The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) eBook

Theodore Watts-Dunton
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 353 pages of information about The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).

The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) eBook

Theodore Watts-Dunton
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 353 pages of information about The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753).

    When time shall in eternity be lost,
  And hoary nature languish into dust,
  Forever young, thy glories shall remain,
  Vast as thy being, endless as thy reign! 
  Thou from the realms of everlasting day,
  See’st all thy works, at one immense survey! 
  Pleas’d at one view, the whole to comprehend,
  Part join’d to part, concurring to one end. 
  If thou to earth, but turn’st thy wrathful eyes,
  Her basis trembles, and her offspring dies. 
  Thou smit’st the hills, and at th’ almighty blow,
  Their summits kindle, and their entrails glow. 
  While this immortal spark of heav’nly flame,
  Distends my breast, and animates my frame,
  To thee my ardent praises shall be born,
  On the first breeze, that wakes the blushing morn: 
  The latest star shall hear the pleasing sound,
  And nature, in full choir shall join around! 
  When full of thee, my soul excursive flies,
  Thro’ earth, air, ocean or thy regal skies,
  From world, to world, new wonders still I find! 
  And all the Godhead bursts upon my mind! 
  When, wing’d with whirlwinds, vice shall take her flight,
  To the wide bosom of eternal night,
  To thee my soul shall endless praises pay;
  Join! men and angels! join th’ exalted day! 
  Assign’d a province to each rolling sphere,
  And taught the sun to regulate the year. 
  At his command wide hov’ring o’er the plain,
  Primaeval night resumes her gloomy reign. 
  Then from their dens impatient of delay,
  The savage monsters bend their speedy way,
  Howl thro’ the spacious waste and chase the frighted prey. 
  Here walks the shaggy monarch of the wood,
  Taught from thy providence to ask his food: 
  To thee O Father! to thy bounteous skies,
  He rears his main, and rolls his glaring eyes. 
  He roars, the desarts tremble wide around! 
  And repercusive hills repeat the sound. 
  Now purple gems, the eastern skies adorn,
  And joyful nature hails th’ opening morn;
  The rovers conscious of approaching day,
  Fly to their shelters, and forget their prey. 
  Laborious man, with moderate slumber blest,
  Springs chearful to his toil, from downy rest;
  Till grateful ev’ning with her silver train,
  Bid labour cease, and ease the weary swain! 
  Hail, sovereign Goodness!  All productive mind! 
  On all thy works, thyself inscribed we find! 
  How various all! how variously endow’d! 
  How great their number! and each part how good! 
  How perfect then must the great parent shine! 
  Who with one act of energy divine,
  Laid the vast plan, and finish’d the design. 
  Where e’er the pleasing search my thoughts pursue,
  Unbounded goodness opens to my view. 
  Nor does our world alone, its influence share;
  Exhaustless bounty, and unwearied care,
  Extend thro’ all th’ infinitude of space,
  And circle nature with a kind embrace. 

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Project Gutenberg
The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.