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For the Bee,

Ode to Contentment.

HAIL! ever-fweetly fmiling maid,
Whose power can lull our cares to reft,
Though keen afflictions darts invade,
Thy friendly ray can calm the breast.
Though ghaftly poverty fhould fting!
Though dire misfortunes pangs await,
Thy placid looks relief can bring,

Beguile the wretch's pain, and cure the ills of fate!

Oh! come, fweet foother of the mind,

And bless me with thy heavenly aid;
Direct my wandering steps to find
Thy balmy comforts, gentle maid!
Teach me my humble lot to prize,
A franger to ambition's fire,
The pomp of fplendor to despise,

And ne'er to gaudy fhow, or glittering wealth afpire.

Oh! come with all thy heaven-born train,

Soft meek eyed peace, in fmiles array'd,

And harmony with focial strain,

And rofeat health! gay blooming maid.

Let white-rob'd innocence attend,

And friendship light her facred fires

Let gentle hope her influence fend,

And foaring contemplation, who from giddy crouds retires.

For the Bee.

Sixth Elegy of Politian, tranflated.

Ir, when they quit the present scene,
Our fouls are confcious to the past,
And, through the shades that intervene,
A look of fond remembrance caft,

My dearest boy! fupport me now;
Wipe off this vain rebellious tear;
Replace compofure on my brow;

Teach me this piercing ftroke to bear.

SCOTIANNA.

While filent midnight shrouds the sky,

When oft, as beauty's bards have faid, Gleams on the pale feducer's eye,

The form of her his vows betray'd.

Ah! leave the regions of the bleft;
Revifit this devoted earth;

Aid me in foothing into reft

That injur'd girl who gave thee birth.

Though, fince affliction's helpless heir,
Her trefpafs holy fpite reprov'd,
She once-I blufh not to declare-
Like thee, was lovely and belov'd.-

Let pedants, whofe unfocial nerves
Nature's first impulfe ne'er could fire,
Whofe frigid virtue never swerves
From what discretion's rules require,

From every vulgar failing free-
Let them deteft me, if they can;
1 neither feek, nor wifh to fee,

A mortal more, or less than man.

Whate'er a father's pride could ask,

Was center'd in thy infant charms;
Each dream reftores my pleafing task,
And fancy feels thy clasping arms.

Again to view thy features rife,
Again thy prattle lulls my ear,
While prompt imagination eyes
The childish laugh, the childish tear.

A gush of joy o'erwhelms my breast,
Starting, to prefs me close to thine.
I wake-Let him defcribe the reft,
Who knows an agony like mine.-

To parents death distracts not yet,

Whose hearts have ne'er like ours been wrung,

Whisper that pity fhould forget

What paffion forces from my tongue.

When the, whose tortures fhock my foul,
Is to her early grave confign'd,

My victim's tender cares controul,
Tell her-I dread to stay behind!

EMILIUS

To the Editor of the Bee.

Edmund, a Tale.

HAIL native ftream, faid EDMUND, setting himself down on a graffy plot; thy flowery banks invite me here to rest my weary limbs.--Thy gentle murmurs cannot however foothe my forrow.-Oh! fcenes of my juvenile amufements, you bring not along with you your former endearments.-An old man approached him-He leaned on his staff-His filvered locks waved to the gentle breeze-Experience and benignity marked his venerable countenance. You seem to be faint with travel, faid Mr. ToUNSHEND, for that was the name of the old gentleman. "I am very much fo," replied EDMUND—' If you please to retire to my house, which is just at hand, a little rest and refreshment will enable you more agreeably to purfue your journey'-" I intended to have gone a few miles farther before I had ftopt; but, as I find myself exceedingly fatigued, I cheerfully accept of " your friendly invitation."-So faying, he rofe up, and followed MR. TOUNSHEND to his villa.

You are a stranger, I fuppofe, in this part of the country,' faid MR. TOUNSHFND." I was born in a village at no great distance from this; I believe however, very few here will now know me; I am much altered: befides, I am poor. I have brought nothing home with me but a few fcars received in the fervice of my country;" looking at a fump, the remains of his left arm, which MR. TOUNSHEND had not before obferved. Oh! thefe are marks of glory, exclaimed the old gentleman; infinitely more valuable than riches-May I be allowed to ask your name.'—" My name is ROBERTS; if you have refided here any confiderable time, you are perhaps not a ftranger to my family-Do you know my father?" I have often heard of him, but never had the pleasure of his acquaintance.' "From your par lour window, I can fee the gently floping hills where roam his fnowy flocks, and the fpreading groves which fhelter his Hittle farm.-Oh! delightful spot-refidence of exalted virtue-Place of my nativity, inexpreffibly endeared to me by the indulgence of the best of parents-A parent, perhaps

e'er now intombed in earth-Dreadful thought!—Oh! why was I torn from him in his old age ?" Torn from him, did you fay'-" Yes, in, the cruelleft and baseft manner." I feel myself interested in your concerns; do favour me with your company till to-morrow, and a recital of your ftory.-EDMUND having yielded to the intreaties of MR. TOUNSHEND, he accofted him as follows.

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My mother died when I was but a boy; my father remained a widower.-Though but little acquainted with the world or the fciences, by a clofe attention to nature, he acquired some of the most important principles of useful knowledge. The cultivation of his little farm afforded him an agreeable exercife; the enjoyment of a felect circle of friends fufficiently occupied his leifure hours. He early impreffed me with the principles of virtue; my mind, naturally fufceptible, from his example, acquired a relish for focial endearments. As he intended me to fucceed him in his property and profeffion, he took care to give me an education fuitable to fuch a flation. At the grammer fchool of our parish, I contracted an intimacy with a lad about my own age, the fon of a gentleman in our neighbourhood; this connection in time, advanced to a moft perfect friendship.

"Having one day taken the diverfion of hunting, the purfuit of our game carried us farther from home than we intended. Hunger reminded us that it was dinner time. I carried MR. WILLIAMS, which is the name of my friend to the house of a widow lady in that neighbourhood, where I had before once vifited; we were received in the politest manner. It was then I was firft bleffed with a fight of my MARIA;—bleffed did I fay? no furely, it deferves another appellation, fince it proved the commencement of my mif fortunes. I will not attempt to deferibe this lovely maid, any reprefentation I could delineate, would fall infinitely fhort of the original. Her charms infpired me with the fincereft paffion; and I had every reason to think it mutual. Oh! I was mistaken; the was not fincere; at least she was not proof against the folicitations of another. By permiffion of my father, whom I had made acquainted with the whole matter, I went one day to visit her. At my arrival I found the family in the utmost diforder ;-MARIA was mis fing. She had gone the day before on a vifit to a lady

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who refided at a little distance, and had not from that time been heard of. I was fo ftruck with this intelligence, that I remained for fome time in a manner infenfible; I foon however recollected myself: concluding the must have been forced away, I refolved not to lose a moment in attempting her recovery: I difpatched a fhort note to my father, and one to my friend, briefly acquainting him with what had happened, directing him to take a different route from that which I intended, and appointing a place where we should meet. This done, I took leave of the family.

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"Having spent the day in fruitlefs inquiries, I arrived late at night at the place of rendezvous. MR. WILLIAMS was not come; I waited with impatience till next morning. "Have you heard any thing of MARIA? cried I, as foon as he appeared" I have'" Where is the"- At MR. OSBURN's'-I stretched forth my arms to embrace him.Reprefs your joy, my EDMUND, faid he; this discovery only adds to your misfortunes. What do you mean ?"?. is there by her own choice'- Impoffible" That will but too well convince you of its reality,' said he, putting a letter into my hand, which he faid, he received from herfelf. I tore it open :-Its contents informed me, that she had particular reafons for difcontinuing her correfpondence with me, and at the fame time advising me to think no more of her. The letter dropped from my hand. I ftood for fome time motionlefs with furprife.-I had, it is true, never before seen any of her hand-writing; but I had the utmost confidence in my friend. "Come, MR. WILLIAMS, faid I, I must fee the faithlefs MARIA once more; I fhall at least have the pleasure of punishing her feducer." Take care

faid he, that instead of chaftening your rival, you do not receive from him an additional injury. You know he is a profeffed libertine: A man who can commit a crime like this, will not hesitate to crown it with another, perhaps of a worse nature.' I remained firm to my purpose. Having found I was determined, he agreed to accompany me. When we were within a little of MR. OSBURN's, my friend told me, that it was through one of the domeftics of the family, with whom he had a flight acquaintance, he had got access to MARIA; and if I pleased, he would go a little before, and endeavour to procure me an interview by

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