Classic Poem

Praise above all — for praise prevails;
Heap up the measure, load the scales,
And good to goodness add:
The generous soul her Saviour aids,
But peevish obloquy degrades;
The Lord is great and glad.

For ADORATION all the ranks
Of angels yield eternal thanks,
And DAVID in the midst;
With God's good poor, which, last and least
In man's esteem, thou to thy feast,
O blessed bridegroom, bidst.

For ADORATION seasons change,
And order, truth, and beauty range,
Adjust, attract, and fill:
The grass the polyanthus cheques;
And polish'd porphyry reflects,
By the descending rill.

Rich almonds colour to the prime
For ADORATION ; tendrils climb,
And fruit-trees pledge their gems;
And Ivis, with her gorgeous vest,
Builds for her eggs her cunning nest,
And bell-flow'rs bow their stems.

With vinous syrup cedars spout;
From rocks pure honey gushing out,
For ADORATION springs:
All scenes of painting crowd the map
Of nature; to the mermaid's pap
The scaled infant clings.

The spotted ounce and playsome cubs
Run rustling 'mongst the flow'ring shrubs,
And lizards feed the moss;
For ADORATION beasts embark,
While waves upholding halcyon's ark
No longer roar and toss.

While Israel sits beneath his fig,
With coral root and amber sprig
The wean'd adven'rer sports;
Where to the palm the jasmine cleaves,
For ADORATION 'mongst the leaves
The gale his peace reports.

Increasing days their reign exalt,
Nor in the pink and mottled vault
The opposing spirits tilt;
And, by the coasting reader spied,
The silverlings and crusions glide
For ADORATION gilt.

For ADORATION rip'ning canes,
And cocoa's purest milk detains
The western pilgrim's staff;
Where rain in clasping boughs inclos'd,
And vines with oranges dispos'd,
Embow'r the social laugh.

Now labour his reward receives,
For ADORATION counts his sheaves,
To peace, her bounteous prince;
The nectarine his strong tint imbibes,
And apples of ten thousand tribes,
And quick peculiar quince.

The wealthy crops of whit'ning rice,
'Mongst thyine woods and groves of spice,
For ADORATION grow;
And, marshall'd in the fenced land,
The peaches and pomegranates stand,
Where wild carnations blow.

The laurels with the winter strive;
The crocus burnishes alive
Upon the snow-clad earth:
For ADORATION myrtles stay
To keep the garden from dismay,
And bless the sight from dearth.

The pheasant shows his pompous neck;
And ermine jealous of a speck,
With fear eludes offense:
The sable, with his glossy pride,
For ADORATION is descried,
Where frosts the waves condense.

The cheerful holly, pensive yew,
And holy thorn, their trim renew;
The squirrel hoards his nuts.
All creatures batten o'er their stores,
And careful nature all her doors
For ADORATION shuts.

For ADORATION , David's Psalms
Lift up the heart to deeds of alms;
And he who kneels and chants,
Prevails his passions to control,
Finds meat and med'cine to the soul,
Which for translation pants.

For ADORATION , beyond match,
The scholar bullfinch aims to catch
The soft flute's iv'ry touch;
And, careless on the hazel spray
The daring redbreast keeps at bay
The damsel's greedy clutch.

For ADORATION , in the skies,
The Lord's philosopher espies
The Dog, the Ram, the Rose;
The planet's ring, Orion's sword;
Nor is his greatness less ador'd
In the vile worm that glows.

For ADORATION , on the strings,
The western breezes work their wings,
The captive ear to soothe. —
Hark! 'tis a voice — how still, and small —
That makes the cataracts to fall,
Or bids the sea be smooth!

For ADORATION , incense comes
From bezoar, and Arabian gums;
And on the civet's furr.
But as for prayer, or e're it faints,
Far better is the breath of saints
Than galbanum or myrrh.

For ADORATION from the down
Of dam'sins to th'anana's crown,
God sends to tempt the taste;
And while the luscious zest invites,
The sense, that in the scene delights,
Commands desire be chaste.

For ADORATION , all the paths
Of grace are open, all the baths
Of purity refresh;
And all the rays of glory beam
To deck the man of God's esteem,
Who triumphs o'er the flesh.

For ADORATION , in the dome
Of Christ, the sparrow's find an home;
And on his olives perch:
The swallow also dwells with thee,
O man of God's humility,
Within his Saviour CHURCH . ...