Refpondet tandem, dubius metuenfque futuri: Si mecum evolvam fpatium omne, quod ufque peregit Lapforum fine fine volubilis ordo dierum,
Ex quo profiluit de carcere Tempus, ad horam Quâ primùm incepi matris concrescere in alvo, Aut Nil prorfus eram, aut memet faltem ipfe latebam. Rurfufne in Nihilum fatorum lege revertar,
Hâc artus fugiente Animâ: penitufne jacebo Perditus, anguftâque æternùm condar in urnâ? Particulæ, hoc corpus quæ compofuere, caducos Illapfæ in cineres, nunquamne in prifca coibunt Fædera: fed rerum confusâ mole folutæ, Incipient membra in diverfa aliafque figuras Ire, nec agnofcent veteris veftigia formæ? An Vox illa, Homini vitæ quæ infundere fenfum Dignata est, prohibet redivivo accendier igne? Nulla femel labentem Animam, Vis nulla catenis Eripiet tenebrarum, & carcere noctis opaco?
Oceani in fluctus, quoties redit Hesperus, igne Præcipiti pronum video defcendere Solem; Nec longum, & radiis îfdem fimilique vigore
To fuch Advice the Reas'ner ftill replies. Yet measuring all the long continu'd Space, Ev'ry fucceffive Day's repeated Race,
Since Time first started from his priftin Goal, 'Till He had reach'd that Hour, wherein my Soul Joyn'd to my Body fwell'd the Womb; I was, (At least I think fo) Nothing: muft I pass Again to Nothing, when this vital Breath Ceafing, configns Me c'er to Reft, and Death? Muft the whole Man, amazing Thought! return To the cold Marble, or contracted Urn? And never shall thofe Particles agree,
That were in Life this Individual He?
But fever'd, muft They join the general Mass, Thro' other Forms, and Shapes ordain'd to pass; Nor Thought nor Image kept of what He was? Does the great Word that gave him Sense, ordain, That Life shall never wake that Senfe again?
And will no Pow'r his finking Spirits fave
From the dark Caves of Death, and Chambers of the
Each Evening I behold the fetting Sun
With down-ward Speed into the Ocean run:
Yet the fame Light (pass but fome fleeting Hours)
Urget iter folitum, rutilique Infigne diei Purpureum referens, illæfo ardore refulget. Inftabiles video ventos fine lege vagari, Incertamque agitare fugam; nunc flamine molli Leniter aspirant, rapido nunc turbine fervent, Perpetuumque tenent, vario licet impete, curfum. Fontibus occultis fefe erumpentia primùm
Flumina, mox prona immenfum glomerantur in æquor: Hæc fugiens abit unda, fupervenit altera, & amnes Fluctibus affiduis lapfuque feruntur eodem:
Usque novæ funduntur opes, venâque perenni Copia inexhauftis fæcunda evolvitur urnis. Ergo Hominem premet æternùm lex afpera, cui Sol, Cui Fluvii, Ventique leves parere recufant?
Ut Flos mane novo decus explicat omne, diei Delicia fragiles; & primo vefpere marcet; Nos itidem ---- Eois ut concitus Eurus ab oris Æquora fumma fugâ verrit, tacitoque recumbit Littore; ut in ftipulis volitans crepitantibus ignis; Ut faxum in præceps declivi à monte volutum Se rapit; ut fudum jaculata per æthera flamma;
Exerts his Vigor, and renews his Pow'rs; Starts the bright Race again: His conftant Flame Rifes and fets, returning ftill the Same:
I mark the various Fury of the Winds:
These neither Seafons guide, nor Order binds: They now dilate, and now contract their Force: Various their Speed, but endless is their Course. From the firft Fountain and beginning Ouze,
Down to the Sea each Brook, and Torrent flows: Tho' fundry Drops or leave, or fwell the Stream; The Whole ftill runs, with equal Pace, the Same : Still other Waves fupply the rifing Urns; And the eternal Floud no Want of Water mourns. Why then muft Man obey the fad Decree, Which fubjects neither Sun, nor Wind, nor Sea?
A Flow'r, that does with opening Morn arise, And flourishing the Day, at Evening dyes; A Winged Eastern Blast, just skimming o'er
The Ocean's Brow, and finking on the Shore;
A Fire, whofe Flames thro' crackling Stubble fly; A Meteor shooting from the Summer Sky; A Bowl a-down the bending Mountain roll'd;
A Bubble breaking, and a Fable told;
Sic, fic Vita fugit: quin bullula rupta brevisque Fabula, & umbra levis ventofaque fomnia velox Ætatis referunt iter -- Hei mihi, ficcine Vita Tranfit, & æternum Mors fefe extendet in ævum?
Se certè anguftis nimium hæc Sententia claudit Finibus: aut unde humanæ eft illa infita menti Spes, unde ille Timor, forfne altera & altera fedes Præmiaque & pænæ, luctufque & gaudia reftent? Relliquiæne Hominis redivivæ vincula fomni Excutiant? letho pateat nova Janua vitæ? Cum Sponfi lacrymofa oculos comprefferit Uxor, Fæmineo funus gemitu planetuque fecuta; Num dormit, paulùm affueto fugiente vigore, At letho haud penitus devictum, exfangue Cadaver: Dumque artus, vitæ jam functos munere, carpet Ignis edax, vermesve, aut tempora lenta; vigebit Ufque eadem vivax Anima, & data gaudia læto Guftabit fenfu, horrefcetque affecta dolore? Illane, fi pulchrè fe gefferit, infcia labis,
Dum focium amplecti dignata eft corpus amico Fædere, fulgentem ad patriam fedefque beatas, Regnaque perpetuâ surget ridentia pace?
Nofq;Hominem extinctum lacrymis dum flemus ineptis,
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