MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS. . 425 LXIII. Piety in a Court.To Philomela. Madam, I KNOW not by what train of ideas I was led this morning to muse on these four lines which I read some where many yearsago : " The court's a golden but a fatal circle, " Upon whose magic skirts a thousand devils " In crystal forms sit tempting innocence, " And beckon early virtue from its centre." This description of a court gave occasion to the following enquiries Is there a lovely soul, so much divine, Can act her glorious part, and move and shine On this enchanted spot of treach'rous ground, Nor give her virtue nor her fame a wound ? Is there a soul so temper'd, so refin'd, That pomp nor feeds her sense, nor fires the mind ; That soars above the globe with high disdain, While earth's gay trifles tempt her thoughts in vain? Is there a soul can fix her raptur'd eyes, And glance warm wishes at her kindred skies Thro' roofs of vaulted gold, while round her burn Love's wanton fires, and die beneath her scorn ? Is there a soul at court that seeks the grove Or lonely hill to muse on heav'nly love ; And when to crowds and state her hour desnends, She keeps her conscience and her God her friends? Have ye not met her, angels, in ber flight, Wing'd with devotion,thro meridian night, Near heav'ns, high portal ä Angels, speak her name, Consign Eusebia to celestial fame: While Philomel, in language like your own, To mortal ears makes her young vict'ries known ; Let Raphael to the skies her honours sing, And triumphs daily new. With friendly wing Gabriel in arms attend her thro' the field Of sacred war, and mercy be her shield, While with unsully'd charms she makes her way Thro' scenes of dangerous life, to realms of endless day. I persuade myself, Madam, you will acknowledge that these queries are determined with much truth and justice, and centre in a name that answers every enquiry. Eusebia has such a guard of modesty ever attending, as forbids these lines to appear before her from my hand. Alethina happened to sit among a few intimate friends while this letter was read thus far ; and here she interrupted the reading with a friendly impatience to confirm it. 't I know Eusebia's modesty, said she, and a blush will be easily raised in the face of so much virtue ; yet I do not thtnk the writer hath mistook her character. In my opinion it is just and sincere; her whole conversation is of a piece : Her public and her pri- vate hours are of the same colour and hue : She is much a VOL. Ix. E e
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