An HYMN to the SUPREME BEING.

In Imitation of the CIVth Pfalm.

Quid prius dicam folitis parentis
Laudibus ? qui res hominum ac deorum,
Qui mare et terras, variisque mundum
Temperat horis ?

HOR.
RISE, my soul ! on wings seraphic rise,
And praise th' almighty Sov'reign of the

A

skies;

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In whom alone essential glory shines,
Which not the heav'n of heav'ns, nor boundless

space confines,
When darkness ruld with universal sway,
He spoke, and kindled

up

the blaze of day; First, fairest offspring of th'omnific word ! Which like a garment cloath'd its fov’reign Lord. On liquid air he bade the columns rise, That prop the starry concave of the skies ; Diffus'd the blue expanse from pole to pole, And spread circumfluent æther round the whole.

SOON

10 20

Soon as he bids impetuous tempests fly, To wing his founding chariot thro' the sky; Impetuous Tempests the Command obey, 15 Sustain his flight, and sweep th' aerial way. Fraught with his mandates,

from the realms on high, Unnumber'd hosts of radiant heralds fly From orb to orb, with progress unconfin'd, As lightning swift, refiftlefs as the wind.

In ambient air this pond'rous ball he hung, And bade its center reft for ever strong; Heav'n, air, and fea, with all their storms, in vain Affault the basis of the firm machine.

At thy almighty voice old Ocean raves, 25 Wakes all his force, and gathers all his waves ; Nature lies mantled in a wat’ry robe, And foreless billows revel round the globe'; O'er highest hills the higher furges rise, Mix with the clouds, and meet the fluid fkies. 30 But when in thunder the rebuke was giv'n, That shook th' eternal firmament of heav'n; The grand rebuke th affrighted waves obey, And in confufion fcour their uncouth way;

And

And posting rapid to the place decreed, 35
Wind down the hills, and sweep the humble mead.
Reluctant in their bounds the waves fübfide,
The bounds, impervious to the lashing tide,
Restrain its rage; whilst, with inceffant roar,
It shakes the caverns, and assaults the shore, 40

By him, from mountains cloath'd in lucid snow, Through fertile vales the mazy rivers flow,

HERE the wild horse, unconscious of the rein, That revels boundless o'er the wide campaign, Imbibes the filver surge, with heat oppreft, 45 To cool the fever of his glowing breast.

Here rising boughs, adorn'd with summer's pride, Project their waving umbrage o'er the tide; While, gently perching on the leafy spray, Each feather'd warbler tunes his various lay: 50 And, while thy praise they fymphonize around, Creation echoes to the grateful found. Widę o'er the heav'ns the various bow he bends, Its tinctures brighten, and its arch extends : At the glad sign the airy conduits flow, 55 Soften the hills, and chear the meads below:

By

cs By genial fervour, and prolific rain,

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Swift vegetation clothes the smiling plain:
Nature, profusely good, with bliss o'erflows,
And still is pregnant, tho' fhe still bestows. 60

HERE verdant pastures wide extended lie,
And yield the grazing herd exuberant fupply,
Luxuriant waving in the wanton air,
Here golden grain rewards the peasant's care :
Here vines mature with fresh carnation glow,

65
And heay'n above diffuses heav'n below.
Erect and tall here mountain cedars rise,
Wave in the starry vault, and emulate the skies.
Here the wing'd croud, that skim the yielding air
With artful toil their little domes prepare ;

70 Here hatch their tender young, and nurse the

rising care.
Up the steep hill afcends the nimble doe,
While: timid conies scour the plains below,
Or in the pendant rock elude the scenting foc.

He bade the silver Majesty of night 75
Revolve her circles, and encrease her light;
Aflig!.
And taugh: the fun to regulate the year,

At

2

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At his command, wide hov'ring o'er the plain,
Primaeval night resumes her gloomy reign :
Then from their dens, impatient of delay,
The favage monsters bend their speedy way,
Howl thro' the spacious waste, and chase their

frighted prey.
Here stalks the shaggy monarch of the wood,
Taught from thy providence to ask his food, 85
To thee, O Father, to thy bounteous skies,
He rears his mane, and rolls his glaring eyes ;
He roars; the defart trembles wide around,
And repercussive hills repeat the sound.
Now orient

gems

the eastern skies adorn, 90 And joyful nature hails the op'ning morn ; The rovers, conscious of approaching day, Fly to their shelters, and forget their prey. Laboriouş man with mod’rate slumber bleft, Springs chearful to his toil-from downy rest; 95 Till grateful evening, with her argent train, Bid labour cease, and ease the weary swain.

“Hail! fov’reign goodness, all-productivemind! On all thy works thyself inscribd. we find:

How