Those emanations of a foul,
That darts her fires beyond the pole ;
Your rays, that scarce affift the fight,
That pierce, but not difplace the night,
That shine indeed, but nothing show
Of all those various fcenes below,
Bring no disturbance, rather
Incentives to a facred love.
Thou Moon! whofe never failing course
Befpeaks a providential force,
Go, tell the tidings of my flame
To him who calls the stars by name;
Whose absence kills, whofe prefence cheers;
Who blots, or brightens, all my years.
While, in the blue abyfs of space,
Thine orb performs its rapid race ;
Still whisper in his listening ears
The language of my fighs and tears;
Tell him, I seek him, far below,
Loft in a wilderness of woe.
Ye thought-compofing, filent Hours,
Diffufing peace o'er all my powers;
Friends of the penfive! who conceal,
In darkest shades, the flames I feel;
To you I trust, and safely may,
The love that waftes my strength away.
In fylvan scenes, and caverns rude,
I tafte the sweets of folitude;
Retired indeed, but not alone,
I share them with a Spouse unknown, Who hides me here, from envious eyes, From all intrusion and surprise.
Imbowering Shades, and Dens profound!
Where echo rolls the voice around;
Mountains! whofe elevated heads
A moift and misty veil o'erspreads ;
Disclose a folitary bride
To him I love-to none befide.
Ye Rills! that, murmuring all the way, Among the polish'd pebbles stray; Creep filently along the ground,
Left, drawn by that harmonious found, Some wanderer, whom I would not meet, Should stumble on my loved retreat.
Enamel'd Meads, and Hillocks green,
And Streams that water all the scene!
Ye Torrents, loud in diftant ears!
Ye Fountains, that receive my tears!
Ah! still conceal, with caution due,
A charge I truft with none but you.
If, when my pain and grief increase,
I feem to enjoy the sweetest peace,
It is because I find fo fair
The charming object of my care,
That I can sport and pleasure make
Of torment fuffer'd for his fake.
Ye Meads and Groves, unconscious things! Ye know not whence my pleasure springs; Ye know not, and ye cannot know,
The fource from which my forrows flow: The dear fole Caufe of all I feel,
He knows, and understands them well.
Ye Deserts! where the wild beafts rove,
Scenes facred to my hours of love;
Ye Forefts! in whofe fhades I ftray,
Benighted under burning day!
Ah! whisper not how bleft am I,
Nor while I live, nor when I die.
Ye Lambs! who sport beneath these shades,
And bound along the moffy glades;
Be taught a falutary fear,
And cease to bleat when I am near:
The wolf may hear your harmless cry,
Whom ye should dread as much as I.
How calm, amid these scenes, my mind!
How perfect is the peace I find!
Oh hush, be still, my every part,
My tongue, my pulse, my beating heart!
That Love, aspiring to its cause,
May suffer not a moment's pause.
Ye fwift-finn'd nations, that abide
In feas, as fathomlefs as wide;
And, unfufpicious of a snare,
Pursue at large your pleasures there :
Poor sportive fools! how foon does man
Your heedlefs ignorance trepan!
Away! dive deep into the brine,
Where never yet funk plummet-line;
Trust me, the vast leviathan
Is merciful, compared with man;
Avoid his arts, forfake the beach,
And never play within his reach.
My foul her bondage ill endures;
pant for liberty like yours;
I long for that immenfe profound,
That knows no bottom and no bound;
Loft in infinity, to prove
The incomprehensible of Love.
Ye Birds! that leffen as ye fly,
And vanish in the diftant fky;
To whom yon airy wafte belongs,
Refounding with your cheerful fongs;
Hafte to escape from human fight;
Fear lefs the vulture and the kite.
How bleft and how fecure am I,
When quitting earth, I foar on high;
When loft, like you I difappear,
And float in a fublimer fphere!
Whence falling, within human view,
I am enfnared, and caught like you.
Omniscient God, whofe notice deigns
To try the heart and fearch the reins;
Compaffionate the numerous woes,
I dare not, e'en to thee, disclose ;
Oh, fave me from the cruel hands
Of men, who fear not thy commands !
Love, all-fubduing and divine,
Care for a creature truly thine;
Reign in a heart, difpofed to own
No fovereign but thyself alone;
Cherish a bride who cannot rove,
Nor quit Thee for a meaner love!
28. THE VICISSITUDES EXPERIENCED IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
SUFFER fruitless anguish day by day,
Each moment, as it passes, marks my
pain;
Scarce knowing whither, doubtfully I ftray,
And fee no end of all that I sustain.
The more I strive the more I am withstood;
Anxiety increafing every hour,
My spirit finds no reft, performs no good,
And nought remains of all my former power.
My peace of heart is fled, I know not where;
My happy hours, like fhadows, pass'd away;
Their sweet remembrance doubles all my care,
Night darker feems, fucceeding fuch a day.
Dear faded joys and impotent regret,
What profit is there in inceffant tears?
Oh Thou, whom once beheld, we ne'er forget,
Reveal thy Love, and banish all my fears!
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