Then cease, fair mourner, to complain, 111. The generous mind is by its sufferings known, And, if he shrinks not at th' offenfive light, IV. Though cares afsault thy breast on every fide, Nor add to any lofs a nobler day; But with kind hopes fupport thy mind, Then, lovely mourner, wipe those tears away, For Fate is aw'd, and adverse fortunes fly HYMN HYMN TO THE MORNING, P IN PRAISE OF LIGHT. I. ARENT of Day! whose beauteous beams of light Like gems adorning of the Negro's brow : Thou first essay of light, and pledge of day ! II. Rival of shade, eternal spring of light! Thou art the genuine source of it: The beauteous race of days and seasons come. : But, fpight of time, thou 'rt ever young : Thou art alone heaven's modest virgin light, Whose face a veil of blushes hides from human sight. 111. Like fome fair bride thou risest from thy bed, New life to all, and quickening influence. , With gloomy fmiles thy rival Night Not all the wealth she views in mines below Can match thy brighter beams, or equal lustre show. IV. At thy approach, Nature erects her head, The smiling universe is glad; And, from thy beams, new life and vigour take : Ev'n guilt and women cease to fear: V. To thee, the grateful East their altars raise, Like the fair Phoenix from her balmy neft: No altar of the gods can equal thine, The air 's thy richest incenfe, the whole land thy shrine! VI. But yet thy fading glories foon decay. Thine 's but a momentary stay; Too foon thou 'rt ravish'd from our fight, Borne down the stream of day, and overwhelm'd with light. Thy beams to their own ruin haste, 1 Thine Thine is a glorious, but a short-liv'd state. VII. Before th' Almighty Artist fram'd the sky, His first command was for thy light; He view'd the lovely birth, and blessed it : In purple swaddling-bands it struggling lay, Not yet maturely bright for day: Old Chaos then a chearful fmile put on, And, from thy beauteous form, did first presage its own, VIII. "Let there be Light!" the great Creator faid, And then the blushing Morn, its brightest offspring, rofe... HYMN TO DARKNESS.. I. DARKNESS, thou first great parent of us all, Thou art our great original: Does all thou shad'st below, thy numerous offspring, come. Aa2 II. Thy II. Thy wondrous birth is ev'n to Time unknown, Whilft Light did its first being owe Unto that awful shade it dares to rival now. III. Say, in what distant region dost thou dwell, From form and duller matter free, Thou foar'st above the reach of man's philosophy. IV. Involv'd in thee, we first receive our breath, Thou art our refuge too in death : Great Monarch of the Grave and Womb, Where-e'er our fouls shall go, to thee our bodies come. V. The filent globe is struck with awful fear, When thy majestic shades appear : Thou doft compose the air and fea, And Earth a fabbath keeps, sacred to Rest and Thee. VI. In thy ferener shades our ghosts delight, And court the umbrage of the Night; In vaults and gloomy caves they stray, But fly the Morning's beams, and ficken at the Day. VII. Though folid bodies dare exclude the light, Nor will the brightest ray admit; No fubstance can thy force repel, Thou reign'a in depths below, dost in the centre dwell. : VIII. The |