Thy pitying aid, O God, impart ! For lo, thy poison'd arrows drink his heart! Thy mighty song from Chaos rose.Around his throne the formless atoms sleep, And drowsy darkness broods upon the deep.— Confusion, wake! Bid the realms of Chaos shake! Rouse him from his dread repose! Hark! loud Discord breaks her chain: The hostile atoms clash with deafening roar : 'Tumult, cease! Sink to peace! [main, Let there be light!'-The' Almighty said: Flaming from his orient bed, See, the twinkling Pleiads rise : Thy glories too, refulgent moon, he sang; Thy solemn orb of light Guides the triumphant car of night Ye planets, and each circling constellation, In songs harmonious praise your generation! Oh, while yon radiant seraph turns the spheres, And on the steadfast pole-star stands sublime, Wheel your rounds To heavenly sounds; And soothe his song-enchanted ears In dumb surprise the listening monarch lay Lead the soothing verse along : He feels, he feels the power of song.-- The labouring mountain rears his rock-encumber'd [head: The torrent rolls his thundering tide; Then smooth and clear, along the fertile plain, The lark, high-soaring, hails the morn. Link'd with Innocence and Love. Hail, happy Love, with Innocence combined! They paused: the monarch, prostrate on his bed, Submissive bow'd his head; Adored the works of boundless power divine : Then,anguish-struck,he cried (and smote his breast) Why, why is peace the welcome guest Of every heart but mine. Now let the solemn numbers flow, Heavenly harp, in mournful strain The messengers of grace depart: Death glares, and shakes the dreadful dart! Hapless, hopeless pair, Forlorn, through desert climes they go! When heaven is moved, and angels weep! Till he feel that guilt is woe. The king, with pride and shame and anguish torn, Bold in truth (So still should virtue guilty power engage), With brow undaunted met his rage. See, his cheek kindles into generous fire: And, while the doom of guilt he sings, What sounds of terror and distress The dreadful thunders sound; The forked lightnings flash along the ground. Who dwells in Korah's guilty tents must die! They sink! Have mercy, Lord!-Their cries Hark, from the deep their loud laments I hear ! Now, destruction's strife is o'er! The countless host For ever lost! The gulf is closed! Their cries are heard no more! He comes, he comes! the' avenging God! He bows the skies, and shakes the pole. Rouse the guilty world from sleep : Lead up thy billows from their cavern'd bed, And burst the rocks that chain thee in the deep,' Now, the' impetuous torrents rise; Shall guilty man contend with thee! To glut the vast and ravenous deep!— The tottering cliffs no more the floods control; Wing your dreadful darts with fire! Thus while the frowning shepherd pour'd along Gnash'd his teeth, and tore his hair: A cold and agonizing sweat distill'd: His watchful train prevent the blow; |