VIRTUE, HOW PLEASANT ON REFLECTION.

THE loveliness of Virtue's great,
While it is our commander;
But if it parley, then we'll yield,
And instantly surrender.

The virt'ous mind affords delight,
It's beauty doth excell;
Ev'n though it not a duty were,
It should be praised still:

It softens nature, though 'tis rough,
And hard, ev'n as a stone;
Some devout men are pleas'd to say,
'Tis true Religion.

Hypocrisy itself does good;
It does Religion honour;
It tacitly acknowledges it
T' ornament our nature.

The hypocrite would never care
In Virtue to appear,
If that he thought that it would gain
Repute of mankind here.

The man who's wise will no man hate,
And nothing say amiss;
But yet the man he truly loves,
Is him who's virtuous.

A virt'ous man still should be lov'd,
Although he live remote,
And at such distance, that we can
Receive no benefit.

The man who's most abandoned,
Is apt to wish his friend,
Who is related near to him,
A noble virt'ous mind.

The darling vice he did pursue,
While youth was on his side,
Of others he will jealous be;
From him they can't it hide.

The virt'ous mind when that it is
In a fair body set,
It's beauty charms all who behold,
At least in fair sex met.

The ornament that does attend,
Which Virtue makes excell,
Is chearfulness in ev'ry state
That to mankind befal:

Good nature ornaments also;
They both must go together;
They make man easy in this life;
There is no vice in either:

The first keeps melancholy off,
Which often brings despair;
The last our nat'ral hatred stops,
That caus'd our minds to sour.