tide, but near the shore.

Thus prepared, thy shortened sail
Shall, whene'er the winds increase,
Seizing each propitious gale,
Waft thee to the Port of Peace.

Keep thy conscience from offence,
And tempestuous passions free,
So, when thou art called from hence,
Easy shall thy passage be;

Easy shall thy passage be,
Cheerful thy allotted stay,
Short the account 'twixt God and thee;
Hope shall meet thee on the way:

Truth shall lead thee to the gate,
Mercy's self shall let thee in,
Where its never-changing state,
Full perfection, shall begin."

The poem was accompanied by a letter.

"La Trappe, the 27th of October, 1761

"DEAR SIR,--You seemed to like the ode I sent you for your amusement;
I now send it you as a present. If you please to accept of it, and are
willing that our friendship should be known when we are gone, you
will be pleased to leave this among those of your own papers that may
possibly see the light by a posthumous publication. God send us health
while we stay, and an easy journey!--My dear Dr. Young,

"Yours, most cordially,
"MELCOMBE."

In 1762, a short time before his death, Young published "Resignation."
Notwithstanding the manner in which it was really forced from him by the
world, criticism has treated it with no common severity. If it shall
be thought not to deserve the highest praise, on the other side of
fourscore, by whom, except by Newton and by Waller, has praise been
merited?

To Mrs. Montagu, the famous champion of Shakespeare, I am indebted for
the history of "Resignation." Observing that Mrs. Boscawen, in the midst
of her grief for the loss of the admiral, derived consolation from the
perusal of the "Night Thoughts," Mrs. Montagu proposed a visit to the
author. From conversing with Young, Mrs. Boscawen derived still further
consolation; and to that visit she and the world were indebted for this
poem. It compliments Mrs. Montagu in the following lines:--

"Yet write I must. A lady sues:
How shameful her request!
My brain in labour with dull rhyme,
Hers teeming with the best!"

And again--

"A friend you have, and I the same,
Whose prudent, soft address
Will bring to life those healing thoughts
Which died in your distress.
That friend, the sp