From these delightful fountains flow Can man desire, can Heaven bestow, Where every Star, with modest light, Shall gild his proper station. How grand in age, how fair in youth, Are holy "FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and TRUTH!" 1799. RELIGION. AN OCCASIONAL HYMN. THROUGH shades and solitudes profound The fainting traveller winds his way; Bewildering meteors glare around, And tempt his wandering feet astray. Welcome, thrice welcome, to his eye, The sudden moon's inspiring light, When forth she sallies through the sky, The guardian angel of the night. Thus mortals, blind and weak, below Till mild RELIGION, from above, The bow of promise in a storm. Then guilty passions wing their flight, Sorrow, remorse, affliction cease; RELIGION'S yoke is soft and light, Ambition, pride, revenge depart, And folly flies her chastening rod; She makes the humble contrite heart A temple of the living GOD. Beyond the narrow vale of time, Where bright celestial ages roll, To scenes eternal, scenes sublime, She points the way, and leads the soul. At her approach the Grave appears Baptized with her renewing fire, May we the crown of glory gain; Rise when the Host of Heaven expire, And reign with God, for ever reign! "THE JOY OF GRIEF." SWEET the hour of tribulation, OSSIAN. When the heart can freely sigh, And the tear of resignation Twinkles in the mournful eye. Have you felt a kind emotion Tremble through your troubled breast; Soft as evening o'er the ocean, When she charms the waves to rest? Have you lost a friend, or brother? Heard a father's parting breath? Gazed upon a lifeless mother, Till she seem'd to wake from death? Have you felt a spouse expiring In your arms before your view? Watch'd the lovely soul retiring From her eyes that broke on you? Did not grief then grow romantic, Did you not, with fervor frantic, Kiss the lips that felt no kiss? Yes! but, when you had resign'd her, But before the green moss peeping, Horror then, your heart congealing, From that gloomy trance of sorrow, Sunk in self-consuming anguish, O'er the yielding brow of Sadness |