8.  Thence up by secret tracts they creep,
    And gushing from the mountain’s side,
  Thro’ vallies travel to the deep;
    Appointed to receive their tide.
  9.  There hast thou fix’d the ocean’s mounds,
    The threat’ning surges to repel: 
  That they no more o’erpass their bounds,
    Nor to a second deluge swell. 
  Part ii.

  10.  Yet, thence in smaller parties drawn,
    The sea recovers her lost hills: 
  And starting springs from every lawn,
    Surprize the vales with plenteous rills.
  11.  The fields tame beasts are thither led
    Weary with labour, faint with drought,
  And asses on wild mountains bred,
    Have sense to find these currents out.

  12.  There shady trees from scorching beams,
    Yield shelter to the feather’d throng: 
  They drink, and to the bounteous streams
    Return the tribute of their song.
  13.  His rains from heav’n parch’d hills recruit,
    That soon transmit the liquid store: 
  ’Till earth is burthen’d with her fruit,
    And nature’s lap can hold no more.

  14.  Grass for our cattle to devour,
    He makes the growth of every field: 
  Herbs, for man’s use, of various pow’r,
    That either food or physic yield.
  15.  With cluster’d grapes he crowns the vine
    To cheer man’s heart oppress’d with cares: 
  Gives oil that makes his face to shine. 
    And corn that wasted strength repairs.

  Psalm CIV. imitated by Thomas Blackclock.

  Arise my soul! on wings seraphic rise! 
  And praise th’ Almighty sov’reign of the skies! 
  In whom alone essential glory shines,
  Which not the Heav’n of Heav’ns, nor boundless space confines! 
  When darkness rul’d with universal sway,
  He spoke, and kindled up the blaze of day;
  First fairest offspring of th’ omnific word! 
  Which like a garment cloath’d it’s sovereign lord. 
  He stretch’d the blue expanse, from pole to pole,
  And spread circumfluent aether round the whole. 
  Of liquid air he bad the columns rise,
  Which prop the starry concave of the skies. 
  Soon as he bids, impetuous whirlwinds fly,
  To bear his sounding chariot thro’ the sky: 
  Impetuous whirlwinds the command obey,
  Sustain his flight, and sweep th’ aerial way. 
  Fraught with his mandates from the realms on high,
  Unnumber’d hosts of radiant heralds fly;
  From orb to orb, with progress unconfin’d,
  As lightn’ing swift, resistless as the wind. 
  His word in air this pondr’ous ball sustain’d. 
  “Be fixt, he said.”—­And fix’d the ball remain’d. 
  Heav’n, air, and sea, tho’ all their stores combine. 
  Shake not its base, nor break the law divine. 
  At thy almighty voice, old ocean raves,
  Wakes all his force, and gathers all his waves;
  Nature lies mantled in a watry robe,