Strive not the jealous lover to perplex,

Ill fuit fufpicions with that haughty sex ;
Rafhly they judge, and always think the worst,
And love is often banish'd by diftrust.
To these an open, free behaviour, wear;
Avoid disguise, and feem, at least, fincere ;
Whene'er you meet, affect a glad furprize,
And give a melting foftnefs to your eyes;
By fome unguarded word your love reveal,
And anxiously the rifing blush conceal.

By arts like these the jealous you deceive,
Then most deluded when they most believe.
But while in all you seek to raise desire,
Beware the fatal paffion you inspire:
Each foft intruding wifh in time reprove,
And guard against the sweet invader, Love.
Not for the tender were these rules defign'd,
Who in their faces fhow their yielding mind;
Whofe eyes a native languishment can wear;
Whofe fmiles are artless, and whose blush fincere:
But for the nymph who liberty can prize,
And vindicate the triumph of her eyes;
Who o'er mankind a haughty rule maintains,
Whose wit can manage what her beauty gains.
Such, by these arts, their empire may improve;
And, unfubdu'd, controul the world by love.

SERIM;

SERIM;

OR,

THE ARTIFICIAL FAMINE.

AN

EAST-INDIAN ECLOGUE.

BY JOHN SCOTT, ESQ.

Guardian Genius of this facred wave!

O fave thy fons, if thine the power to fave!' So Serim fpoke, as fad on Ganges' fhore He fat, his country's miferies to deploreO guardian genius of this facred wave! O fave thy fons, if thine the power to save! • From Agra's tow'rs to Muxadabat's walls, On thee for aid the fuffering Hindoo calls: Europe's fell race controul the wide domain, Engrofs the harvest, and enslave the fwain. Why rise these cumb'rous piles along thy tide? They hold the plenty to our prayers denied! Guards at their gates perpetual watch maintain, • Where Want in anguish craves relief in vain. "Bring gold, bring gems," th' infatiate plunderers cry; "Who hoards his wealth, by Hunger's rage fhall die.” 'Ye fiends! ye've ravish'd all our little ftore;

'Ye fee we perish, yet ye ask for more!

Go ye yourselves, and fearch for gold the mine; Go, dive where pearls beneath the ocean fhine! • What right have ye to plague our peaceful land? No ships of ours e'er fought your western strand: Ne'er from your fields we fnatch'd their crops away, • Nor made your daughters or your fons our prey.

Not e'en in thought we quit our native place-
A calm, contented, inoffenfive race!

By avarice led, ye range remoteft climes,

? And every nation execrates your crimes!

When Timur's house renown'd, in Delhi reign'd,
Diftrefs affiftance unimplor'd obtain'd:

? When Famine o'er th' afflicted region frown'd,
• And Sickness languifh'd on the barren ground,
Th' imperial granaries wide difplay'd their doors,
And ships provifion brought from diftant shores;
The laden camels crouded Kurah's vales,

From Colgon's cliffs they hail'd the coming fails.
• But ye!—e'en now, while fav'ring seasons smile,
And the rich glebe would recompenfe our toil,
• Dearth and Disease to you alone we owe;
! Ye cause the mischief, and enjoy the woe!

This beauteous clime, but late, what plenty blefs'd!
• What days of pleasure, and what nights of reft!
From Gola's ftreets, fam'd mart of fragrant grain !
Trade's chearful voice refounded o'er the plain;
There now fad Silence liftens to the waves
That break in murmurs round the rocky caves.
• Sweet were the fongs o'er Jumal's level borne,
While bufy thoufands throng'd to plant the corn;
Now tenfold tax the farmer forc'd to yield,
Defpairs, and leaves unoccupied the field.
Sweet were the fongs of Burdwan's mulberry grove,
While the rich filk the rapid fhuttle wove;
Now from the loom our coftly vestments torn,
Th' infulting robbers, meanest flaves, adorn.
In Malda's fhades, on Purna's palmy plain,

• The hapless artists, urg'd to toil in vain,

Quit their fad homes, and mourn along the land,

A penfive, pallid, felf-disabled band!

The year revolves" Bring choiceft fruits and flowers!
Spread wide the board in confecrated bowers;

!! Bring

Bring joy, bring fport; the fong, the dance, prepare!
'Tis Drugah's feaft, and all our friends muft fhare!"
The year revolves-nor fruits nor flowers are seen,
Nor feftive board in bowers of holy green;

Nor joy, nor fport, nor dance, nor tuneful ftrain:
'Tis Drugah's feaft-but grief and terror reign.
Yet there, ingrate! oft welcome guefts ye came,
And talk'd of Honour's laws and Friendfhip's flame.
• The year revolves-and Bifhen's faft invites
On Ganges' marge to pay the folemn rites;
All, boons of Bifhen, great Preferver, crave;
All in the facred flood their bodies lave:
No more, alas !-the multitude no more
Bathe in the tide, or kneel upon the shore;
No more from towns and villages they throng,
• Wide o'er the fields, the publick paths along;
• Sad on our ways, by human foot unworn,

Stalks the dim form of Solitude forlorn!-
From Ava's mountains Morn's bright eyes furvey
Fair Ganges' ftreams in many a winding stray:
• There fleecy flocks on many an island feed ;
• There herds unnumber'd pasture many a mead;
(While noxious herbs our last resource supply,

And, dearth escaping, by disease we die)

"Take thefe," ye cry, "nor more for food complain;
“Take these, and slay like us, and riot on the flain!"
Ah, no! our law the crime abhorr'd withftands;
We die-but blood shall ne'er pollute our hands.
O guardian genius of this facred wave!
Save, fave thy fons, if thine the power to fave!'
So Serim fpoke-while, by the moon's pale beam,
The frequent corse came floating down the stream.
He figh'd! and rifing, turn'd his steps to rove
Where wav'd o'er Nizim's vale the coco-grove ;
There, 'midft fcorch'd ruins, one lone roof remain'd,
And one forlorn inhabitant contain'd.

The

The found of feet he near his threshold heard;
Slow from the ground his languid limbs he rear'd:
Come, Tyrant, come! perform a generous part;

• Lift thy keen steel, and pierce this fainting heart! Com'st thou for gold? My gold, alas! I gave,

• My darling daughter in diftress to save!

Thy faithless brethren took the fhining store,
Then from my arms the trembling virgin tore!
Three days, three nights, I've languish'd here alone-
Three foodlefs days, three nights to fleep unknown!
• Come, Tyrant, come! perform a generous part;
• Lift thy keen steel, and pierce this fainting heart!'
No hoftile steps the haunt of woe invade!'

Serim reply'd-and, paffing where the glade
A length of profpect down the vale display'd,
Another fight of mifery met his view;
Another mournful voice his notice drew!
There, near a temple's recent ruin, ftood
A white-rob'd Bramin, by the facred flood:
His wives, his children, dead befide him lay;
Of hunger thefe, and thofe of grief the prey!
Thrice he with duft defil'd his aged head;
Thrice o'er the ftream his hands uplifted fpread:
Hear, all ye Powers, to whom we bend in prayer!
Hear, all who rule o'er water, earth, and air!
'Tis not for them, tho' lifeless there they lie;
'Tis not for me, tho' innocent, I die;-
My country's breaft the tyger, Avarice, rends,
And loud to you her parting groan afcends.
Hear, all ye Powers, to whom we bend in prayer!
Hear, all who rule o'er water, earth, and air!
Hear, and avenge !—

• But hark! what voice from yonder starry sphere
Slides, like the breeze of evening, o'er my ear?
Lo, Birmah's form! on amber clouds enthron'd;
His azure robe with lucid emerald zon'd;

He