Their scythes upon the adverse bank And curt'sy to the courting breeze. Or satiate with nature's random scenes, From the sun and from the show'r, Of Argus' curiosity : There, while Phœbus' golden mien, The gay meridian is seen. Ere decays the lamp of light, And lengthening shades stretch out to night Seize, seize the hint-each hour improve Lend, lend thine hand-O let me view A NIGHT-PIECE; OR, MODERN PHILOSOPHY. "Dicetur, merita nox quoque nœnia." HOR. 'Twas when bright Cynthia with her silver car, Soft stealing from Endymion's bed, Had call'd forth every glittering star, And up the' ascent of heaven her brilliant host Night, with all her negro train, [had led, Drawn by screech-owls slow and blind: Still holding her fingers seal'd to her lips. You could not hear a sound, And horror deepen'd round. Beneath a myrtle's melancholy shade, And to the answering wood these sounds convey'd. And to fortune's smile or frown, And married to that woman, Noise; And fairest virtue, wisdom's heir. He starts, and recollects, he was engag'd to Nell. Then up he sprang, nimble and light, And rap'd at fair Eleanor's door, He laid aside virtue that night, And next morn por'd in Plato for more. HYMN TO THE SUPREME BEING, ON RECOVERY FROM A DANGEROUS FIT OF ILLNESS. WHEN Israel's ruler on the royal bed In anguish and in perturbation lay, The down reliev'd not his anointed head, And rest gave place to horror and dismay; Fast flow'd the tears, high heav'd each gasping sigh, When God's own prophet thunder'd-" Monarch, thou must die." Hezekiah vi. Isaiah xxxvii. "And must I go, (the' illustrious mourner cried) The Judge Almighty heard his suppliant's moan, Shot from that heaven to which his sighs had The sun retreated at his Maker's nod, [soar'd; And miracles confirm the genuine work of God. But, O immortals! what had I to plead [lance, When death stood o'er me with his threatening When reason left me in the time of need, And sense was left in terror or in trance; My sinking soul was with my blood inflam'd, I sent back memory in heedful guise To search the records of preceding years; Home, like the raven to the ark,† she flies, Croaking bad tidings to my trembling ears : O sun, again that thy retreat was made, And threw my follies back into the friendly shade! But who are they that bid affliction cease?— Redemption and forgiveness, heavenly sounds! Behold the dove that brings the branch of peace, Behold the balm that heals the gaping wounds *Isaiah, chap. xxxviii. + Gen. viii. 7. Vengeance divine's by penitence suppress'd- bless'd. Yet hold, presumption, nor too fondly climb, Who diffidently hopes, he's Christ's own care-- But soul-rejoicing health again returns, Brisk leaps the heart, the mind's at large once more, The virtuous partner of my nuptial bands All glory to the' Eternal, to the' Immense, All glory to the' Omniscient and Good, [tense; Whose power's uncircumscrib'd, whose love's inBut yet whose justice ne'er could be withstood. VOL. XXX. * Gen. xxxii. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Cc |