Thy pitying aid, O God, impart !

For lo, thy poison'd arrows drink his heart!

Thy mighty song from Chaos rose.Around his throne the formless atoms sleep, And drowsy darkness broods upon the deep.— Confusion, wake!

Bid the realms of Chaos shake!

Rouse him from his dread repose!

Hark! loud Discord breaks her chain:

The hostile atoms clash with deafening roar :
Her hoarse voice thunders through the drear do-
And kindles every element to war.-

'Tumult, cease!

Sink to peace!

[main,

Let there be light!'-The' Almighty said:
And lo, the radiant sun,

Flaming from his orient bed,
His endless course begun.

See, the twinkling Pleiads rise :
Thy star, Orion, reddens in the skies:
While slow around the northern plain
Arcturus wheels his mighty wane.

Thy glories too, refulgent moon, he sang;
Thy mystic mazes, and thy changeful ray :
O fairest of the starry throng!

Thy solemn orb of light

Guides the triumphant car of night
O'er silver clouds, and sheds a softer day!

Ye planets, and each circling constellation, In songs harmonious praise your generation!

Oh, while yon radiant seraph turns the spheres, And on the steadfast pole-star stands sublime, Wheel your rounds

To heavenly sounds;

And soothe his song-enchanted ears
With your celestial chime.

In dumb surprise the listening monarch lay
(His woe suspended by sweet Music's sway);
And, awe-struck, with uplifted eye
Mused on the newborn wonders of the sky.

Lead the soothing verse along :

He feels, he feels the power of song.--
Ocean hastens to his bed:

The labouring mountain rears his rock-encumber'd
Down his steep and shaggy side

[head: The torrent rolls his thundering tide;

Then smooth and clear, along the fertile plain,
Winds his majestic waters to the distant main.
Flocks and herds the hills adorn :

The lark, high-soaring, hails the morn.
And while along yon crimson-clouded steep
The slow sun steals into the golden deep,
Hark, the solemn nightingale
Warbles to the woodland dale.
See, descending angels shower
Heaven's own bliss on Eden's bower:
Peace on Nature's lap reposes;
Pleasure strews her guiltless roses :
Joys divine in circles move,

Link'd with Innocence and Love.

Hail, happy Love, with Innocence combined!
All hail, ye sinless parents of mankind!

They paused: the monarch, prostrate on his bed, Submissive bow'd his head;

Adored the works of boundless power divine : Then,anguish-struck,he cried (and smote his breast) Why, why is peace the welcome guest Of every heart but mine.

Now let the solemn numbers flow,
Till he feel that guilt is woe.

Heavenly harp, in mournful strain
O'er yon weeping bower complain :
What sounds of bitter pangs I hear!
What lamentations wound mine ear!
In vain, devoted pair, these tears ye shed:
Peace with innocence is fled.

The messengers of grace depart:

Death glares, and shakes the dreadful dart!
Ah, whither fly ye, by yourselves abhorr'd,
To shun that frowning cherub's fiery sword?
Lo!

Hapless, hopeless pair,
Goaded by despair,

Forlorn, through desert climes they go!
Wake, my lyre! can pity sleep,

When heaven is moved, and angels weep!
Flow, ye melting numbers, flow;

Till he feel that guilt is woe.

The king, with pride and shame and anguish torn,
Shot fury from his eyes, and scorn;
The glowing youth,

Bold in truth

(So still should virtue guilty power engage), With brow undaunted met his rage.

See, his cheek kindles into generous fire:
Stern, he bends him o'er his lyre;

And, while the doom of guilt he sings,
Shakes horror from the tortured strings.

What sounds of terror and distress
Rend yon howling wilderness!

The dreadful thunders sound;

The forked lightnings flash along the ground.
Why yawns that deepening gulf below?
"Tis for Heaven's rebellious foe :-
Fly, ye sons of Israel, fly!

Who dwells in Korah's guilty tents must die!

They sink! Have mercy, Lord!-Their cries
In dreadful tumult rise.

Hark, from the deep their loud laments I hear !
They lessen now, and lessen on the ear!

Now, destruction's strife is o'er!

The countless host

For ever lost!

The gulf is closed! Their cries are heard no more!
But oh, my lyre, what accents can relate
Sinful man's appointed fate!

He comes, he comes! the' avenging God!
Clouds and darkness round him roll :
Tremble, earth! Ye mountains, nod!

He bows the skies, and shakes the pole.
The gloomy banners of his wrath unfurl'd,
He calls the floods, to drown a guilty world:
6 Ruin, lift thy baneful head;

Rouse the guilty world from sleep :

Lead up thy billows from their cavern'd bed, And burst the rocks that chain thee in the deep,'

Now, the' impetuous torrents rise;
The hoarse-ascending deluge roars :
Down rush the cataracts from the skies;
The swelling waves o'erwhelm the shores,
Just, O God, is thy decree!

Shall guilty man contend with thee!
Lo, hate and envy, sea-intomb'd,
And rage with lust in ruin sleep;
And scoffing luxury is doom'd

To glut the vast and ravenous deep!—
In vain from fate the' astonish'd remnant flies :-
Shrink, ye rocks! Ye oceans, rise!'

The tottering cliffs no more the floods control;
Sea following sea ingulfs the ball:
O'er the sunk hills the watery mountains roll,
And wide destruction swallows all!—
Now fiercer let the' impassion'd numbers glow;
Swell the song, ye mighty choir!

Wing your dreadful darts with fire!
Hear me, monarch!-Guilt is woe!-

Thus while the frowning shepherd pour'd along
The deep impetuous torrent of his song,
Saul, stung by dire despair,

Gnash'd his teeth, and tore his hair:
From his blood, by horror chill'd,

A cold and agonizing sweat distill'd:
Then, foaming with unutterable smart,
He aim'd a dagger at his heart.

His watchful train prevent the blow;
And call each lenient balm, to soothe his frantic woe:
But pleased, the shepherd now beheld
His pride by Heaven's own terrors quell'd;