XXIV

THE GARDEN.

you do In your Garden; and yet no Man who makes his Happiness morepublick, by a free Communication of the Art and Knowledge of it toothers. Ast that I myself am able yet to do, is only to recommend toMankind the Search of .that Felicity, which you instruct them how tofind and to enjoy.

I. V • A

Happy art thyu whom God does bjcls ; I

Wkh the foil Choice of thine own Happiness; '

And happier yet, because thou’rt blestWith Prudence how to choose the best :

In Books and Gardens thou hast plac’d aright <

( Things well which thou dost understand,

And both dost make with thy laborious Hand )

Thy noble innocent Delight:

And in thy virtuous Wife, where thou again dost meet

Both Pleasures more refin'd and Iweet j *

The fairest Garden in her Looks,

And in her Mind the wisest Books. >

Oh ! who would change these soft, yet solid Joys, ' iFor empty Shows and senseless Noise;

And all which rank Ambition breeds,

Which seem such beauteous Flowers, and are such ‘pois’nous Weeds !

II.

When God did Man to his own Likeness make,' -> I ( r .

As much as Clay, though of the purest Kind,

By the great Potter's Art refin'd, '

Could the Divine Impression take: ’

He thought it fit to place him, whereA kind of Heav’n too did appear,

As far as Earth could such a Likeness bear:

That Man no Happiness might want,

W hich Earth to her first Master could afford;

He did a Garden for him plant,

By the quick Hand of his Omnipotent Word :

As the ch : ef Help and Joy of Human Life,

He gave him the first Gist; first, ev’n before a Wife.

III.

For God, the universal Architect,

’t had been as easy to erect (

A Louvre, or Escurial, or a Tower,

That might with Heav’n Communication hold,

As Babel vainly thought to do of Old : ,

He wanted not the Skill or Power;

In the World’s Fabrick those were ihown,

And the Materials were all his own.

But well He knew what Place would best agreeWith Innocence, and with Felicity:

And we elsewhere still seek for them in vain,

If any Part of cither yet remain: ,

If any Part of either we expect,

This may our Judgment in the Search direct;

God the first Garden made, and the first City, Gain,

. i IV. 0

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