Page images
PDF
EPUB

#

MYSTERIOUS Thoughts! say, whither would ye tend? [path, How have ye won me from each brighter Each soothing hope that late with radiant beam [life! Pour'd comfort down to bless the toils of Say, is it thus ye teach me-is it here Ye bring my wand'ring footsteps--to a maze Where Hope expires, a wilderness of Woe, A gloomy labyrinth that tires with Doubt, And distant far, and farther yet would lead, Till Heav'n itself were shrouded from the view, [soul And deep'ning horrors plunge the fainting In all the hideous gulf of black Despair? Oh, Reason! godlike only when with God Thou walkest-glorious only, great, and wise,

When trusting in his goodness and his pow'r! Depart from these, forget the mighty skill That rear'd Creation from insensate void, Forget the sparkling Sun, the lucid Orbs That gleam refulgent thro' the silent Night As rolling on they speed their circling

course

Still as in ages past, nor devious yet Have marr'd with erring flight their destin'd track, [Sky, Forget the beauteous Earth, the vaulted The varied seasons, and with impious tongue

Dispute the feebler wonders of thy God, And mock them as the idle tale of things Beyond the reach of Nature, Truth, or Pow'r [applaud The World may style thee Wisdom! and Thy bold research, that fain would seem to judge [ing hand The works of Heav'n-may praise the darThat, stretch'd aloft, would burst the sacred bonds

Of rigid Virtue, and exalting high The grosser thoughts, the proud conceits of Man, [yoke Shake from his stubborn neck the hallow'd Of pious rev'rence to the better will Of Him that made us-round thy rebel throne,

Elate and tow'ring as in Freedom's joy,
May gladly flock, obsequious to thy word,
And, heedless following where thy voice
directs,

Pronounce thee fit, unaided and alone,
To trace the line of Error and of Truth!
Mistaken Guide! shall Wisdom be the

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

The thorny lab'rinth of bewild'ring Doubt, Of Myst'ries seeming dark, and hidden things

That stagger each enquirer, not confirm, Because not understood and must we thence [slaves Proclaim them false? Oh! ye the hapless Of baneful Error, and of foul Mistrust, Ye toiling crowds who long have vainly sought

་་

To pierce with mortal ken the sacred gloom,
Thro' wide Creation roll the searching
glance,
[coil
And say, can still your stubborn hearts re-
From wonders such as these, when, scat-
ter'd round

On ev'ry side, equal or greater far
Burst on the ravish'd view, if right esteem'd
The works ye gaze at? Oft in secret move
The wise intents and purposes of Heav'n,
Alike beyond the stretch of human thought
E'eu as of human sight-perhaps conceal'd,
Nor yet divulg'd, that they may serve on
Earth

As trials of that Faith we justly owe,
As covenants ordain'd 'twixt God and Man,
The symbols of our Piety and Trust !
Parent of Light and Life! forbid that e'er
Reason, thy noblest gift, should madly
seek
[thought
To mar thy blest design! quell the proud
That fain would judge the secrets of thy
Word;
[Fold

Recall the straggling Wand'rers from thy Back to thyself, and teach the erring heart 'Tis Wisdom to adore thee !-Nature sings Thro' all her works of thee-in all display'd I view thy boundless Pow'r, in all I trace Thy Goodness and thy Mercy shining fair! Come then, bright Faith! thou guardian

Seraph, come,

[wide

And shedding down thy radiance, scatter The shades of impious Doubt-unclouded pour

Full on my darken'd soul thy kindling ray, And ev'ry hope exalting, ev'ry hope Confirming, that on Heav'n would lean for rest,

So rule my heart that I may learn to bow In meek subjection to the will of Him Who form'd us for his Glory and our own→ A glory best bestow'd, and best acquir'd, When most we seek to praise Him-when [paths

estrang'd

From ev'ry human pride, we tread the Of holy Virtue, still reposing firm Ourtrust in Him, whose goodness and whose pow'r,

Confest thro'all his wonders,reign supreme. M. E..

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST PART OF THE EIGHTY-THIRD VOLUME.

Magnos motus rerum circa se frementium securus aspiciat, et dura placidè ferat, et secunda moderatè."—SENECA.

THE above is one of the characteristics which Seneca gives of Wisdom; and certain it is, that they whose situation in more recent times has exposed them to any degree of responsibility, must necessarily have been involved in the universal agitation which has disturbed the World. We are not at all disposed to use the language of ostentatious vaunting; but we may securely appeal to our Prefatory Addresses to our Friends and Correspondents for many preceding years, in proof, that, notwithstanding the triumphs of Despotism, and the dark rollings of many a tempestuous storm, which ever and anon threatened to burst over our heads, we never flinched from the firmness of our confidence in that All-wise and Almighty Being who regulates the affairs of Nations. We have invariably felt and expressed the honest confidence of Britons, rejected all emotions of despondency, and encouraged the golden vision of Hope; nor have we been disappointed. The British Eagle once more towers aloft above its foes; the Leopard, which was to have fled at the sight of Napoleon's Banners, has sprung upon his aggressors, and inflicted no common vengeance. But we forbear too unlimited an indulgence of 20644

Qur

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

Rackett del.

CRANBOURNE CHURCH, DORSET.

Basire sculp

« PreviousContinue »