SECTION IV. The youth and the philosopher. A GRECIAN youth of talents rare, Would often boast his matchless skill, To Academus' sacred shade. The trembling grove confess'd its fright; The wood-nymph started at the sight; The muses drop the learned lyre, And to their inmost shades retire. 3 Howe'r, the youth, with forward air, Bows to the sage, and mounts the car. The lash resounds, the coursers spring, The chariot marks the rolling ring; And gath'ring crowds, with eager eyes, And shouts, pursue him as he flies. 4 Triumphant to the goal return'd, With nobler thirst his bosom burn'd; And now along the indented plain, The self-same track he marks again; Pursues with care the nice design, Ner ever deviates from the line, Amazement seiz'd the circling crowd The youths with emulation glow'd; Ev'n bearded sages hail'd the boy, And all but Plato gaz'd with joy. 5 For he, deep-judging sage, beheld With pain the triumphs of the field: And when the charioteer drew nigh, And, flush'd with hope, had caught his eye, "Alas! unhappy youth," he cry'd, 66 Expect no praise from me," (and sigh'd. 6"With indignation I survey Such skill and judgment thrown away: The time profusely squander'd there, SECTION V. WHITEHEAD Discourse between Adam and Eve, retiring to rest. Apparent queen, unveil'd her peerless light, t 4 To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorn'd: 66 'My author and disposer, what thou bidst, Unargu'd, I obey; so God ordains. With thee conversing, I forget all time; All seasons and their change, all please alike. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the sun, When first on this delightful land he spreads His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flow'r, Glist'ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth, After soft show'rs; and sweet the coming on Of grateful evening mild; then silent night, With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon, And these, the gems of heav'n, her starry train 5 But neither breath of morn, when she ascends With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flow'r,, Glist'ring with dew; nor fragrance after show'rs Nor grateful evening mild; nor silent night, With this her solemn bird; nor walk by moon, Or glitt'ring star-light, without thee is sweet. But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?" 6 To whom our gen'ral ancestor reply'd: 66 Daughter of God and man, accomplish'd Eve, These have their course to finish round the earth, By morrow ev'ning; and from land to land, In order, though to nations yet unborn, Minist'ring light prepar'd, they set and rise; Lest total darkness should by night regain Her old possession, and extinguish life In nature and all things; which these soft fires Not only enlighten, but, with kindly heat Of various influence, foment, and warm, Temper, or nourish; or in part shed down Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow On earth, made hereby apter to receive Perfection from the sun's more potent ray. 7 These then, though unbeheld in deep of night, Shine not in vain; nor think, though men were none, That heav'n would want spectators, God want praise; Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep. All these with ceaseless praise his works behold, Both day and night. How often, from the steep Of echoing hill or thicket, have we heard Celestial voices to the midnight air, -There arriv'd, both stood, Both turn'd; and under open sky, ador'd The God that made the sky, air, earth, and heav'n, SECTION VI. LO! a form, divinely bright, And blooming with celestial grace! Three shining cherubs form'd her train, Wav'd their light wings, and reach'd the plain : And pinions flutt'ring for the sky; MILTON. Reason may calm this doubtful strife, And steer thy bark through various life: But when the storms of death are nigh, And midnight darkness veils the sky, Shall Reason then direct thy sail, Disperse the clouds, or sink the gale? Stranger, this skill alone is mine, Skill that transcends his scanty line." 3" Revere thyself-thou'rt near allied To angels on thy better side. How various e'er their ranks or kinds, Angels are but unbodied minds: When the partition-walls decay, Men emerge angels from their clay. Yes, when the frailer body dies, The soul asserts her kindred skies. But minds though sprung form heav'nly race Must first be tutor'd for the place: The joys above are understood, And relish'd only by the good. Who shall assume this guardian care; Where love, where boundless friendship rules (No friends that change, no love that cools ;) Where rising floods of knowledge roll, And pour, and pour upon the soul!" 5 "But where's the passage to the skies?The road through death's black valley lies Nay, do not shudder at my tale; Tho' dark the shades, yet safe the vale. |