Then let the firmament thy wonder raise; "Twill raise thy wonder, but transcend thy praise. How far from east to west? the lab'ring eye Can scarce the distant azure bounds descry: Wide theatre! where tempests play at large, And God's right hand can all its wrath discharge. Mark how those radiant lamps inflame the pole, Call forth the seasons, and the year control: They shine thro' time, with an unalter'd ray: See this grand period rise, and that decay: So vast, this world's a grain; yet myriads grace, With golden pomp, the throng'd ethereal space; So bright, with such a wealth of glory stor❜d, "Twere sin in heathens not to have ador'd. appears! How great. how firm, how sacred, all Sooner, or later, in some future date, Thoughtless as those who now life's mazes run, Have angels sinn'd? and shall not man beware? This is the scene of combat, not of rest, When beauty smiles, or grandeur spreads her charms, The conscious soul would this great scene display, vain! Her certain conquest would endear the sight, Instructed thus to shun the fatal spring, And all the dreadful image set to view. The sparkling eye, the sleek and painted breast, The burnish'd scale, curl'd train, and rising crest, All that is lovely in the noxious snake, Provokes our fear, and bids us flee the brake: The sting once drawn, his guiltless beauties rise In pleasing lustre, and detain our eyes; We view with joy, what once did horror move, Say then, my muse, whom dismal scenes delight, Frequent at tombs, and in the realms of night; Say, melancholy maid, if bold to dare The last extremes of terror and despair; Oh say, what change on earth, what heart in man, This blackest moment since the world began. Ah mournful turn! the blissful earth, who late At leisure on her axle roll'd in state; While thousand golden planets knew no rest, Still onward in their circling journey prest; A grateful change of seasons some to bring, And sweet vicissitude of fall and spring: Some thro' vast oceans to conduct the keel, And some those watery worlds to sink, or swell : Around her some their splendours to display, And gild her globe with tributary day : This world so great, of joy the bright abode, Heaven's darling child, and fav'rite of her God, Now looks an exile from her father's care, Deliver'd o'er to darkness and despair. No sun in radiant glory shines on high; No light, but from the terrors of the sky: Fall'n are her mountains, her fam'd rivers lost, And all into a second chaos tost: One universal ruin spreads abroad; Nothing is safe beneath the throne of God. Such, earth, thy fate: what then canst thou afford To comfort and support thy guilty lord? Man, haughty lord of all beneath the moon, How must he bend his soul's ambition down? Prostrate, the reptile own, and disavow His boasted stature, and assuming brow? It flies the reach of thought; oh, save me, Power Of powers supreme, in that tremendous hour! From east to west they fly, from pole to line, Imploring shelter from the wrath divine; Beg flames to wrap, or whelming seas to sweep, Or rocks to yawn, compassionately desp: Seas cast the monster forth to meet his doom, And rocks but prison up for wrath to come. So fares a traitor to an earthly crown; While death sits threat'ning in his prince's frown, His heart's dismay'd; and now his fears command, To change his native for a distant land: Swift orders fly, the king's severe decree Stands in the channel, and locks up the sea; The port he seeks, obedient to her lord, Hurls back the rebel to his lifted sword. |