Then cease, fair mourner, to complain, Nor lavish fuch bright streams in vain : III. The generous mind is by its fufferings known, On the fun-beams his tender eyes, And, if he fhrinks not at th' offenfive light, He's then for empire fit, and takes his foaring flight. IV. Though cares affault thy breast on every fide, No tributary tears to fortune pay, But with kind hopes fupport thy mind, And think thy better lot behind : V. Then, lovely mourner, wipe those tears away, Like ravenous age thy charms they waste, For Fate is aw'd, and adverfe fortunes fly HYMN HYMN TO THE MORNING, IN PRAISE OF LIGHT. I. PARENT of Day! whole beauteous beams of light Spring from the darkfome womb of night, And midft their native horrors show, Thou first essay of light, and pledge of day ! II. Rival of shade, eternal fpring of light! But, fpight of time, thou 'rt ever young : III. Like fome fair bride thou rifest from thy bed, And doft around thy luftre spread; Around the universe dispense New life to all, and quickening influence. With gloomy fmiles thy rival Night Beholds thy glorious dawn of light : Not all the wealth fhe views in mines below Can match thy brighter beams, or equal luftre show. IV. At thy approach, Nature erects her head, The finiling univerfe is glad; The drowsy earth and seas awake, And, from thy beams, new life and vigour take : Ev'n guilt and women ceafe to fear: V. To thee, the grateful East their altars raise, Like the fair Phoenix from her balmy neft: No altar of the gods can equal thine, The air's thy richest incense, the whole land thy fhrine! VI. But yet thy fading glories foon decay. Thine's but a momentary stay; Too foon thou 'rt ravifh'd from our fight, Borne down the ftream of day, and overwhelm'd with light. Thy beams to their own ruin haste, Thine is a glorious, but a fhort-liv'd state. Pity fo fair a birth fhould yield fo foon to Fate! VII. Before th' Almighty Artist fram'd the sky, Or gave the earth its harmony, His first command was for thy light; Old Chaos then a chearful fmile put on, And, from thy beauteous form, did first presage its own. VIII. "Let there be Light!" the great Creator faid, His word the active child obey'd: Night did her teeming womb difclofe; And then the blushing Morn, its brighteft offspring, rofe. A while th' Almighty wondering view'd, And then himself pronounc'd it good : "With Night,” faid he, "divide th' imperial sway; "Thou my first labour art, and thou fhalt bless the Day." HYMN TO DARKNESS. I. DARKNESS, thou firft great parent of us all, art our great original : Since from thy univerfal woinb Does all thou fhad'ft below, thy numerous offspring, come. A a 2 II. Thy II. Thy wondrous birth is ev'n to Time unknown, Whilft, Light did its firft being owe Say, in what distant region dost thou dwell, From form and duller matter free, Thou foar'st above the reach of man's philofophy. Involv'd in thee, we first receive our breath, Great Monarch of the Grave and Womb, V. The filent globe is ftruck with awful fear, Thou doft compose the air and sea, And Earth a fabbath keeps, facred to Reft and Thee, VI. In thy ferener fhades our ghosts delight, And court the umbrage of the Night; In vaults and gloomy caves they stray, But fly the Morning's beams, and ficken at the Day. VII. Though folid bodies dare exclude the light, Nor will the brightest ray admit ; No fubftance can thy force repel, Thou reign'ft in depths below, doft in the centre dwell. VIII. The |