4 For thee I panted, thee I priz’d, And shall I see thee start away, Ode to adversity. 1 Daughter of Heav'n, relentless power, With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone.. 2 When first thy sire to send on earth Virtue, his darling child, design'd, To thee he gave the heav'nly birth, And bade to form her infant mind. Stern rugged nurse! thy rigid lore With patience many a year she bore. What sorrow was, thou bad'st her know; And from her own she learn'd to melt at others wo. 3 Scar'd at thy frown terrific, fly Self-pleasing folly's idle brood, Wild laughter, noise, and thoughtless joy, And leave us leisure to be good. Light they disperse; and with them go By vain prosperity receiv'd, To her they vow their truth, and are again believ'd. 4 Wisdom, in sable garb array'd, Immers'd in rapt'rous thought profound, And melancholy, silent maid, With leaden, eye that loves the ground, Warm charity, the gen'ral friend, With justice to herself severe, And pity, dropping soft the sadly pleasing tear: 5 Oh, gently, on thy suppliant's head, With thund'ring voice, and threat'ning mien, What others are to feel; and know myself aman. GRAY. SECTION XIV. The creation required to praise its Author. 1 Begin, my soul, th' exalted lay! Let each enraptur'd thought obey, And praise th' Almighty's name : Lo! heaven and earth, and seas, and skies, To swell th' inspiring theme. 2 Ye fields of light, celestial plains, Your Maker's wond'rous pow'r proclaim; 3 Ye angels, catch the thrilling sound! Let ev'ry list'ning saint above, 4 Join, ye loud spheres, the vocal choir; Soon as gray ev'ning gilds the plain, 5 Thou heav'n of heav'ns, his vast abode ; 8 Whate'er a blooming world contains, That wings the air, that skims the plains, United praise bestow: Ye dragons, sound his awful name Ye thunders burst with awful voice, 8 To him, ye grateful cedars, bow; Tell when affrighted nature shook, And trembled at his frown. 9 Ye flocks that hunt the humble vale, Crop the gay rose's vermeil bloom. 10 Wake all ye mounting tribes, and sing; Ye plumy warblers of the spring, Harmonious anthems raise TO HIM who shap'd your finer mould, Who tipp'd your glitt'ring wings with gold, And tun'd your voice to praise. 11 Let man, by nobler passions sway'd, The feeling heart, the judging head, In heav'nly praise employ; Till heav'n's broad arch rings back the sound, 12 Ye whom the charms of grandeur please, Ye princes, rulers, all adore; Praise him, ye kings, who makes your pow'r An image of his own. 13 Ye fair, by nature form'd to move, O praise th' eternal SOURCE OF LOVE, With youth's enliv'ning fire: Let age take up the tuneful lay, Sigh his bless'd name-then soar away, And ask an angel's lyre.--OGILVIE. 1 FATHER OF ALL! in ev'ry age, By saint, by savage, and by sage, 2 Thou GREAT FIRST CAUSE, least understood, 3 Yet gave me, in this dark estate, 4 What conscience dictates to be done, This teach me more than hell to shun, 5 What blessings thy free bounty gives, For God is paid, when man receives. 8 Yet not to earth's contracted span, Or think thee Lord alone of man, When thousand worlds are round. 8 If I am right, thy grace impart, 9 Save me alike from foolish pride, At aught thy wisdom has denied, 10 Teach me to feel another's wo; That mercy I to others show, 11 Mean tho' I am, not wholly so, Thou know'st if best bestow'd or not, 13 To thee, whose temple is all space, One chorus let all beings raise! SECTION XVI. Conscience. 10 treach'rous conscience! while she seems to sleep And her dread diary with horror fills. |