XLIV.

EMPERORS and Kings, how oft have temples rung With impious thanksgiving, the Almighty's

scorn!

bleed

Lo, Justice triumphs! Earth is freed! Joyful annunciation !-it went forthIt pierced the caverns of the sluggish NorthIt found no barrier on the ridge Of Andes-frozen gulphs became its bridgeThe vast Pacific gladdens with the freightUpon the Lakes of Asia 'tis bestowedThe Arabian desert shapes a willing road

Across her burning breast,

For this refreshing incense from the West!-
-Where snakes and lions breed,
Where towns and cities thick as stars appear,
Wherever fruits are gathered, and where'er
The upturned soil receives the hopeful seed-
While the Sun rules, and cross the shades of
night-

The unwearied arrow hath pursued its flight!
The eyes of good men thankfully give heed,
And in its sparkling progress read
Of virtue crowned with glory's deathless meed:
Tyrants exult to hear of kingdoms won,
And slaves are pleased to learn that mighty
feats are done;

Even the proud Realm, from whose distracted borders

II.

And well might it beseem that mighty Town
Into whose bosom earth's best treasures flow,
To whom all persecuted men retreat;
If a new Temple lift her votive brow
High on the shore of silver Thames-to greet
The peaceful guest advancing from afar.
Bright be the Fabric, as a star

Fresh risen, and beautiful within!-there meet
Dependence infinite, proportion just;

A Pile that Grace approves, and Time can

trust

With his most sacred wealth, heroic dust.

III.

But if the valiant of this land

In reverential modesty demand,

That all observance, due to them, be paid
Where their serene progenitors are laid;
Kings, warriors, high-souled poets, saint-like

sages,

England's illustrious sons of long, long ages;
Be it not unordained that solemn rites,
Within the circuit of those Gothic walls,
Shall be performed at pregnant intervals;
Commemoration holy that unites
The living generations with the dead;

By the deep soul-moving sense
Of religious eloquence,-
By visual pomp, and by the tie
Of sweet and threatening harmony;
Soft notes, awful as the omen
Of destructive tempests coming,
And escaping from that sadness
Into elevated gladness;

While the white-robed choir attendant, Provoke all potent symphonies to raise Under mouldering banners pendent,

Songs of victory and praise, For them who bravely stood unhurt, or bled With medicable wounds, or found their graves Upon the battle field, or under ocean's waves; Or were conducted home in single state, And long procession-there to lie, Where their sons' sons, and all posterity, Unheard by them, their deeds shall celebrate!

IV.

Nor will the God of peace and love Such martial service disapprove. He guides the Pestilence-the cloud Of locusts travels on his breath; The region that in hope was ploughed His drought consumes, his mildew taints with death;

He springs the hushed Volcano's mine, He puts the Earthquake on her still design, Darkens the sun, hath bade the forest sink, And, drinking towns nd cities, still can drink Cities and towns-'tis Thou-the work is Thine!

The fierce Tornado sleeps within thy courts-
He hears the word-he flies-
And navies perish in their ports;

For Thou art angry with thine enemies!

For these, and mourning for our errors, And sins, that point their terrors, We bow our heads before Thee, and we laud And magnify thy name, Almighty God!

But Man is thy most awful instrument, In working out a pure intent; Thou cloth'st the wicked in their dazzling mail, And for thy righteous purpose they prevail;

Thine arm from peril guards the coasts Of them who in thy laws delight: Thy presence turns the scale of doubtful fight, Tremendous God of battles, Lord of Hosts!

V.

Forbear:-to Thee

Father and Judge of all, with fervent tongue
But in a gentler strain

Of contemplation, by no sense of wrong,
(Too quick and keen) incited to disdain
Of pity pleading from the heart in vain-
TO THEE-TO THEE

Just God of christianised Humanity
Shall praises be poured forth, and thanks ascend,
That thou hast brought our warfare to an end,
And that we need no second victory!
Blest, above measure blest,

If on thy love our Land her hopes shall rest,
And all the Nations labour to fulfil

Thy law, and live henceforth in peace, in pure good will.

XLVI. ODE.

THE MORNING OF THE DAY APPOINTED FOR A GENERAL THANKSGIVING, JANUARY 18, 1816.

I.

HAIL, orient Conqueror of gloomy Night!
Thou that canst shed the bliss of gratitude
On hearts howe'er insensible or rude;
Whether thy punctual visitations smite
The haughty towers where monarchs dwell;
Or thou, impartial Sun, with presence bright
Cheer'st the low threshold of the peasant's cell!
Not unrejoiced I see thee climb the sky
In naked splendour, clear from mist or haze,
Or cloud approaching to divert the rays,
Which even in deepest winter testify

Thy power and majesty,
Dazzling the vision that presumes to gaze.
-Well does thine aspect usher in this Day;
As aptly suits therewith that modest pace
Submitted to the chains

That bind thee to the path which God ordains

That thou shalt trace,

11.

'Mid the deep quiet of this morning hour,
All nature seems to hear me while I speak,
By feelings urged that do not vainly seek
Apt language, ready as the tuneful notes
That stream in blithe succession from the throats
Of birds, in leafy bower,

Warbling a farewell to a vernal shower.
-There is a radiant though a short-lived flame,
That burns for Poets in the dawning east ;
And oft my soul hath kindled at the same,
When the captivity of sleep had ceased;
But He who fixed immoveably the frame
Of the round world, and built, by laws as strong,
A solid refuge for distress-

The towers of righteousness;
He knows that from a holier altar came
The quickening spark of this day's sacrifice;
Knows that the source is nobler whence doth rise

The current of this matin song;
That deeper far it lies

Than aught dependent on the fickle skies.

III.

Have we not conquered?-by the vengeful sword?

Ah no, by dint of Magnanimity;

That curbed the baser passions, and left free
A loyal band to follow their liege Lord
Clear-sighted Honour, and his stail Compeers,
Along a track of most unnatural years;
In execution of heroic deeds

Whose memory, spotless as the crystal beads
Of morning dew upon the untrodden meads,
Shall live enrolled above the starry spheres.
He, who in concert with an earthly string
Of Britain's acts would sing,

He with enraptured voice will tell
Of One whose spirit no reverse could quell;
Of One that mid the failing never failed-
Who paints how Britain struggled and pre-
vailed

Shall represent her labouring with an eye
Of circumspect humanity;

Shall show her clothed with strength and skill,
All martial duties to fulfil;
Firm as a rock in stationary fight;
In motion rapid as the lightning's gleam;
Fierce as a flood-gate bursting at mid night
To rouse the wicked from their giddy dream-
Woe, woe to all that face her in the field!
Appalled she may not be, and cannot yield.

That soul of Evil-which, from hell let loose,
Had filled the astonished world with such abuse
As boundless patience only could endure?
-Wide-wasted regions-cities wrapt in flame-
Who sees, may lift a streaming eye

To Heaven;-who never saw, may heave a sigh;
But the foundation of our natures shakes,
And with an infinite pain the spirit aches,
When desolated countries, towns on fire,
Are but the avowed attire

Of warfare waged with desperate mind
Against the life of virtue in mankind;
Assaulting without ruth

The citadels of truth;

While the fair gardens of civility,

By ignorance defaced,

By violence laid waste,

Perish without reprieve for flower or tree!

VI.

A crouching purpose-a distracted willOpposed to hopes that battened upon scorn, And to desires whose ever-waxing horn Not all the light of earthly power could fill; Opposed to dark, deep plots of patient skill, And to celerities of lawless force; Which, spurning God, had flung away remorseWhat could they gain but shadows of redress? -So bad proceeded propagating worse; And discipline was passion's dire excess. Widens the fatal web, its lines extend, And deadlier poisons in the chalice blend. When will your trials teach you to be wise? -O prostrate Lands, consult your agonies!

If one there be

Of all thy progeny

Who can forget thy prowess, never more
Be that ungrateful Son allowed to hear
Thy green leaves rustle or thy torrents roar.
As springs the lion from his den,

As from a forest-brake

Upstarts a glistering snake,
The bold Arch-despot re-appeared :-again
Wide Europe heaves, impatient to be cast,
With all her armed Powers,

On that offensive soil, like waves upon a
thousand shores.

The trumpet blew a universal blast! But Thou art foremost in the field:-there stand:

Receive the triumph destined to thy hand! All States have glorified themselves;- their claims

Are weighed by Providence, in balance even;

And now, in preference to the mightiest names, To Thee the exterminating sword is given. Dread mark of approbation, justly gained! Exalted office, worthily sustained!

IX.

Preserve, O Lord! within our hearts
The memory of thy favour,
That else insensibly departs,

And loses its sweet savour!
Lodge it within us !-as the power of light
Lives inexhaustibly in precious gems,
Fixed on the front of Eastern diadems,
So shine our thankfulness for ever bright!
What offering, what transcendent monument
Shall our sincerity to Thee present?

-Not work of hands; but trophies that may reach

To highest Heaven-the labour of the Soul;
That builds, as thy unerring precepts teach,
Upon the internal conquests made by each,
Her hope of lasting glory for the whole.
Yet will not heaven disown nor earth gainsay
The outward service of this day;
Whether the worshippers entreat
Forgiveness from God's mercy-seat;
Or thanks and praises to His throne ascend
That He has brought our warfare to an end,
And that we need no second victory!-
Ha! what a ghastly sight for man to see:
And to the heavenly saints in peace who dwell,
For a brief moment, terrible;
But, to thy sovereign penetration, fair,
Before whom all things are that were,
All judgments that have been, or e'er shall be:
Links in the chain of thy tranquillity!
Along the bosom of this favoured Nation,
Breathe Thou, this day, a vital undulation!
Let all who do this land inherit
Be conscious of thy moving spirit!
Oh, 'tis a goodly Ordinance,-the sight,
Though sprung from bleeding war, is one of

pure delight;

Bless Thou the hour, or c'er the hour arrive, When a whole people shall kneel down in

;

Floats the soft cadence of the church-tower