O, still through life's pernicious snares, And when I tread through death's dread gloom, While Nature trembles o'er the tomb, Bid radiant beams of mercy rise, And soften my expiring sighs. REV. H. MOORE. ODE TO DIVINE WISDOM. IMMENSE, all-animating Mind! Through space and nature's wide domains, Ere yet the planets hung self-poised in air, The forms and fair ideas rise Of future earths and future skies. There worlds to come in liquid ether roll'd; O'er planetary realms ordain'd to sway, Whatever was, or is, or e'er shall be, Thou gavest the' omnific word-the new-born light From Thee, mysterious Power, from Thee And feelest a mother's care, Yearning when on the high cliff's hanging brow Her child she sees unguarded stray, And dare the brink in wanton play, In vain from thy parental voice they fly Shakes her shrill bells with idiot face, See kings and crowds advance, And mitred priests, and statesmen sage, Green childhood run, and creep decrepit age, To form her gay fantastic dance; Join'd hand in hand, with frolic wild, The reverend sire, in bridal pomp array'd, In hobbling measure to the frantic sound, Now Fancy waves in air her magic wand; See Glory her red standard rear High flaming o'er her trophied car! Ambition here her waxen pinion plies, And in idea cleaves the clouds and skies; On daring wing sublime she soars to fame, Soon-soon to fall and give some sea a name. There Pleasure lolling on her roseate bed, Arabian odours breathing round her head, Darts through the thrilling soul her wanton fire, And melts e'en rigid Virtue to desire. The glittering visions stop the rising soul, And bend her from the skies, her destined goal; Eager she gives the shining shadows chase, Which tempt and cheat by turns her fond embrace. How vast the human soul, Whose heaven-descended energy aspires VOL. I. T Down, down, a little glittering clay Or one soft flattering lust Pollute its noblest glories in the dust. Ah, man! what jarring parents form'd thy birth? Thou child of Heaven and Earth! Nature so mix'd, what reason shall define! Half brutal, half divine! Thus fabled demigods renown'd of yore, Whom mortal beauties to immortals bore, By deeds of glorious fame [came; Proved the high source from whence their virtues Reason, that beam of Heaven, by Heaven assign'd To raise the fruits of virtue in the mind, Received by wretched man's perverted will, Shines to no use-or only shines to ill. Thus oft the solar ray Gilds but the muddy lake, or barren clay, Break every tie, and leap o'er every bound, Extort the poor man's plaint, the widow's cry, The lust of lucre and the lust of power Still prowl, like wolves, to plunder and devour, While man thus devious strays In Folly's dance, or Fancy's fairy maze; O! to thy sacred seat, Celestial Wisdom! lead my wandering feet, "Tis thine to form the God; The nectar thine, and thine the' ambrosial food Which keep the' Ethereals deathless and divine. 'Tis thine the tender infant mind to mould, Like vernal suns, that nurse the new blown flowers, And soars and brightens to divinity. REV. H. MOORE. |