VERSES addreffed to Dr. LAWRENCE, compofed by Dr. JOHNSON, as he lay confined with an inflamed Eye.
SANGUINE dum tumido fuffufus flagrat ocellus,
Deliciafque fugit folitas folitosque labores;
Damnatus tenebris, lettoque affixus inerti,
Quid mecum peragam, quod tu doctiffime poffes
Laurenti faltem facili, dignarier aure?
Humane mentis, rerum fe pafcere formis,
Eft proprium, et quavis captare indagine verum,
Omnibus unus amor, non eft modus unus amoris.
Sunt, qui curriculo timidi verfantur in arƐto,
Quos foli ducunt fenfus, folus docet usus ;
Qui fibi fat fapiunt, contenti nofcere quantum
Vel digiti tractant, oculus vel fentit et auris ;
Tantundem eft illis, repleat spatia ardua cœli
Materia, vaftum an late pandatur inane.
Scire vices ponti facile eft, nihil amplius optant
Nec quærunt quid luna tuo cum fluctibus orbi.
Sic fibi diffifi, lenta experientia curfum
Qua fulcat, reptant tuti per lubrica vitæ.
Altera pars hominum, fan&tæ rationis alumni Permiffum credit, nudas fibi fiftere caufas; Materiemque rudem, magnæque parentis adeffe Conciliis, verique facros recludere fontes. Gens illa, impatiens per fingula quæque vagandi Tentat iter brevius, magno conamine fummam Naturæ invadens, mundique elementa refingens Lævia ferratis mifcens, quadrata rotundis, Corpora cuncta fuis geftit variare figuris. Particulafque locans certas certo ordine, pulchram Campagem edificat, cælorum atque atheris ignes. Accendit, rerumque modos ac fœdera ponit. Hi funt, quos animi generofa infania magni In fublime rapit, queis terra et pontus et aer Sub pedibus fubje&ta jacent ; queis ultima primis Nexa patent; hi funt quos nil mirabile turbat Nil movet infolitum, fub legibus omnia fitis Dum ftatuunt, caufifque audent prefigere metam.
TRANSLATION of the foregoing VERSES. By Mrs. Piozzi.
CONDEMN'D to fhun bright Sol's reviving ray, While my tir'd fight fhrinks at th' approach of day,
Each pleafing task become my present dread,
Chain'd down by darkness to a lazy bed;
What happy periods, worthy of thy care,
Oh learned Lawrence! can thy friend prepare!
'Mong fhadowy forms the phantom Truth to find,
Is ftill the hope of ev'ry human mind,
Inclin'd by paffion all, but variously inclin'd.
Some roll their timid wheel at fmall expence,
O'er the known track of Custom and of Sense,
Depending on their touch, their taste, their eyes,
Newton alike and Berkeley they despise:
Careless through empty space though planets roll,
Or cluft'ring atoms fill the crowded whole;
Such fouls unmov'd can Ocean's waftes furvey,
Nor ask what influence its tides obey:
Contented creep in cold Experience' train,
Lurk in the furrow, and neglect the grain.
Others, all glowing with Promethean fire,
Strain their strong pow'rs to fearch and to enquire;
Hunt parent Nature to her laft recess,
Force her retreats, and rend her facred drefs;
The fource of Truth impatient to pursue,
Her winding paths they fcorn, cut out a new,
Form fancy'd fcenes of elemental strife,
Exalt material beings into life,
Find neither square, nor round, nor rough amifs;
All bend before the warm hypothefis;
Till tortur'd Nature feigning to obey,
Her fires they light, her corufcations play,
Build airy fabricks in th' offended sky,
And term the bold attempt-Discovery.
Such fouls fublime fee earth, and air, and light, Stretch'd at their feet, nor wonder at the fight; No knot perplexes, and no labour tires, While thirft of knowledge urges and inspires; For Destiny still faithful to his charge, Conjecture only leaves to rove at large.
TRANSLATIONS from BOETHIUS DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIE.
HOUGH Countless as the grains of fand
That roll at Eurus' loud command;
Though countless as the lamps of night
That glad us with vicarious light;
Fair Plenty, gracious queen, fhou'd pour
The bleffings of a golden fhow'r,
Not all the gifts of Fate combin'd
Would ease the hunger of the mind,
But fwallowing all the mighty ftore,
Rapacity would call for more;
For ftill where wishes moft abound
Unquench'd the thirft of gain is found;
In vain the fhining gifts are fent,
For none are rich without content.
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