ere built, the fountains open'd, or the sea, 765 770 775 780 No nook so narrow, but he spreads them there The Paradise he sees, he finds it such, prone, 785 790 And such well pleas'd to find it, asks no more. 795 Not so the mind that has been touch'd from Heav'n, And in the school of sacred wisdom taught To read His wonders, in whose thought the world, Nor for its own sake merely, but for his 800 To earth's acknowledg'd sov'reign, finds at once The soul that sees him, or receives sublim'd 805 810 And wheels his throne upon the rolling worlds. Much conversant with Heaven, she often holds 815 Sweet conference. Inquires what strains were they With which Heaven rang, when every star, in haste To gratulate the new-created earth, 820 Sent forth a voice, and all the sons of God Shouted for joy." Tell me, ye shining hosts, That navigate a sea that knows no storms, Beneath a vault unsullied with a cloud, If from your elevation, whence ye view 825 And systems, of whose birth no tidings yet 830 His country's weather-bleach'd and batter'd rocks, From the green wave emerging, darts an eye 835 Radiant with joy toward the happy land; So I with animated hopes behold, And many an aching wish, your beamy fires, 840 From toilsome life to never-ending rest. But runs the road of wisdom. Thou hast built 845 With means that were not, till by thee employ'd, 850 Worlds that had never been, hadst thou in strength Been less, or less benevolent than strong. They are thy witnesses, who speak thy pow'r 855 Till thou proclaim thyself. Theirs is indeed 860 Till thou art heard, imaginations vain Yet deem'd oracular, lure down to death We give to chance, blind chance, ourselves as blind, The glory of thy work; which yet appears Perfect and unimpeachable of blame, Challenging human scrutiny, and prov'd Then skilful most when most severely judg'd. 866 But chance is not; or is not where thou reign'st: 870 Thy providence forbids that fickle pow'r (If pow'r she be, that works but to confound) To mix her wild vagaries with thy laws. Yet thus we dote, refusing while we can Instruction, and inventing to ourselves 875 Gods such as guilt makes welcome; gods that sleep, Or disregard our follies, or that sit Amus'd spectators of this bustling stage. VOL. II. 11 Thee we reject, unable to abide Thy purity, till pure as thou art pure, 880 Made such by thec, we love thee for that cause, For which we shunn'd and hated thee before. Then we are free. Then liberty, like day, 885 Till thou hast touch'd them; 'tis the voice of song, A loud Hosanna sent from all thy works; Which he that hears it, with a shout repeats, And adds his rapture to the general praise! 890 In that blest moment, Nature, throwing wide Her veil opaque, discloses with a smile 895 900 thee we are poor; 905 thou wilt away. THE TASK. BOOK VI. THE WINTER WALK AT NOON. ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK Bells at a distanco-Their effect-A fine noon in winter-A shel tered walk-Meditation better than books-Our familiarity with the course of Nature makes it appear less wonderful than it isThe transformation that Spring effects in a shrubbery, described -A mistake concerning the course of Nature corrected-God maintains it by an unremitted act-The amusements fashionable at this hour of the day reproved-Animals happy, a delightful sight-Origin of cruelty to animals-That it is a great crime proved from Scripture-That proof illustrated by a taleA line drawn between the lawful and unlawful destruction of them-Their good and useful properties insisted on-Apology for the encomiums bestowed by the author on animals-Instances of man's extravagant praise of man-The groans of the crestion shall have an end-A view taken of the restoration of all things-An invocation and an invitation of Him who shall bring it to pass-The-retired men vindicated from the charge of uso lessness-Conclusion. THERE is in souls a sympathy with sounds, In cadence sweet, now dying all away, 10 |