Inquire of guilty wand'rers whence they came, And ask each blood-stain'd form his earthly name; Then weave in rapid verse the deeds they tell, And read the trembling world the tales of hell. "When Venus, thron'd in clouds of rosy hue, A milder mood the goddess shall recall, 66 Or wilt thou Orphean hymns more sacred deem, And steep thy song in Mercy's mellow stream; To pensive drops the radiant eye beguile For Beauty's tears are lovelier than her smile;→ "Yes; to thy tongue shall seraph words be giv'n, Unlocks a generous store at thy command, The living lumber of his kindred earth, Charm'd into soul, receives a second birth; Feels thy dread pow'r another heart afford, Whose passion-touch'd harmonious strings accord True as the circling spheres to Nature's plan; And man, the brother, lives the friend of man! 66 Bright as the pillar rose at Heav'n's command, So, heav'nly Genius, in thy course divine, Propitious Pow'r! when rankling cares annoy The sacred home of Hymenean joy; When doom'd to Poverty's sequester'd dell, The wedded pair of love and virtue dwell, Unpitied by the world, unknown to fame, Their woes, their wishes, and their hearts the sameOh there, prophetic Hope! thy smile bestow, And chase the pangs that worth should never know— To friendless babes, and weeps to give no more; And call from Heav'n propitious dews to breathe Arcadian beauty on the barren heath; Tell, that while Love's spontaneous smile endears The day of peace, the sabbath of his years, Lo! at the couch where infant beauty sleeps, Her silent watch the mournful mother keeps; She, while the lovely babe unconscious lies, Smiles on her slumb'ring child with pensive eyes, And weaves a song of melancholy joy— 66 Sleep, image of thy father, sleep, my boy: No ling'ring hour of sorrow shall be thine; No sigh that rends thy father's heart and mine; Bright as his manly sire, the son shall be In form and soul; but, ah! more blest than he! D |