in his breast.
Come then, my friend, my genius, come along,
Oh master of the poet, and the song!
And while the muse now stoops, or now ascends,375
To man's low passions, or their glorious ends,
Teach me, like thee, in various nature wise,
To fall with dignity, with temper rise;
Form'd by thy converse, happily to steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe;380
Correct with spirit, eloquent with ease,
Intent to reason, or polite to please.
Oh! while along the stream of time thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame,
Say, Shall my little bark attendant sail,385
Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale?
When statesmen, heroes, kings, in dust repose,
Whose sons shall blush their fathers were thy foes,
Shall
