"Or wilt thou Orphean hymns more facred deem, And steep thy song in Mercy's mellow stream; For Beauty's tears are lovelier than her smile 180 On Nature's throbbing anguish pour relief, "Yes; to thy tongue fhall feraph words be giv'n, And pow'r on earth to plead the cause of Heav'n; The proud, the cold untroubled heart of stone, That never mus'd on forrow but its own, Unlocks a generous ftore at thy command, Like Horeb's rocks beneath the prophet's hand. The living lumber of his kindred earth, 185 Charm'd into foul, receives a second birth; 190 Feels thy dread pow'r another heart afford, Whose paffion-touch'd harmonious ftrings accord True as the circling spheres to Nature's plan; And man, the brother, lives the friend of man! "Bright as the pillar rofe at Heav'n's command, 195 When Ifrael march'd along the defert land, Blaz'd through the night on lonely wilds afar, Propitious Pow'r! when rankling cares annoy The facred home of Hymenean joy ; When doom'd to Poverty's fequefter'd dell, The wedded pair of love and virtue dwell, B 200 Unpitied by the world, unknown to fame, Their woes, their wishes, and their hearts the fame--- Oh there, prophetic Hope! thy smile bestow, And chafe the pangs that worth should never know- 205 To friendless babes, and weeps to give no more; 210 Tell, that his manly race fhall yet affuage Their father's wrongs, and fhield his later age. What though for him no Hybla fweets distill, And deck with fairer flow'rs his little field, And call from Heav'n propitious dews to breathe Arcadian beauty on the barren heath; I 215 220 |