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.