Heir of immortal Being! whence that sigh
O'er transient life's probationary woes?
Why droops that spirit form'd to seek the sky,
Not idly languish in a long repose?
Why wanders fancy thro' the cypress gloom,
Where boding ravens croak the dirge of night?
Direct it's view to E DEN'S living bloom,
The song of seraphs, and the realms of light.
Tho' now a toiling tenant of the dust,
See! heav'n it's fair inheritance displays:
And warm with gen'rous hope and filial trust,
Exalt thy soul to joy, thy voice to praise.
H E claims this tribute, whose paternal care
Incessant watches o'er our helpless frame,
And bids the changing scenes of life prepare
Our rising nature to a nobler aim.
Mixt with our woes, what objects of delight
Our fated task with kind indulgence cheer!
With beauty's endless forms HE strikes the sight,
And glads with harmony the ravish'd ear.
H E gives the soul-enliv'ning pow'rs that rove
Thro' the wide range of nature and of art;
And sooths, by ev'ry charm of social love,
The sympathetic feelings of the heart.
Oft when the phantoms of delusive good
With soft seduction round our senses play,
H E bids affliction lift her chast'ning rod,
And drive their unsubstantial forms away.
By mercy prompted, his correcting hand
Inflicts the stroke of salutary pain,
To check tyrannic passion's wild demand,
And free our reason from it's slavish chain.
Our folly tutor'd, and subdued our pride,
His healing smiles our griefs and fears controul:
And gently, thro' the paths of duty, guide
The ductile temper of the soften'd soul.
From death's deep vale, sad refuge of despair,
My I SABELLA ! raise thy drooping flight:
Nor faint beneath the task allotted here,
While F AITH and H OPE to happier scenes invite.
Our nature's conflict with an inborn foe,
Paternal goodness views with pitying eyes:
Virtue, a trembling penitent below,
Exults a joyful victor in the skies.
Ah! trust, for future good, that gracious pow'r,
Whose various gifts our mortal Being bless;
Nor doubt, his mercy, at the last dread hour,
Shall shed the smiles of pardon, and of peace.
O'er transient life's probationary woes?
Why droops that spirit form'd to seek the sky,
Not idly languish in a long repose?
Why wanders fancy thro' the cypress gloom,
Where boding ravens croak the dirge of night?
Direct it's view to E DEN'S living bloom,
The song of seraphs, and the realms of light.
Tho' now a toiling tenant of the dust,
See! heav'n it's fair inheritance displays:
And warm with gen'rous hope and filial trust,
Exalt thy soul to joy, thy voice to praise.
H E claims this tribute, whose paternal care
Incessant watches o'er our helpless frame,
And bids the changing scenes of life prepare
Our rising nature to a nobler aim.
Mixt with our woes, what objects of delight
Our fated task with kind indulgence cheer!
With beauty's endless forms HE strikes the sight,
And glads with harmony the ravish'd ear.
H E gives the soul-enliv'ning pow'rs that rove
Thro' the wide range of nature and of art;
And sooths, by ev'ry charm of social love,
The sympathetic feelings of the heart.
Oft when the phantoms of delusive good
With soft seduction round our senses play,
H E bids affliction lift her chast'ning rod,
And drive their unsubstantial forms away.
By mercy prompted, his correcting hand
Inflicts the stroke of salutary pain,
To check tyrannic passion's wild demand,
And free our reason from it's slavish chain.
Our folly tutor'd, and subdued our pride,
His healing smiles our griefs and fears controul:
And gently, thro' the paths of duty, guide
The ductile temper of the soften'd soul.
From death's deep vale, sad refuge of despair,
My I SABELLA ! raise thy drooping flight:
Nor faint beneath the task allotted here,
While F AITH and H OPE to happier scenes invite.
Our nature's conflict with an inborn foe,
Paternal goodness views with pitying eyes:
Virtue, a trembling penitent below,
Exults a joyful victor in the skies.
Ah! trust, for future good, that gracious pow'r,
Whose various gifts our mortal Being bless;
Nor doubt, his mercy, at the last dread hour,
Shall shed the smiles of pardon, and of peace.