Then dow'rless beauty lost the power to move; The rust of lucre stain'd the gold of love: Bounteous no more, and hospitably good, The genial hearth first blush'd with stranger's blood: The friend no more upon the friend relies, And semblant falsehood puts on truth's disguise: The peaceful houshold fill'd with dire alarms; The ravish'd virgin mourns her slighted charms: The voice of impious mirth is heard around; In guilt they feast, in guilt the bowl is crowned: Unpunish'd violence lords it o'er the plains, And Happiness forsakes the guilty swains. Oh Happiness! from human search retir'd, Where art thou to be found, by all desir'd? Nun, sober and devout! why art thou fled, To hide in shades thy meek contented head? Virgin of aspect mild! ah! why, unkind, Fly'st thou, displeas'd, the commerce of mankind? O! teach our steps to find the secret cell, Where, with thy sire, Content, thou lov'st to dwell. Or say, dost thou, a duteous handmaid, wait Familiar at the chambers of the great? Dost thou pursue the voice of them that call To noisy revel, and to midnight ball? O'er the full banquet when we feast our soul, Dost thou inspire the mirth, or mix the bowl? Or, with th' industrious planter dost thou talk, Conversing freely in an evening walk? Say, does the miser e'er thy face behold, Watchful and studious of the treasur'd gold? Seeks Knowledge, not in vain, thy much lov'd pow'r, Still musing silent at the morning hour? May we thy presence hope in war's alarms, The Statesman's wisdom, or the Fair-one's charms? In vain our flatt'ring hopes our steps beguile, The flying good eludes the searcher's toil: In vain we seek the city or the cell, Alone with Virtue knows the Pow'r to dwell. Nor need mankind despair these joys to know, The gift themselves may on themselves bestow. Soon, soon we might the precious blessing boast, But many passions must the blessing cost; Infernal Malice, inly pining Hate, And Envy, grieving at another's state: Revenge no more must in our hearts remain, Or burning Lust, or Avarice of gain. When these are in the human bosom nurst, Can Peace reside in dwellings so accurst? Unlike, O EGLINTOUN! thy happy breast, Calm and serene enjoys the heavenly guest; From the tumultuous rule of passions free'd, Pure in thy thought, and spotless in thy deed: In virtues rich, in goodness unconfin'd, Thou shin'st a fair example to thy kind; Sincere and equal to thy neighbour's fame, How swift to praise, but how averse to blame! Bold in thy presence bashful Sense appears, And backward Merit loses all its fears. Supremely blest by Heav'n, Heav'n's richest grace, Confest is thine, an early blooming race; Whose pleasing smiles shall guardian Wisdom arm, Divine Instruction! taught of thee to charm: