"Who decks the maiden Spring with flow'ry pride? "Who calls forth Summer, like a sparkling bride? "Who joys the mother Autumn's bed to crown, "And bids old Winter lay her honours down? "Not the great Ottoman, or greater Czar, "Not Europe's arbitress of peace or war. 66 May sea and land, and earth and heav'n be join'd, "To bring th' Eternal Author to my mind! "When oceans roar, or awful thunders roll, May thoughts of thy dread vengeance shake my "soul! "When earth's in bloom, or planets proudly shine, "Adore, my heart, the Majesty Divine. "Thro' ev'ry scene of life, or peace, or war, "Plenty, or want, thy glory be my care! "Shine we in arms? or sing beneath our vine? "Thine is the vintage, and the conquest thine: "Thy pleasure points the shaft, and bends the bow; "The clusters blasts, or bids it brightly glow; ""Tis Thou that lead'st our pow'rful armies forth, "And giv'st great Anne thy sceptre o'er the north. "Grant I may ever at the morning ray, "Open with pray'r the consecrated day: "Tune thy great praise, and bid my soul arise, "And with the mounting sun ascend the skies; "As that advances, let my zeal improve, “And O! permit the gloom of solemn night "To sacred thought may forcibly invite. "When this world's shut, and awful planets rise, "Call on our minds, and raise them to the skies; Compose our souls with a less dazzling sight, "And shew all nature in a milder light; "How ev'ry boist'rous thought in calm subsides! "How the smooth'd spirit into goodness glides! "O how divine! to tread the milky way "To the bright palace of the LORD of Day! "His court admire, or for his favour sue, "Or leagues of friendship with his saints renew; "Pleas'd to look down, and see the world asleep, "While I long vigils to its Founder keep! "Canst thou not shake the centre? O control, "Subdue by force, the rebel in my soul! "Thou who canst still the raging of the flood, "Restrain the various tumults of my blood; "Teach me with equal firmness to sustain "Alluring pleasure, and assaulting pain. "O may I pant for thee in each desire! "And with strong faith foment the holy fire! "Stretch out my soul in hope, and grasp the prize, “Which in Eternity's deep bosom lies! "At the great day of recompense behold, "Devoid of fear, the fatal book unfold! "Then wafted upward to the blissful seat, "From age to age my grateful song repeat; 66 My light, my life, my GOD, my Saviour, see, "And rival angels in the praise of thee." Ten thousand trumpets now at once advance; Now deepest silence lulls the vast expanse : So deep the silence, and so strong the blast, As nature dy'd, when she had groan'd her last. Nor man, nor angel moves! the Judge on high Looks round, and with his glory fills the sky: Then on the fatal book his hand he lays, Which high to view supporting seraphs raise; In solemn form the rituals are prepar'd, The seal is broken, and a groan is heard. And thou, my soul, (O fall to sudden pray'r, And let the thought sink deep!) shalt thou be there? See on the left (for by the great command The throng divided falls on either hand,) How weak, how pale, how hagged, how obscene, Each gesture mourns, each look is black with care, Reader, if guilty, spare the muse, and find Shouldst thou behold thy brother, father, wife, Cast on the left of all whom thou hast known; How would it wound? what millions would'st thou For one more trial, one day more to live! [give Flung back in time an hour, a moment's space, To grasp with eagerness the means of grace: Contend for mercy with a pious rage, Mark on the right, how amiable a grace! What purple bloom my ravish'd soul admires, Are these the forms that moulder'd in the dust? Since Adam's family, from first to last, Look round, vain-glorious muse, and you whoe'er Such is the scene, and one short moment's space Concludes the hopes and fears of human race. |