IT may be proper to obferve, that fome paffages, in the preceding Effay, having been unjustly fufpected of a tendency towards Fate and Naturalism, the author compofed this Prayer as the fum of all, to fhew that his system was founded in free-will, and terminated in piety: That the firft caufe was as well the Lord and Governor of the Univerfe as the Creator of it; and that, by fubmiffion to his will (the great principle enforced throughout the Effay) was not meant the suffering ourselves to be carried along by a blind determination, but the resting in a religious acquiefcence, and confidence full of Hope and Immortality. To give all this the greater weight, the poet chofe for his model the Lord's Prayer, which, of all others, best deserves the title prefixed to this Paraphrafe. THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER. FA DEO OPT. MAX. ATHER of All! in every Age, By Saint, by Savage, and by Sage, Thou Great First Cause, leaft understood; To know but this, that Thou art Good, What Confcience dictates to be done, Or warns me not to do, What Bleffings thy free Bounty gives, For God is paid when Man receives, Yet not to Earth's contracted Span Thy Goodness let me bound,' Let not this weak, unknowing hand Prefume thy bolts to throw, If I am right, thy grace impart, If I am wrong, oh teach my neart Save me alike from foolish Pride, Teach me to feel another's Woe, That Mercy I to others show, Mean though I am, not wholly fo, O lead me wherefoe'er I go, Through this day's Life or Death. This day, be Bread and Peace my Lot: Thou know'ft if beft beftow'd or not, To Thee, whose Temple is all Space, Whofe Altar, Earth, Sea, Skies! One Chorus let all Being raise ! All Nature's Incense rise! MORAL MORAL ESSAY S IN FOUR EPISTLES то SEVERAL PERSONS. "Eft brevitate opus, ut currat fententia, neu se HOR. |