ODE on the Glories of the Heavens. ADDISON.
1. TH
HE fpacious Firmament on high,
With all the blue ætherial Sky,
And spangled Heavens, a fhining Frame,
Their great Original proclaim :
Th' unwearied Sun, from Day to Day,
Does his Creator's Pow'r difplay,
And publishes to every Land
The Work of an Almighty Hand.
2. Soon as the Evening Shades prevail,
'The Moon takes up the wond'rous Tale,
And nightly to the lift'ning Earth
Repeats the Story of her Birth:
Whilft all the Stars that round her burn,
And all the Planets in their Turn,
Confirm the Tidings as they roll,
And spread the Truth from Pole to Pole.
B
3. What though, in folemn Silence, all
Move round the dark terreftrial Ball!
What though nor real Voice nor Sound
Amid their radiant Orbs be found!
In Reason's Ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious Voice,
For ever finging as they shine,
"The Hand that made us is Divine."
DAVID's Paftoral HYMN on PROVIDENCE.
my
TH
HE LORD Pafture fhall prepare,
And feed me with a Shepherd's Care:
His Prefence shall my Wants fupply,
And guard me with a watchful Eye;
My Noon-day Walks he fhall attend,
And all my Mid-night Hours defend.
2. When in the fultry Glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty Mountains pant;
To fertile Vales, and dewy Meads,
My weary wand'ring Steps he leads;
Where peaceful Rivers, soft and flow,
Amid the verdant Landskip flow.
3.
Tho' in the Paths of Death I tread,
With gloomy Horrors overspread,
My ftedfaft Heart fhall fear no Ill,
For thou, O LORD, art with me ftill;
Thy friendly Crook fhall give me Aid,
And guide me through the dreadful Shade.
4. Th
4. Tho' in a bare and rugged Way,
Through devious lonely Wilds I ftray,
Thy Bounty fhall my Pains beguile :
The barren Wilderness fhall fmile,
With fudden Greens and Herbage crown'd,
And Streams fhall murmur all around.
HYMN on GRATITUDE.
ADDISON.
W
1. WHEN all thy Mercies, O my GOD!
My rifing Soul furveys;
Transported with the View, I'm loft
In Wonder, Love, and Praise :
2. O how fhall Words with equal Warmth
The Gratitude declare
That glows within my ravish'd Heart?
But Thou canft read it there.
3. Thy Providence my Life fuftain'd,
And all my Wants redrest,
When in the filent Womb I lay,
And hung upon the Breast.
4. To all my weak Complaints and Cries,
Thy Mercy lent an Ear,
E're yet my feeble Thoughts had learnt
To form themselves in Pray'r.
5. Unnumber'd Comforts to my Soul.
Thy tender Care bestow'd,
Before my infant Heart conceiv'd
From whom thofe Comforts flow'd.
B 2
6. When in the flipp'ry Paths of Youth
With heedlefs Steps I ran,
Thine Arm unfeen convey'd me fafe,
And led me up to Man.
7. Through hidden Dangers, Toils, and Deaths,
It gently clear'd my Way,
And through the pleafing Snares of Vice,
More to be fear'd than they.
8. When worn with Sickness, oft haft thou
With Health renew'd my Face ;
And when in Sms and Sorrow funk,
Reviv'd my Soul with Grace.
9. Thy bounteous Hand with worldly Bliss
Has made my Cup run o'er,
And in a kind and faithful Friend
Has doubled all my Store.
10. Ten thousand thousand precious Gifts
My daily Thanks employ;
Nor is the leaft a cheerful Heart,
That taftes thofe Gifts with Joy.
11. Through every Period of my Life
Thy Goodness I'll purfue;
And after Death in distant Worlds
The glorious Theme renew.
12. When Nature fails, and Day and Night
Divide thy Works no more,
My ever-grateful Heart, O LORD,
Thy Mercy fhall adore..
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