The VISION.

The VISION . As lately musing in a lonely shade , For meditation and contentment made , The murm'ring streams reecho'd thro' the trees , And verdant poplars , fan'd the gentle breeze , All dwelt serene within my tranquil breast , And sweet retirement , lull'd my soul to rest : Delightful fancy lent her potent aid , And scenes of wonder , to my sense convey'd . Transported to a verdant blooming green , Where all was calm , and nature shone serene : The daisy painted ground , perfum'd the air , And sweet contentment , seem'd to banish care , A group of lovely damsels caught my eye , And each in youth and beauty strove to vie ; Yet two shone more resplendent than the rest , One in a purple , airy , flowing vest ; Her temples bound with flow'rs of diff'rent hue , The lilly white , the violet azure blue , Her tender feet with glitt'ring sandals bound , Trip't lightly o'er the flow'ry painted ground . Her golden locks flow'd careless in the wind . And her whole dress was loose and unconfin'd . The other , clad in purity , and truth , With all the blooming , radiant charms of youth , White was her robe , bright auborn was her hair , Meek her deportment , and serene her air ; Her looks outvied the pure and unsun'd snow , And wreaths of laurel , bound her sacred brow , Her friend was wisdom , who with heav'nly song , With caution lead her mistress thro' the throng . Her breath with ambient sweets perfum'd the ground , And calm serenity shone all around ; Each strove by turns to sooth the giddy croud , Courted the humble , and implor'd the proud . The first was pleasure ( soft alluring name , ) The other virtue , surest guide to fame . Struck with astonishment I gaz'd around , When suddenly I heard a heav'nly sound , A sound more sweet than the soft breath of love , Harmonious as the songsters of the grove ; Melodious as the pipe upon the plains , The tuneful lyre , or Philomela's strains . 'Twas virtue's voice , the pure seraphic maid , In tender numbers these soft accents said . " Ah ! follow me , fair nymph , to my pure cell , " 'Tis there content , and peace alone can dwell ; " 'Tis there true happiness and joy you'll find , " A homely fair , but a reception kind : " Where innocence and love , delight to reign , " Free from dissimulation , care , and pain . " There peace resides , there honor keeps her court , " There pity dwells , the muses there resort . " Beware of vice , her pleasures soon will cloy , " And keen repentance , follow guilty joy . " Forsake the giddy , gay , unthinking croud , " Forsake the covetous , the vain , and proud ; " By me be guided , I will lead the way , " To blissful paths of everlasting day . " In this precarious life i'll be thy friend , " And celebrate thy name , e'en to time's end ; " Take my advice , 'tis I alone can prove , " The heart-felt happiness of virtuous love : " The real pleasures of an honest mind , " In all my footsteps you will surely find . Thus spoke the nymph , — to heav'n the music floats , And angels echo back the tuneful notes . Transported , and amaz'd , I trembling cry'd , " In thee alone I trust to be my guide ! " The goddess smil'd , and kindly press'd my hand , When I obedient to her wise command Followed her footsteps , to that blissful seat , Where peace , humility , and love do meet : To that pure cell where every earthly joy , Reigns uncontroul'd , unmixt , without a cloy . The journey long , the fare was mean and coarse , The road was rugged , and the task was worse ; Our gentle guides were Patience , Hope , and Truth , ( The best supporters of each virtuous youth ) Each friend , by turns , sooth'd my advent'rous heart , And tales of truth , and honor did impart . When , on a sudden , horrors spread around , And echo'd thro' the grove an hollow sound ; The clouds grew black , all nature seem'd to fade , And sicken o'er the solemn lonely glade ; Naught could be heard but silver falling floods , And woe fraught murmurs reign'd throughout the woods . Confusion struck my frame , when Patience cry'd , " Fear not , fair nymph , in me alone confide ; " In a short time these dreadful storms shall cease , " And I will crown your toil , with joy , and peace . " E'er you arrive where bliss eternal reigns , " You first must learn to scorn such trifling pains ; " The pure seraphic mind which virtue warms , " Must bare serenely these tempestuous storms ; " The feeling heart must many crosses know , " In virtue's cause , — where fortune proves a foe : " Let not these trifles your soft breast alarm , " Patience will guide you free from every harm . " Here ceas'd the virgin , the prophetic sound , And gleams of heavenly light shone all around ; The clouds dispers'd , the storm and tempest ceas'd , And every visionary care decreas'd . The flowers recover'd their delightful hue , And nature shone in all her bloom anew ; No scent more fragrant does the rose exhale , Then those which fan'd the sweet ambrosial gale . At a small distance stood the peaceful cell , Where innocence and harmony do dwell ; No pompous grandeur there adorns the grove , No spiery turrets rear their heads above ; No gilded columns , no gay temples rise , There no luxurious dome invades the skies ; Alone for peace the humble cell was made , And sweet contentment , reigns within the shade : A purling stream in soft meanders glide , The violet sweet , and daizy blooms beside : Fair honor reigns supreme and void of care , Each heavenly blessing does inhabit there . With meek humility , with truth divine , And ev'ry virtue bows before the shrine . Love , the soft moulder of the pliant soul , ( Whose power our wishes and our minds controul ; ) Within these sacred shades serenely mov'd , By virtue guided , and by heav'n approv'd . Enraptur'd I beheld those regions bright , And scenes of wonder beam'd upon the sight ; Harmonious songsters I distinctly heard , And soft musicians in the grove appear'd : While thus I stood intent to see and hear , A damsel's voice address'd my pensive ear . " Like you a stranger to distress and woe , " Possess'd of all the gifts the gods bestow , " Of all the real blessings heaven can give , " Still my fond soul for other joys did grieve . " Once on a time by giddy fancy taught , " For idle pleasures earnestly I sought ; " No well-taught council could my feet restrain , " But pleasures lur'd me to the flow'ry plain ; " That sure destruction to the youthful mind , " To her my frail , my willing heart inclin'd . " Long time I revel'd in luxurious joys , " Which ev'ry gen'rous sentiment destroys . " But ah ! fair nymph , each pleasure quickly dies , " Where blacken'd vice , fair virtue's place supplies . " Such idle joys last but a fleeting day , " Where vice triumphant reigns with potent sway ; " Short was the time these scenes my soul possess'd , " But endless are the pangs within my breast . " No time the stings of conscience can subdue , " Where'er I fly fresh grief my steps pursue ; " Conscious of past offence , my erring breast , " Is torn with sad remorse , and rob'd of rest , " I feel , I feel , the heaving sigh renew'd , " And sad rememb'rance on my soul intrude ; " Still must my mind with heart felt grief abound , " Till virtue's hand shall heal reflection's wound . " Too late my blinded eyes perceiv'd the road , " Which lead to this celestial , bless'd abode ; " Happy are you , whose youthful breast aspires , " With genial warmth , to burn with purer fires . " Who in the tender , early days of youth , " Trod the unsullied paths of sacred truth . " Then hail , fair nymph , hail sweet humility , " Each vot'ry of our shade , shall honor thee . " Enjoy , henceforth , each blessing of the bless'd , " May all thy future days be crown'd with rest . " " Farewell , " she cry'd , — then join'd the happy throng , Who to my list'ning ear address'd their song . " Welcome , welcome , to our cell , " Here content , and peace do dwell ; " Every joy to charm the heart , " All that wisdom can impart , " All that can the bosom fire , " All that virtue can desire ; " Every blessing from above , " Ease and plenty , joy and love ; " Meek humility and rest , " All the transports of the bless'd ; " Join with us in sprightly song , " Dance among the happy throng ; " Tune the cymbal , and the lyre , " Virtue does our souls inspire ; " Prudence , is our matron wise , " Ev'ry folly we despise ; " Here the graces keep their court , " Here the muses all resort ; " Welcome to this happy cell , " Here content and peace doth dwell . Here ceas'd the tender , soft , alluring throng , Their artless , sweet , prophetic , warmbling song ; And I awoke , alas ! too soon to find , 'Twas only fancy that deceiv'd my mind ; But what a change from scenes of tranquil joy , To momentary pleasures born to cloy .