In the thick cloud's tremendous gloom It views the fame all-gracious Power, Through nature's ever-varying scene, With like beneficent effect O'er flaming æther glows, As when it tunes the linnet's voice, By reafon taught to fcorn thofe fears Let no fantastic terrors break Thy life may all the tend'reft care And delegated angels round Their guardian wings extend. When, through creation's vaft expanse, The last dread thunders roll, Untune the concord of the spheres,. And shake the rifing foul: Unmov'd may'st thou the final storm, Of jarring worlds furvey, That ufhers in the glad ferene Of everlafting day. { THE EVENING WALK. BY THE SAME. How fweet the calm of this fequefter'd shore, Where ebbing waters mufically roll; And folitude, and filent eve restore The fighing gale, whofe murmurs lull to rest To fympathetic quiet fooths the breaft, Farewell the objects of diurnal care, Your talk be ended with the fetting fun : Let all be undifturb'd vacation here, While o'er yon wave afcends the peaceful moon. What beauteous vifions o'er the foften'd heart, And cheer the foul with more than mortal view Here faithful mem'ry wakens all her pow'rs, She bids her fair ideal forms afcend, And quick to ev'ry gladden'd thought restores The focial virtue, and the absent friend. Come, ******* , come, and with me share The fober pleasures of this folemn fcene; While no rude tempeft clouds the ruffled air, But all, like thee, is fmiling and ferene. Come, while the cool, the folitary hours Each foolish care, and giddy with controul, With all thy foft perfuafion's wonted pow'rs, Beyond the ftars transport my listening foul. Oft, when the earth detain'd by empty show, Thy voice has taught the trifler how to rife; Taught her to look with scorn on things below, And feek her better portion in the skies. Come, and the facred eloquence repeat: Angelic forms shall visit this retreat, And op'ning heav'n diffuse its glories round. CONTEMPLATION. BY THE SAME. WHILE foft through water, earth, and air The vernal fpirits rove, From noify joys, and giddy crowds, To rural fcenes remove. The mountain fnows are all diffolv'd, The circling planets' conftant rounds Renew the verdant year. But ha! when once our tranfient bloom, Yet judge by reason's fober rules, And mark how little, pilf'ring years Can fteal from you or me. Each moral pleasure of the heart, Each lafting charm of truth, Depends not on the giddy aid, Of wild, inconstant youth. The vain coquet, whofe empty pride May juftly dread the wintry gloom, Leave fuch a ruin to deplore, Nor age, nor wrinkles difcompofe Amidst the univerfal change Unconscious of decay, It views, unmov'd, the fcythe of Time Sweep all befides away. Fixt on its own eternal frame, Eternal are its joys: While, borne on tranfitory wings, Each mortal pleasure flies. While ev'ry short-liv'd flow'r of sense Destructive years confume, Through friendship's fair enchanting walks Unfading myrtles bloom. G |