ourselves in that gulf of
woe, where perishes at once, health, wealth and virtue, and whose
dreadful labyrinths admit of no return.

Struck with the foresight of that misery, attendant on a life of
debauchery, which is, in fact, the offspring of prodigality, our author
has, in the scenes before us, attempted the reformation of the
worldling, by stopping him as it were in his career, and opening to his
view the many sad calamities awaiting the prosecution of his proposed
scheme of life; he has, in hopes of reforming the prodigal, and at the
same time deterring the rising generation, whom Providence may have
blessed with earthly wealth, from entering into so iniquitous a course,
exhibited the life of a young man, hurried on through a succession of
profligate pursuits, for the few years Nature was able to support
itself; and this from the instant he might be said to enter into the
world, till the time of his leaving it. But, as the vice of avarice is
equal to that of prodigality, and the ruin of children is often owing to
the indiscretion of their parents, he has opened the piece with a scene,
which, at the same time that it exposes the folly of the youth, shews us
the imprudence of the father, who is supposed to have hurt the
principles of his son, in depriving him of the necessary use of some
portion of that gold, he had with penurious covetousness been hoarding
up, for the sole purpose of lodging in his coffers.

PLATE I.

THE YOUNG HEIR TAKING POSSESSION.

Oh, vanity of age untoward!
Ever spleeny, ever froward!
Why these bolts and massy chains,
Squint suspicions, jealous pains?
Why, thy toilsome journey o'er,
Lay'st thou up an useless store?
_Hope_, along with _Time_ is flown;
Nor canst thou reap the field thou'st sown.
Hast thou a son? In time be wise;
He views thy toil with other eyes.
Needs must thy kind paternal care,
Lock'd in thy chests, be buried there?
Whence, then, shall flow that friendly ease,
That social converse, heartfelt peace,
Familiar duty without dread,
Instruction from example bred,
Which youthful minds with freedom mend,
And with the _father_ mix the _friend_?
Uncircumscribed by prudent rules,
Or precepts of expensive schools;
Abused at home, abroad despised,
Unbred, unletter'd, unadvised;
The headstrong course of life begun,
What comfort from thy darling son?

HOADLEY.

The