where the mighty rest
    Since their foundation came a nobler guest;
    Nor e’er was to the bowers of bliss convey’d
    A fairer spirit or more welcome shade. 
      In what new region to the just assigned,
    What new employments please th’ unbody’d mind;
    A winged virtue, through th’ ethereal sky
    From world to world unweary’d does he fly? 
    Or curious trace the long laborious maze
    Of heaven’s decrees where wondering angels gaze;
    Does he delight to hear bold seraphs tell
    How Michael battl’d and the dragon fell,
    Or mixed with milder cherubim to glow
    In hymns of love not ill-essay’d below? 
    Or dost thou warn poor mortals left behind
    A task well suited to thy gentle mind? 
    Oh! if sometimes thy spotless form descend
    To me thy aid, thou guardian genius lend
    When rage misguides me or when fear alarms,
    When pain distresses or when pleasure charms,
    In silent whisperings purer thoughts impart,
    And turn from ill a frail and feeble heart;
    Lead through the paths thy virtue trod before,
    Till bliss shall join nor death can part us more. 
      That awful form, which, so the heavens decree,
    Must still be loved and still deplor’d by me
    In nightly visions seldom fails to rise,
    Or rous’d by fancy, meets my waking eyes. 
    If business calls, or crowded courts invite;
    Th’ unblemish’d statesman seems to strike my sight;
    If in the stage I seek to soothe my care
    I meet his soul which breathes in Cato there;
    If pensive to the rural shades I rove,
    His shape o’ertakes me in the lonely grove;
    ’Twas there of just and good he reason’d strong,
    Clear’d some great truth, or rais’d some serious song: 
    There patient show’d us the wise course to steer,
    A candid censor, and a friend severe;
    There taught us how to live; and (oh! too high
    The price for knowledge) taught us how to die.

Sir RICHARD STEELE.

Dedicatory Epistle to WILLIAM CONGREVE.

[This Dedication is prefixed to the Second Edition of ADDISON’s Drummer, 1722.]

To Mr. CONGREVE:  occasioned by Mr. TICKELL’s Preface to the four volumes of Mr. ADDISON’s Works.

    Sir,

    This is the second time that I have, without your leave, taken the
    liberty to make a public address to you.

However uneasy you may be, for your own sake, in receiving compliments of this nature, I depend upon your known humanity for pardon; when I acknowledge that you have this present trouble, for mine.  When I take myself to be ill treated with regard to my behaviour to the merit of other men; my conduct towards you is an argument of my candour that way, as well as that your name and authority will be my protection in it.  You will give me leave therefore, in a matter that