Elegant Extracts; Or, Useful and Entertaining Pieces of Poetry: Selected for ...

"ATHER of light and life! Thou good Him first, him laft, him midit, and without end. O teach me what is good. Teach me THYSELF! Fairest of Itars, last in the train of night, Save me from folly, vanity, and vice;

If better thou belong not to the dawn, From ev'ry low pursuit ! and feed

Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn my

soul With knowledge, conscious peace,and virtue pure; While day arises, that liveet hour of prime,

With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere, Sacred, fubftantial, never-fading bliss !

Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul,

Acknowledge Him thy greater; found his praise § 2. Another Address to the Deity. Young.

In thy eternal course, both when thou climb'it,

And when high noon has gain'd, and when thou O THOU great Arbiter of life and death!

fall'ft. Nature's immortal, immaterial Sun !

Moon, that now meet'st the orient fun, now fly'ft Whose all-prolific beam latc call'd me forth

With the fix'd stars, fix'd in their orb that fíes, From darkness, teeming darkness, where I lay

And The worm's inferior, and in rank beneath

ye five other wand'ring fires that move The dust I tread on, high to bear my

In mystic dance, not without song, resound

His praise, who out of darkness call'd up light. To drink the spirit of the golden day;

Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth And triumph in existence; and couldst know

Of Nature's womb, that quaternion run No motive but my bliss; and hast ordain'd

Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix A rise in blefling with the Patriarch’s joy,

And nourish all things; lct vour cealeless change Thy call I follow to the land unknown.

Vary to our great Maker still new praise. I trust in Thee, and know in whom I trust;

Ye Mists and Exhalations that now rise
Or life or death is equal; neither weighs ! From hill or streaming lake, dusky or grey,
All weight in this let me live to Thce !

Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
In honour to the world's great Author rise !

Whether to deck with clouds th’uncolour'd sky, 83. The Morning Hymn of Adam and Eve. Or wet the thirsty earth with falsing thow'rs,

MILTON.

Rising or falling, still advance his praise.
T THESE are thy glorious works,Parent of good, His praise, ye Winds,that from four quarters

blow,
Almighty, thine this universal frame, Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ve Pines,
Thus wond'rous fair;thyself how wond'rousthen! With ev'ry plant in sign of worship wave.
Unspeakable, who litt'ít above these Heavens Fountains, and ye that warble as ye flow
To us invisible, or dimly seen

Melodious murmurs, warbling, tune his praise. In these thy lowest works ; yet these declare Join voices, all ye living Souls; ye Birds, Thy goodness beyond thought, and pow'r divine. That singing up to Heav'n's gate afcend, Speak ye who beit can tell, ye sons of light, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. Angels; for ye behold him, and with longs Ye that in waters glide, and

that walk And choral fymphonics, day without night, The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;

Witacís

Vitness if I be silent, morn or even,

To Thee, whose temple is all space;
To hill or valley, fountain, or fresh shade Whose altar, earth, sea, skics!
Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praise. One chorus let all being raise!
Hail, universal Lord ! be bounteous still

All nature's incense rise !
To give us only good ; and if the night
Have gather'd aught of evil, or conceal’d,
Dilperte it, as now light dispels the dark.

§ 5. Hymn on Gratitude. ADDISON. WHEN all thy mercies, O my God,

My rising foul surveys ;
§ 4. The Universal Prayer. POPE.

Transported with the view, I'm loft
Deo opt. max.

In wonder, love, and praise.

O how fhall words with equal warmth
FATHER of all! in ev'ry age,
In ev'ry clime, ador'd,

The gratitude declare
By Saint, by Savage, and by Sage,

That glows within my ravish'd heart? Jehovah, Jove, or Lord !

But thou canst read it there. Thou Great First Cause, lcaft understood,

Thy providence my life sustain'd, Who all my fenfi confin'd

And all my wants redreft, To know but this, that Thou art good,

When in the filent womb I lay, And that myself am blind;

And hung upon the breast. Yet gave me, in this dark estate

To all my weak complaints and cries To fce the good from ill;

Thy mercy lent an car, And, binding nature fast in fate,

Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt

To form themselves in pray’r.
Left free the human will.
What conscience dictates to be done,

Unnumber'd comforts to my soul
Or warns une not to do,

Thy tender care bestow'd, This teach me more than hell to fhun;

Before my infant hcart conceivid That more than heav'n pursuc.

From whom those comforts flowd: What bleffings thy free bounty gives

When in the flipp’ry paths of youth Let me not cast away ;

With hecdless steps I ran, For God is paid when man receives ;

Thine arm unseen convey'd me safe, T'enjoy is to obey.

And led me up to man. Yet not to earth's contracted span

Thro' hidden dangers, toils, and deaths, Thy goodness let me bound.

It gently clear'd my way, Or think Thee Lord alone of man,

And through the pleasing snares of vice, When thousand worlds are round.

More to be fear'd than they. Let nor this weak, unknowing hand

When worn with sickness, oft halt thou Presume thy bolts to throw,

With hcalth renew'd my face, And deal damnation round the land

And when in fins and sorrows funk, On each I judge thy foc.

Reviv'd my soul with grace. If I am right, thy grace impart

Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss Still in the right to stay;

Has made my cup run o'er,

And in a kind and faithful friend
If I ain wrong, Oh teach my heart
To find that better way.

Has doubled all my store.
Save me alike from foolish pride,

Ten thousand thousand precious gifts ; Or iinpious discontent;

My daily thanks employ; At aught thy wisdom has deny’d,

Nor is the least a cheerful heart Or aught thy goodnefs lent.

That taites those gifts with joy. Tcach me to feel another's woc;

Through every period of my life To hide the fault I see ;

Thy goodnets I'll pursue ; That mercy I to others thow,

And after death in diftant worlds That mercy fhow to me.

The glorious theme renew. Mean tho' I am, not wholly so,

When nature fails, and day and night Since quicken'd by thy breath ;

Divide thy works no more, O lead me wherefue'er I go,

My ever-grateful heart, O Lord, Thro' this day's life or death.

Thy mercy thall adore. This day, be bread and peace my lot :

Through ali eternity to Thee All else beneath the fun

A joyful fong I'll raide ; Thou know'st if belt bestow'd or not;

For (! Eternity's too short And det thy will be done.

To utter all thy praile!

$ 6. Im $ 6. Hymn or Providence, from Psalm 23d. But still their most exalted fights

ADDISON. Fall vastly short of thee :

How distant then must human praise
THE Lord my pafture fhall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care :

From thy perfections be!
His presence fhall my wants supply,

Yet how, my God, shall I refrain, And guard me with a watchful eye ;

When to my ravish'd fenfe My noon-day walks he thall attend,

Each creature, everywhere around, And all my midnight hours defend.

Displays thy excellence ! Wher in the fultry glebe I faint,

The active lights that shine above, Or on the thirsty mountains pant;

In their eternal dance, To fertile vales, and dewy meads,

Reveal their skilful Maker's praise My weary wand'ring steps he leads;

With filent elegance. Where peaceful rivers, soft and now,

The bl: shes of the morn confefs Amid the verdant landskip flow.

That thou art still more fair, Tho' in the paths of Death I trcad,

When in the East its beams revive, With gloomy horrors overspread,

To gild the fields of air. My stedfast heart shall fear no ill,

The fragrant, the refreshing breeze For thou, O Lord, art with me ftill;

Of ev'ry flow’ry bloom 1 Thy friendly crook thall give me aid,

In balmy whispers own, from Thee And guide me through the dreadful Thade.

Their pleasing odours come. Tho' in a bare and rugged way,

The singing birds, the warbling winds, Through devious lonely wilds I stray,

And waters murm’ring fall, Thy bounty shall my pains beguile :

To praise the first Almighty Cause, | The barren wilderness thall tinile,

With diff'rent voices call.
With fudden greens and herbage crown'd;
And streams shall murmur all around.

Thy num'rous works exalt thee thus,

And shall I filent be?
No; rather let me cease to breathe,

Than cease from praising Thee ! § 7. Hymn, from the beginning of the 19th Psalm.

ADDISON. THE spacious firmament on high,

$ 9. Hymn. · Mrs. RowE. With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heav'ns, a shining frainė, THOU didft, О mighty God! exist 1 Their Great Original proclaim :

Ere time began its race; Th’unwearied fun, from day to day,

Before the ample elements Does his Creator's pow'r display,

Fill'd up the void of space : And publishes to ev'ry land

Before the pond'rous earthly globe The work of an Almighty land.

In Ayid air was stay'd; Soon as the evening shades prevail,

Before the ocean's mighty springs The moon takes up the wond'rous tale,

Their liquid ftores display'd :
And nightly to the list’ning earth

Ere through the gloom of ancient night
Repeats the story of her birth :
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,

The streaks of light appear'd;
And all the planets in their turn,

Before the high celestial arch Confirm the tidings as they roll,

Or starry poles were rear'd: And spread the truth from pole to pole.

Before the loud melodious spheres What though in folemn silence all

Their tuneful round begun; Move round the dark terrestrial ball!

Before the shining roads of heav'n What tho' nor real voice nor found

Were measurd by the fun : Amid their radiant orbs be found !

Ere thro' the empyrean courts In reason's car they all rejoice,

One hallelujah rung; And utter forth a glorious voice,

Or to their harps the sons of light For ever singing as they shine,

Extaric antheins sung : “The hand that made us is divine”.

Ere men ador’d, or angels knew,

Or prais'd thy wond'rous name ;

Thy bliss, O sacred Spring of life! § 8. Hymn. Mrs. Rowe.

Thy glory was the same.
THE glorious armies of the sky

And when the pillars of the world
To thee, Almighty King,

With sudden ruin brcak,
Triumphant anthems consecrate,

And all this vast and goodly fraine
And hallelujahs ling.

Sinks in the mighty wreck ;

When When from her orb the moon shall start,

In mutual concourfe rise : Th’astonish'd sun roll back,

Crop the gay roles verincil bloom, And all the trembling starry lamps

And waft its spoils, a fwect perfume, Their ancient course forfake;

In incense to the kies. For ever permanent and fix'd,

Wake all ye mounting tribes, and sing; From agitation free,

Ya plumy warblers of the 1pring, Unchang’d in everlasting years,

Harmonious anthems raise
Shall thy existence be.

To him who thap'd your finer mould,
Who tipp'd your glittering wings with gold,

And turn'd your voice to praise. § 10. Hymn, from Psalm 148th. OGILVIE. Let man, by nobler passions sway'd, BEGIN, my soul, th’exalted lay!.

The feeling heart the judging head, Let each enraptur'd thought obcy,

In heav'nly praise employ ; And praise th’Almighty's name :

Spread his tremendous name around, Lo! hcaven and earth, and seas and skies, Till heav'n's broad arch rings back the sound, In one melodious concert rise,

The gen’ral burst of joy. To fwell th’inspiring theme.

Ye whom the charms of grandeur plcase, Ye fields of light, celestial plains,

Nurs'd on the downy lap of ease, Where gay transporting beauty reigns,

Fall prostrate at his throne: Ye scenes divinely fair !

Ye princes, rulers, all adore ; Your Maker's wond'rous power proclaim; Praise him, ye kings, who make your pow'r Tell how he form’d your shining frame,

An image of his own.
And breath'd the fluid air.

Ye fair by nature, form’d to move,
Ye angels, catch the thrilling sound !
While all th’adoring thrones around

O praise th’eternal Source of love,
His boundless mercy sing:

With youth's enlivening fire:

Let age take up the tuncful lay,
Let ev'ry list ning saint above
Wake all the tuneful foul of love,

Sigh his bless'd name—then foar away,

And ask an angel's lyre.
And touch the sweetest fring.
Join, ye loud spheres, the vocal choir :
Thou dazzling orb of liquid fire,

§ 11. Hymn. ANON.
The mighty chorus aid :
Soon as grey ev'ning gilds the plain, HOW are thy fervants bleft, O Lord ?
Thou moon protraćt the melting strain,

How sure is their defence !
And praise him in the shade.

Eternal Wisdom is their guide;
Thou heav'n of heav'ns, his vast abode,

Their help Omu potence.
Ye clouds, proclaim your forming God, In foreign realms and lands remote,
Who callid yon worlds from night :

Supported by thy care,
“ Ye shades, dispel!”-th’Eternal faid! Through burning climes I pass'd unhurt,
At once th’involving darkness filed,

And breath'd in tainted air. And nature sprung to light.

Thy mercy sweeten'd every soil, Whate'er a blooming world contains,

Made every region picase; That wings the air, that skiins the plains, The hoary Alpine hills it warm'd, United praise bestow :

And Tinooth'd the 'Tyrrhene seas. Ye dragons found his awful name

Think, O my soul, devoutly think,
To heav'n aloud ! and roar acclaim

How with afrighted eyes
Ye swelling deeps below.

Thou faw'rt the wide extended deep
Let ev'ry element rejoice :

In all its horrors rise!
Ye thunders, burst with awful voice
To him who bids you roll;

Confusion dwelt in ev'ry face,
His praise in softer notes declare,

And fear in ev'ry heart, Each whispering breeze of yielding ait,

When waves on waves, and gu!phs ini gulphs, And breathe it to the soul.

O'ercame the pilot's art. To him, ye graceful cedars, bow;

Yet then from all my griefs, O Lord,
Ye tow'ring mountains, bending low,

Thy mercy let me free;
Your great Creator own;

While in the confidence of pray'r
Tell when affrighted nature frook,

My soul took hold on thee.
How Sinai kindled at his look,

For tho' in dreadful whirls we hung
And trembled at his frown.

High on the broken wave,
Y c flocks that haunt the humble vale,

I knew thou were not flow to hear, Yc infcēts fluttering on the gale,

Nor impotent to save.

The

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Elegant Extracts; Or, Useful and Entertaining Pieces of Poetry ..., Nide 1