Thou, my ever bounteous God, What if death my sleep invade? Of mortal man, the sovereign Maker said, Power's purple robes, nor Pleasure's flowery lap, Through all the ascent of things enlarge her view, Till every bound at length should disappear, And infinite perfection close the scene. AKENSIDE. 1721-1770. THE RAINBOW. SWEET Dove! the softest steadiest plume Sweet Leaf! the pledge of peace and mirth 66 Long sought and lately won," Blest increase of reviving Earth When first it felt the sun; Sweet Rainbow! pride of summer days, High set at Heaven's command, Though into drear and dusky haze Thou melt on either hand; Dear tokens of a pardoning God, As when our fathers walked abroad, Freed from their twelve-months' thrall! Lord! if our fathers turned to Thee With such adoring gaze, Wondering frail men Thy light should see Without Thy scorching blaze; Where is our love and where our hearts Have tried Thy Spirit's winning arts, The Son of God in radiance beamed But we may face the rays that streamed There, parted into rainbow hues God by His bow vouchsafed to write This truth in heaven above: As every lovely hue is Light, KEBLE. WISDOM AND LOVE. GOD is love: His mercy brightens Chance and change are busy ever; Even the hour that darkest seemeth Will his changeless goodness prove; He with earthly cares entwineth BOWRING. TO NIGHT. MYSTERIOUS night! when our first parent knew Who could have thought such darkness lay concealed Within thy beams, O sun? or who could find, Whilst fly, and leaf, and insect stood revealed, That to such countless orbs thou mad'st us blind? Why do we, then, shun death with anxious strife? If light can thus deceive, wherefore not life? J. BLANCO WHITE. LOOKING TO JESUS. THOU, to our woe who down didst come, Our earthly garments Thou hast worn, Our mortal burdens Thou hast borne, O mighty grace, our life to live, O strange the gifts and marvellous, Thou tookest woe and death from us, And we receive Thy Heaven! T. H. GILL. |