We sate reclined, admiring quietly
The frame and general aspect of the scene;
And each not seldom eager to make known
His own discoveries; or to favourite points
Directing notice, merely from a wish
T'impart a joy, imperfect while unshared.
That rapturous moment ne'er shall I forget
When these particular interests were effaced.
From every mind! Already had the sun,
Sinking with less than ordinary state,
Attained his western bound; but rays of light-
Now suddenly diverging from the orb,
Retired behind the mountain tops or veiled
By the dense air-shot upwards to the crown
Of the blue firmament-aloft-and wide;
And multitudes of little floating clouds,

Pierced through their thin ethereal mould, ere we,
Who saw, of change were conscious, had become
Vivid as fire-clouds separately poised,
Innumerable multitude of forms

Scattered through half the circle of the sky;
And giving back, and shedding each on each,
With prodigal communion, the bright hues
Which from the unapparent fount of glory
They had imbibed, and ceased not to receive.
That which the heavens displayed, the liquid deep
Repeated; but with unity sublime!

While from the grassy mountain's open side
We gazed, in silence hushed, with eyes intent
On the refulgent spectacle, diffused

Through earth, sky, water, and all visible space, The Priest, in holy transport, thus exclaimed :

"Eternal Spirit! universal God!

Power inaccessible to human thought

Save by degrees and steps which Thou hast deigned
To furnish; for this image of Thyself,
To the infirmity of mortal sense

Vouchsafed; this local, transitory type

Of thy paternal splendours, and the pomp
Of those who fill thy courts in highest heaven,
The radiant cherubim ;-accept the thanks

Which we, thy humble creatures, here convened,
Presume to offer; we, who from the breast
Of the frail earth, permitted to behold
The faint reflections only of thy face,
Are yet exalted, and in soul adore!
Such as they are who in thy presence stand
Unsullied, incorruptible, and drink
Imperishable majesty streamed forth
From thy empyreal throne, the elect of earth
Shall be divested at the appointed hour
Of all dishonour-cleansed from mortal stain.
Accomplish, then, their number; and conclude

Time's weary course! Or if, by thy decree,
The consummation that will come by stealth
Be yet far distant, let thy Word prevail,
Oh let thy Word prevail, to take away
The sting of human nature. Spread the law,
As it is written in thy holy book,

Throughout all lands; let every nation hear
The high behest, and every heart obey:
Both for the love of purity, and hope
Which it affords, to such as do thy will
And persevere in good, that they shall rise,
To have a nearer view of Thee in heaven.
Father of good! this prayer in bounty grant,
In mercy grant it to thy wretched sons.
Then, nor till then, shall persecution cease,
And cruel wars expire. The way is marked,
The guide appointed, and the ransom paid.
Alas! the nations, who of yore received
These tidings, and in Christian temples meet
The sacred truth to acknowledge, linger still;
Preferring bonds and darkness to a state
Of holy freedom, by redeeming love
Proffered to all, while yet on earth detained.
So fare the many; and the thoughtful few,
Who, in the anguish of their souls, bewail'
This dire perverseness, cannot choose but ask.
Shall it endure? Shall enmity and strife,
Falsehood and guile, be left to sow their seed;
And the kind never perish? Is the hope
Fallacious, or shall righteousness obtain
A peaceable dominion, wide as earth,
And ne'er to fail? Shall that blest day arrive
When they, whose choice or lot it is to dwell
In crowded cities, without fear shall live
Studious of mutual benefit-and he,

Whom morning wakes, among sweet dews and flowers Of every clime, to till the lonely field,

Be happy in himself? The law of faith,

Working through love, such conquest shall it gain,
Such triumph over sin and guilt achieve?
Almighty Lord, thy further grace impart !
And with that help the wonder shall be seen
Fulfilled, the hope accomplished; and thy praise
Be sung with transport and unceasing joy.

66 'Once, while the name Jehovah was a sound Within the circuit of this sea-girt isle

Unheard, the savage nations bowed their heads
To gods delighting in remorseless deeds;

Gods which themselves had fashioned, to promote

Ill purposes, and flatter foul desires.

Then, in the bosom of yon mountain cove,
To those inventions of corrupted man

Mysterious rites were solemnized; and there,
Amid impending rocks and gloomy woods,

Of those dread idols, some, perchance, received
Such dismal service, that the loudest voice
Of the swoln cataracts (which now are heard
Soft murmuring) was too weak to overcome,
Though aided by wild winds, the groans and shrieks
Of human victims, offered up to appease
Or to propitiate. And if living eyes

Had visionary faculties to see

The thing that hath been as the thing that is,
Aghast we might behold this spacious mere
Bedimmed with smoke, in wreaths voluminous,
Flung from the body of devouring fires,
To Taranis erected on the heights

By priestly hands, for sacrifice performed
Exultingly, in view of open day

And full assemblage of a barbarous host;
Or to Andates, female power! who gave
(For so they fancied) glorious victory.

A few rude monuments of mountain stone
Survive; all else is swept away. -How bright

The appearances of things! From such how changed
The existing worship; and, with those compared,
The worshippers how innocent and blest!
So wide the difference, a willing mind
At this affecting hour might almost think
That Paradise, the lost abode of man,
Was raised again; and to a happy few,
In its original beauty, here restored.

"Whence but from Thee, the true and only God, And from the faith derived through Him who bled Upon the cross, this marvellous advance

Of good from evil; as if one extreme

Were left the other gained. O ye, who come
To kneel devoutly in yon reverend pile,

Called to such office by the peaceful sound
Of Sabbath bells; and ye who sleep in earth,
All cares forgotten, round its hallowed walls!
For you, in presence of this little band
Gathered together on the green hill-side,
Your Pastor is emboldened to prefer
Vocal thanksgivings to the eternal King;

Whose love, whose counsel, whose cominands have made

Your very poorest rich in peace of thought

And in good works; and him, who is endowed
With scantiest knowledge, master of all truth
Which the salvation of his soul requires.
Conscious of that abundant favour showered
On you, the children of my humble care;
On your abodes, 'mid this beloved land,

Our birthplace, home, and country, while on earth
We sojourn,-loudly do I utter thanks

With earnest joy, that will not be suppressed.
These barren rocks, your stern inheritance;
These fertile fields, that recompense your pains;

The shadowy vale, the sunny mountain-top;
Woods waving in the wind their lofty heads,
Or hushed; the roaring waters, or the still;-
They see the offering of my lifted hands-
They hear my lips present their sacrifice--
They know if I be silent, morn or even :
For though in whispers speaking, the full heart
Will find a vent; and thought is praise to Him,
Audible paise to Thee, omniscient Mind,
From whom all gifts descend, all blessings flow!"

This vesper service closed, without delay,
From that exalted station, to the plain
Descending, we pursued our homeward course,
In mute composure, o'er the shadowy lake,
Beneath a faded sky. No trace remained
Of those celestial splendours; grey the vault,
Pure, cloudless ether; and the star of eve
Was wanting; but inferior lights appeared
Faintly, too faint almost for sight; and some
Above the darkened hills stood boldly forth
In twinkling lustre, ere the boat attained

Her mooring-place; where, to the sheltering tree,
Our youthful voyagers bound fast her prow,

With prompt yet careful hands. This done, we paced
The dewy fields; but ere the Vicar's door
Was reached, the Solitary checked his steps;
Then, intermingling thanks, on each bestowel
A farewell salutation, and the like
Receiving, took the slender path that leads
To the one cottage in the lonely dell,
His chosen residence. But, ere he turned
Aside, a welcome promise had been given
That he would share the pleasures and pursuits
Of yet another summer's day, consumed

In wandering with us through the valleys fair,
And o'er the mountain wastes, "Another sun,"
Said he, "shall shine upon us cre we part,
Another sun, and peradventure more;

If time, with free consent, be yours to give,
And season favours."

To enfeebled power,
From this communion with uninjured minds,
What renovation had been brought; and what
Degree of healing to a wounded spirit,

Dejected, and habitually disposed

To seek, in degradation of the kind,
Excuse and solace for her own defects;

How far those erring notions were reformed;
And whether aught, of tendency as good
And pure, from further intercourse ensued ;
This (if delightful hopes, as heretofore,
Inspire the serious song, and gentle hearts
Cherish, and lofty minds approve the past)
My future labours may not leave untold.

"Weak is the will of man, his judgment blind;
Remembrance persecutes, and Hope betrays;
Heavy is woe; and joy, for human kind,

A mournful thing,-so transient is the blaze !"-
Thus might he paint our lot of mortal days
Who wants the glorious faculty, assigned
To elevate the more than reasoning mind,
And colour life's dark cloud with orient rays.
Imagination is that sacred power,

Imagination lofty and refined:

"Tis hers to pluck the amaranthine flower
Of faith, and round the sufferer's temples bind
Wreathes that endure affliction's heaviest shower,
And do not shrink from sorrow's keenest wind.

IN trellised shed with clustering roses gay,
And, MARY! oft beside our blazing fire,
When years of wedded life were as a day
Whose current answers to the heart's desire,

Did we together read in Spenser's lay

How Una, sad of soul-in sad attire,

The gentle Una, born of heavenly birth,

To seek her knight went wandering o'er the earth

Ah, then, beloved! pleasing was the smart,
And the tear precious, in compassion shed

For her, who, pierced by sorrow's thrilling dart,

Did meekly bear the pang unmerited;

Meek as that emblem of her lowly heart

The milk-white lamb which in a line she led,

And faithful, loyal in her innocence,

Like the brave lion slain in her defence.

Notes could we hear as of a fairy shell

Attuned to words with sacred wisdom fraught;

Free fancy prized each specious miracle,

And all its finer inspiration caught;

Till, in the bosom of our rustic cell,

We by a lamentable change were taught

That" bliss with mortal man may not abide:"

How nearly joy and sorrow are allied!

For us the stream of fiction ceased to flow,

For us the voice of melody was mute.

-But, as soft gales dissolve the dreary snow

And give the timid herbage leave to shoot,

Heaven's breathing influence failed not to bestow

A timely promise of unlooked for fruit,

Fair fruit of pleasure and serene content
From blossoms wild of fancies innocent.