E'en poisons praise thee: should a thing be lost? Should creatures want, for want of heed, their due ? Since where are poisons, antidotes are most, The help stands close, and keeps the fear in view. The sea, which seems to stop the traveller, Is by a ship the speedier passage made; The winds, who think they rule the mariner, Are ruled by him, and taught to serve his trade. And as thy house is full, so I adore Thy curious art in marshalling thy goods; Thy hills with health abound, thy vales with store; The south with marble, north with fur and woods. Hard things are glorious; easy things, good, cheap ; The common all men have; that which is rare, Men therefore seek to have and care to keep: The healthy frosts with summer fruits compare. Light without wind, is glass; warm without weight, Is wool and furs; cool without coldness, shade; Speed without pains, a horse; tall without weight, A servile hawk; low without loss, a spade. All countries have enough to serve their need; If they seek fine things, thou dost make them run For their offence; and then dost turn their speed, To be commerce and trade, from sun to sun. Nothing wears clothes but man; nothing doth need But he to wear them. Nothing useth fire, But man alone, to show his heavenly breed: And only he hath fuel in desire. When the earth was dry, Thou madest a sea of wet; When that lay gathered, thou didst broach the mountains; While yet some places could no moisture get, The winds grew gardeners, and the clouds good fountains. Rain, do not hurt my flowers, but gently spend Your honey-drops; press not to smell them here; When they are ripe, their odour will ascend, And, at your lodging, with their thanks appear. How harsh are thorns to pears! and yet they make Sometimes thou dost divide thy gifts to man- Most herbs that grow in brooks are hot and dry; The whey of milk doth loose, the milk doth bind. To show Thou art not bound, as if thy lot Were worse than ours, sometimes Thou shiftest hands: Most things move th' under jaw; the crocodile not; Most things sleep lying; th' elephant leans or stands. But who hath praise enough? nay, who hath any? None can express thy works but he that knows them, And none can know thy works, which are so many, And so complete, but only he that owns them. All things that are, though they have several ways, Each thing that is, although in use and name O God Unseen, but not Unknown. GOD unseen, but not unknown, I dwell beneath thy secret throne, Throughout this universe of space Parents I had, but where are they? Friends whom I knew, I know no more, Now I am one amidst the crowd Even from myself sometimes I part, To prompt my pulse, inspire my breath. Of all that I have done or said How little can I now recal! Forgotten things to me are dead; With Thee they live, Thou know'st them all. Thou hast been with me from the womb, Witness to every conflict here ; Nor wilt Thou leave me at the tomb, Before thy bar I must appear. The moment comes, when strength must fail, When health, and hope, and comfort flown, I must go down into the vale And shade of death, with Thee alone. Alone with Thee;-in that dread strife Then, when the unbodied spirit lands Be mine eternal portion this, Since Thou wert always here with me, ROBERT MONTGOMERY. Oh! come it First, or come it Last. H! come it first, or come it last, 0円! The shadow o'er my passage cast, The sun shall rise, and all be light! |