The[m] teeming Mother, anxious for her Race,
Begs for each Birth the Fortune of a Face: 
Yet Vane could tell what Ills from Beauty spring;
And Sedley curs’d the Form that pleas’d a King. 
Ye Nymphs of rosy Lips and radiant Eyes,
Whom Pleasure keeps too busy to be wise,
Whom Joys with soft Varieties invite
By Day the Frolick, and the Dance by Night,
Who frown with Vanity, who smile with Art,
And ask the latest Fashion of the Heart,
What Care, what Rules your heedless Charms shall save,
Each Nymph your Rival, and each Youth your Slave? 
An envious Breast with certain Mischief glows,
And Slaves, the Maxim tells, are always Foes,
Against your Fame with Fondness Hate combines,
The Rival batters, and the Lover mines. 
With distant Voice neglected Virtue calls,
Less heard, and less the faint Remonstrance falls;
Tir’d with Contempt, she quits the slipp’ry Reign,
And Pride and Prudence take her Seat in vain. 
In croud at once, where none the Pass defend,
The harmless Freedom, and the private Friend. 
The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply’d;
By Int’rest, Prudence; and by Flatt’ry, Pride. 
Here Beauty falls betray’d, despis’d, distress’d,
And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
[Footnote m:  Ver. 289-345.]

Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find? 
Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind? 
Must helpless Man, in Ignorance sedate,
Swim darkling down the Current of his Fate? 
Must no Dislike alarm, no Wishes rise,
No Cries attempt the Mercies of the Skies? 
Enquirer, cease, Petitions yet remain,
Which Heav’n may hear, nor deem Religion vain. 
Still raise for Good the supplicating Voice,
But leave to Heav’n the Measure and the Choice. 
Safe in his Pow’r, whose Eyes discern afar
The secret Ambush of a specious Pray’r. 
Implore his Aid, in his Decisions rest,
Secure whate’er he gives, he gives the best. 
Yet with the Sense of sacred Presence prest,
When strong Devotion fills thy glowing Breast,
Pour forth thy Fervours for a healthful Mind,
Obedient Passions, and a Will resign’d;
For Love, which scarce collective Man can fill;
For Patience sov’reign o’er transmuted Ill;
For Faith, that panting for a happier Seat,
Thinks Death kind Nature’s Signal of Retreat: 
These Goods for Man the Laws of Heav’n ordain,
These Goods he grants, who grants the Pow’r to gain;
With these celestial Wisdom calms the Mind,
And makes the Happiness she does not find.
[Footnote n:  Ver. 346-366.]

FINIS.

THE RAMBLER.

NUMB. 5.  Price 2 d.

TUESDAY, April 3, 1750.

To be continued on TUESDAYS and SATURDAYS.

Et nunc omnis Ager, nunc omnis parturit Arbos,
Nunc frondent Silvae, nunc formosissimus Annus. 
VIRG.