"O Thou, my King, my Father, and my God! Prais'd be thy name, I own thy chastening rod: When best for me the stroke to meet or shun, Strike or withhold, and let thy will be done!" } She spoke, when lo! a cloud appear'd to move In billowy wreathes along the towering grove; Its thickening folds an angel form convey'd, Around whose brows celestial glories play'd; A starry crown on his fair temples beam'd, His twinkling eyes like radiant Hesper gleam'd, His locks th' undulating meteors stream'd; His cheeks with morn's empurpled blushes glow, His jewell'd robes in loose luxuriance flow: Round all the vapour, glittering as he turn'd, The rainbow's mingling hues alternate burn'd. He came commission'd from the throne above, And seem'd the smiling messenger of Love! Borne through the yielding void on airy gales, Down to the flower-bespangled bank he sails: The sad Sophronia rais'd her wondering eyes, And hail'd the sacred vision of the skies; Florello stood confess'd in all his charms, She springs and folds him in her raptur'd arms, Close to her bosom strain'd the lovely boy, And kiss'd him round and round with tears of joy. "Whence come, dear child, to visit scenes below, And bless a parents eyes bedimm'd with woe! How fared you since the spirit wing'd its way, And left this world of anguish and dismay?" He then: My honour'd parent dry thy tears, Give God the praise, and hush ungrounded fears: For now beyond where storms and pains molest, Beneath His sheltering wings in peace I rest. Were I foredoom'd to drag a length of days, And wander still thro' life's perplexing maze, 66 The threaten'd ills were dire beyond compare, Each secret labyrinth hid a mortal snare; Vice for my youth her sharp-fang'd traps would spread, And ambush'd furies lurk in ev'ry shade; The syren Pleasure weave her snaky wiles, And urge me to my fate with tempting smiles: God saw the storm loud bellowing round the field, And o'er me spread Salvation's mighty shield, From earth transferr'd me to my natal home, Transferr'd to save me from the wrath to come, "For far beyond that wide encircling pole, Within whose vault the starry myriads roll, The empyreal regions bright with day divine," And the high towers of favour'd Salem shine: There round the Eternal Throne we tune our lays, And themes majestic swell from praise to praise; There trees of life their verdant ranks unfold, And health perennial streams on waves of gold; There grief no more extorts the piteous wail, Nor sin nor death with mortal shafts assail; Exempt from toil or pain we rest on beds, Or warble praise thro' Eden's bowery glades; Or borne by hosts of flying angels, rove From clime to clime, thro' all the realms of Love! Sometimes we wing those fiery tracts on high, Where worlds and systems sail the boundless sky; Trace planets winding their stupendous round, Or dart with comets thro' the vast profound; Or in bright bands revisit earth below, And hov'ring flutter round the couch of woe; With Heaven's soft balm allay the painful smart, Lull care asleep, and cheer the drooping heart And in fair vision opening on the eyes, Make Paradise with all her glories rise. Cease then my sorrowing parent, cease to weep, "And now once more we bid a short adieu, OLD ABERDEEN, ODE TO MY FRIEND. DEAR Edward! should it e'er be said Let us confute those selfish elves, Ours is no tie of common stamp, Let Prussia, Germany, and Spain Let whigs their tory foes bespatter, When evening closes in the day, We'll trim the fire, and drink our ale, On tardy sloth's luxurious bed, Or else, should frosts enchain the ground, Our dogs th' unshackled streams shall try, Health, a no longer bashful lass, But chief-to friendship we shall owe HORATIO. |