THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL. 121 Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire, Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire. Bless'd, who can unconcern'dly find Sound sleep by night; study and ease Thus let me live, unseen, unknown, Steal from the world, and not a stone ODE. THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL VITAL spark of heavenly flame! Hark! they whisper; angels say, What is this absorbs me quite, The world recedes; it disappears! Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly! TWO CHORUSES ΤΟ THE TRAGEDY OF BRUTUS. CHORUS OF ATHENIANS. STROPHE 1. YE shades, where sacred truth is sought; In vain your guiltless laurels stood War, horrid war, your thoughtful walks invades, ANTISTROPHE 1. O heaven-born sisters! source of art! Who lead fair virtue's train along, To what new clime, what distant sky, Say, will ye bless the bleak Atlantic shore? STROPHE II. When Athens sinks by fates unjust, When wild Barbarians spurn her dust; Perhaps ev❜n Britain's utmost shore Shall cease to blush with strangers' gore: See arts her savage sons control, And Athens rising near the pole! Till some new tyrant lifts his purple hand, And civil madness tears them from the land. ANTISTROPHE II. Ye gods! what justice rules the ball? Fools grant whate'er ambition craves, Still, when the lust of tyrant power succeeds, CHORUS OF YOUTHS AND VIRGINS. SEMICHORUS. O tyrant Love; hast thou possess'd And arts but soften us to feel thy flame. Love, soft intruder, enters here, CHORUS. Love's purer flames the gods approve; Chaste as cold Cynthia's virgin light, SEMICHORUS. Oh, source of every social tie, While thousand grateful thoughts arise; What tender passions take their turns, His heart now melts, now leaps, now burns, CHORUS. Hence, guilty joys, distastes, surmises, Hence false tears, deceits, disguises, Dangers, doubts, delays, surprises, Fires that scorch, yet dare not shine. Purest love's unwasting treasure, Constant faith, fair hope, long leisure, Days of ease, and nights of pleasure; Sacred Hymen! these are thine. |