"That navigate a sea that knows no storms,
"Beneath a vault unsullied with a cloud,
"If from your elevation, whence ye view

66

Distinctly scenes invisible to man,

"And systems of whose birth no tidings yet
"Have reach'd this nether world, ye spy a race
"Favour'd as ours; transgressors from the womb,
"And hasting to a grave, yet doom'd to rise,
"And to possess a brighter Heaven than yours?
"As one who, long detain'd on foreign shores,
"Pants to return, and when he sees afar

"His country's weather-bleach'd and batter'd rocks "From the green wave emerging, darts an eye "Radiant with joy towards the happy land; "So I, with animated hopes, behold,

"And many an aching wish, your beamy fires, "That show like beacons in the blue abyss, "Ordain'd to guide the embodied spirit home "From toilsome life to never-ending rest. "Love kindles as I gaze. I feel desires "That give assurance of their own success, "And that, infused from Heaven, must thither tend." So reads he Nature whom the lamp of truth Illuminates. Thy lamp, mysterious Word! Which whoso sees no longer wanders lost, With intellects bemazed in endless doubt, But runs the road of wisdom. Thou hast built, With means that were not till by Thee employ'd, Worlds that had never been, hadst Thou in strength

Been less, or less benevolent than strong.

They are Thy witnesses, who speak Thy power

And goodness infinite, but speak in ears
That hear not, or receive not their report.
In vain Thy creatures testify of Thee,

Till Thou proclaim Thyself. Theirs is, indeed,
A teaching voice; but 'tis the praise of Thine,
That whom it teaches it makes prompt to learn,
And with the boon gives talents for its use.
Till Thou art heard, imaginations vain
Possess the heart, and fables false as hell,
Yet deem'd oracular, lure down to death
The uninform'd and heedless souls of men.

We give to Chance, blind Chance, ourselves as blind,
The glory of Thy work; which yet appears
Perfect and unimpeachable of blame,
Challenging human scrutiny, and proved

Then skilful most when most severely judged.

But Chance is not; or is not where Thou reign'st : Thy Providence forbids that fickle power

(If power she be, that works but to confound)

To mix her wild vagaries with Thy laws.

Yet thus we dote, refusing, while we can,
Instruction, and inventing to ourselves

Gods such as guilt makes welcome; gods that sleep,
Or disregard our follies, or that sit

Amused spectators of this bustling stage.

Thee we reject, unable to abide

Thy purity, till pure as Thou art pure,

Made such by Thee, we love Thee for that cause
For which we shunn'd and hated Thee before.

Then we are free. Then liberty, like day,
Breaks on the soul, and by a flash from Heaven
Fires all the faculties with glorious joy.

A voice is heard that mortal ears hear not
Till Thou hast touch'd them; 'tis the voice of
A loud Hosanna sent from all Thy works;
Which he that hears it with a shout repeats,
And adds his rapture to the general praise.

song,

In that bless'd moment Nature, throwing wide
Her veil opaque, discloses with a smile
The Author of her beauties, who, retired
Behind His own creation, works unseen

By the impure, and hears His power denied.
Thou art the source and centre of all minds,
Their only point of rest, eternal Word!
From Thee departing, they are lost, and rove
At random, without honour, hope, or peace.
From Thee is all that soothes the life of man,
His high endeavour, and his glad success,
His strength to suffer, and his will to serve.
But O, Thou bounteous Giver of all good,
Thou art of all Thy gifts Thyself the crown!
Give what Thou canst; without Thee we are poor;
And with Thee rich, take what Thou wilt away.

THE TASK.

BOOK VI.-THE WINTER WALK AT NOON.