DIsC. and deadly sleep, and others in an hour of dangerous slumber : Many an acquaintance of ours has gone down to the grave, when neither they, nor we thought of their dying, at such a season. But as thoughtless as they were, they were never the further from the point of death ; and we shudder with horror whenwe think what is become of their souls. While we are young, we are ready to please ourselves with the enjoyments of life, and flatter our hopes with a long succession of them. We suppose death to be at the distance of fifty or threescore miles ; threescore years and ten is the appointed period: But, alas ! how few are there, whose hopes are fulfilled, or whose life is extended to those dimensions? Perhaps the messenger of death is within a furlong of our dwelling ; a few more steps onward, and he smites us down to the dust. There are some beautiful verses, which I have read perhaps thirty years ago, wherein the ingenious author describes the different stages of human life, under the image of a fair prospect, or landscape, and death is placed, by mis- taken mortals, afar offbeyond them all. Since the lines return now upon my remembrance, I will repeat them -here withsome small alteration. They are as follow : F. Life, and the scenes that round it rise, Share in the same uncertainties. . Yet still we hug ourselves with vain presage, Of future days, serene and long, Of pleasures fresh, and ever strong, An active youth, and slow declining age. " Like a fair prospect still we make Things future pleasing forms to take: First, verdant meads arise, arid flow'ry fields : Cool groves, and shady copses here, There brooks, and winding streams appear, While change of objects still new pleasures yields. " Farther fine castles court the eye, There wealth and honours we espy ; Beyond, a huddled mixture fills the stage, Till the remoter distance shrouds, The plains with hills, those hills with clouds, There weplace death behindold shiv'ring age. " Whendeath, alas ! perhaps toonigh, In the next hedge Bothskulking lie, , There plants his engines, thence lets fly his dart; Which, while we ramble without fear, Will stop us in our full career, And force us from our airy dreams topart." ßc4 SURPRIZE IN UE9TH. 391
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