est spirit
Sunk in Elysium, peaceful mansion of shades
That spot t' revisit, where infancy
In dreams aerial, play'd 'round my brows.

Then may death's smirking genius, of a sudden,
Extinguish life's taper, well pleas'd I'll hasten
To Xenophon and Plato's musing shade
And to Anacreon's myrtle tufted bow'r.

_Lit. Museum, or Mo. Mag._, p. 47, Jan. 1797, West-Chester.

[F. Matthisson, _Wunsch an Salis_. "Noch einmal moecht' ich, eh in die
Schattenwelt...."]

BENEVOLENCE.
A FABLE.
Imitated from the German of Gellert.

O'er Howard's tomb soft Pity weeps,
Bewailing still her favourite's fate;
And thence the Muse invokes her aid
Of kindred merit to relate.

Like him to sympathize with woe,
Like him to heal the broken mind;
And rear Affliction's drooping head,
Belinda's generous soul inclin'd.

But want of fortune oft, too oft,
Her charitable views withstood;
For what, alas! avails the will,
Without the power of doing good?

Her uncle dies and leaves his niece
A clear two thousand pounds per ann.
"Ah! now," she cries, "I'm blest indeed,
"I'll help the poor where'er I can."

Scarce had she spoke, when, at her door
An old decrepid wretch appears;
Bent on his crutch he begs an alms,
And moves her pity with his tears.

Belinda felt for his distress,
She heav'd a sigh and shook her head;
Then to this aged son of woe
Stretch'd forth a--crust of mouldy bread.

_Amer. Universal Mag._, I-28, Jan. 2, 1797, Phila.

[C. F. Gellert, _Die Gutthat_.]

PRO PATRIA MORI
From the German of Buerger.

For virtue, freedom, human rights, to fall,
Beseems the brave: it is a Saviour's death.
Of heroes only the most pure of all,
Thus with their heart's blood tinge the battle-heath.

And this proud death is seemliest in the man
Who for a kindred race, a country bleeds:
Three hundred Spartans from the shining van
Of those, whom fame in this high triumph leads.

Great is the death for a good prince incurr'd;
Who wields the sceptre with benignant hand:
Well may for him the noble bare his sword,
Falling he earns the blessings of a land.

Death for a friend, parent,