The barren Muse no lay can bring,

Dry'd up is the Castalian spring

What-not a fpark of mental fire,

The fluggard Genius to infpire?
Must she with empty hand appear
Before the Porter of the year ?

Rather in paths untry'd before,

Let us what no where' is, explore.

Lo! whilft the undetermin'd mufe,

Now up, now down, the fearch pursues,
Turns here and there, and round and round;
Nay-do not smile-she's NOTHING found.

NOTHING more worth than gems we hold,
NOTHING more precious is than gold;
With kindness, Sir, your ears incline,

No hackney'd, ranfack'd theme is mine:

Grecian

Grecian and Roman bards, we own,

Thro' all Pieria's heights have flown ;

NOTHING 's the subject, yet unfung

By Grecian or by Roman tongue.

Where'er, from high Olympian throne,

Bright Ceres on her fields looks down;
Where'er old Ocean fhews his face,

And clafps the earth in close embrace;
NOTHING beginning wants, and end;
NOTHING does blifs complete attend.

If hence, indifputably shine

The pow'r and energy divine,

What offer'd gifts, what flames can rise,

Worthy the Ruler of the skies?

NOTHING's more pleafing to the fight

Than the clear day's fair beaming light;

NOTHING

NOTHING more beauteous verdure spreads,

Than water'd lawns, or flow'ry meads.

NOTHING more jocund is than Spring;
More foft than Zephyr's balmy wing.

NOTHING the rage of war defies,
And ev'n in tumult facred lies.

NOTHING, in peace, is right and just.
NOTHING, in treaties, you may trust.
'Happy, who NOTHING ftill enjoys;
Be this my boon, Tibullus cries;

He nor for doubtful lawsuits cares,

Nor baleful fires, nor thieves, nor fnares.
Nay-he whom grave old ‡ Zeno owns

The firft of wisdom's favour'd fons,

Tho' all things elfe to fate he leaves,

NOTHING admires, and NOTHING craves,

Among

An ancient Grecian philofopher, and founder of the fect of Stoics.

Among the old || Socratic crew,

'Twas wifdom, NOTHING, Sir, to know;

And, Sir, I fpeak it to our praise,

NOTHING's the ftudy now a days;

Still 'tis our youth's fupreme concern
NOTHING, at school, at home, to learn;

Who NOTHING know, are fure to rife

To wealth, and fame, and dignities.

Know NOTHING-all the fenfe you'll gain

That fill'd the § Pythagoric bean,

Which, in forenfick difputation,

Poffefs'd a fuffrage of * NEGATION.

Many

Socrates faid, all his knowledge only ferved to teach him this, "that he knew NOTHING."

Pythagoras believed beans had fouls, and forbad his difciples to eat them.

*Beans were ufed in the ancient courts of judicature; the white bean was the fign of a fuffrage in favour of the obnoxious perfon; the black, of the contrary,

† Many, with Mercury their guide,

Earth's bowels pure have liquefy'd,
Willing their fubftance to confume

In fecret works, and fire, and fume;
Till, with long loss, and labour weak,
They NOTHING find, yet NOTHING seek.
Not ev❜n the man, whofe copious brains
Can fum the fands of Afric's plains,

With measuring staff, or out-ftretch'd line,
Can boundless NOTHING's length define.
NOTHING, not Sol's bright influence fhares.
NOTHING, is higher than the ftars.

Ev'n you, my friend, whofe foul profound
Can fcale the fkies, or pierce the ground;

Whose wife, acute, fagacious mind

To depths unknown a clue can find;

Ev'n

This alludes to the fearch after the philofopher's-ftone, which

at that time particularly exercifed the lucubrations of the curious.