Well did my dear M YRTILLA'S pray'r,
To guardian heav'n's protecting care
Her wand'ring friend commit;
Whose steps by faithless eyes misled,
Bewilder'd in the dubious shade,
The well-known path-way quit.

What could I do? perplex'd, alone,
In vain the constellations shone,
Too weak to mark my way:
No guide the choral pleiads gave,
And beauteous smil'd the star of eve
With ineffectual ray.

'Tis dreary solitude around:
To chear my hopes no village sound,
No taper thro' the trees:
The distant waters murm'ring roll,
Dire sung the lamentable owl,
And faintly sigh'd the breeze.

But soon, in diff'rent notes, too near,
Discordant voices stun my ear,
With formidable roar;
The lawless crew of revelling sin,
Their midnight orgies now begin,
To B ACCHUS' frantic pow'r.

Yet, tho' by fear confus'd and lost,
My path no son of riot crost,
Unhurt I pass the gloom:
Unconscious where, or how I fled,
By watchful Providence convey'd,
I gain my wish'd-for home.

In life's long journey as we tend,
The same all-gracious pow'r defend,
And lead us safely thro'!
Protect when threat'ning fears assail,
And where the lights of reason fail,
A surer guide bestow!

Whether in flow'ry paths we stray,
Or labour thro' a gloomy way
Perplexing and unev'n:
Thro' passion's snare, and error's night,
Conduct our falt'ring steps aright
To reach their native heav'n!