Poems (1786) Part 6

A HYMN.

While thee I seek, protecting Power!

Be my vain wishes still'd; And may this consecrated hour With better hopes be fill'd.

Thy love the powers of thought bestow'd, To thee my thoughts would soar; Thy mercy o'er my life has flow'd-- That mercy I adore.

In each event of life, how clear, Thy ruling hand I see; Each blessing to my soul more dear, Because conferr'd by thee.

In every joy that crowns my days, In every pain I bear, My heart shall find delight in praise, Or seek relief in prayer.

When gladness wings my favour'd hour, Thy love my thoughts shall fill: Resign'd, when storms of sorrow lower, My soul shall meet thy will.

My lifted eye without a tear The lowring storm shall see; My stedfast heart shall know no fear-- That heart will rest on Thee!

PARAPHRASES FROM SCRIPTURE.

_The day is thine, the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun_.

_Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter._

PSALM lxxiv. 16, 17.

My G.o.d! all nature owns thy sway, Thou giv'st the night, and thou the day!

When all thy lov'd creation wakes, When morning, rich in l.u.s.tre breaks, And bathes in dew the op'ning flower, To thee we owe her fragrant hour; And when she pours her choral song, Her melodies to thee belong!

Or when, in paler tints array'd, The evening slowly spreads her shade; That soothing shade, that grateful gloom, Can more than day's enliv'ning bloom Still every fond, and vain desire, And calmer, purer, thoughts inspire; From earth the pensive spirit free, And lead the soften'd heart to Thee.

In every scene thy hands have drest, In every form by thee imprest, Upon the mountain's awful head, Or where the shelt'ring woods are spread; In every note that swells the gale, Or tuneful stream that cheers the vale, The cavern's depth, or echoing grove, A voice is heard of praise, and love.

As o'er thy work the seasons roll, And sooth with change of bliss, the soul, Oh never may their smiling train Pa.s.s o'er the human scene in vain!

But oft as on the charm we gaze, Attune the wond'ring soul to praise; And be the joys that most we prize, The joys that from thy favour rise!

_Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compa.s.sion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee._

ISAIAH xlix. 15.

Heaven speaks! Oh Nature listen and rejoice!

Oh spread from pole to pole this gracious voice!

"Say every breast of human frame, that proves "The boundless force with which a parent loves; "Say, can a mother from her yearning heart "Bid the soft image of her child depart?

"She! whom strong instinct arms with strength to bear "All forms of ill, to shield that dearest care; "She! who with anguish stung, with madness wild, "Will rush on death to save her threaten'd child; "All selfish feelings banish'd from her breast, "Her life one aim to make another's blest.

"When her vex'd infant to her bosom clings, "When round her neck his eager arms he flings; "Breathes to her list'ning soul his melting sigh, "And lifts suffus'd with tears his asking eye!

"Will she for all ambition can attain, "The charms of pleasure, or the lures of gain, "Betray strong Nature's feelings, will she prove "Cold to the claims of duty, and of love?

"But should the mother from her yearning heart "Bid the soft image of her child depart; "When the vex'd infant to her bosom clings "When round her neck his eager arms he flings; "Should she unpitying hear his melting sigh, "And view unmov'd the tear that fills his eye; "Should she for all ambition can attain, "The charms of pleasure, or the lures of gain, "Betray strong Nature's feelings--should she prove "Cold to the claims of duty, and of love!

"Yet never will the G.o.d, whose word gave birth "To yon illumin'd orbs, and this fair earth; "Who thro' the boundless depths of trackless s.p.a.ce "Bade new-wak'd beauty spread each perfect grace; "Yet when he form'd the vast stupendous whole, "Shed his best bounties on the human soul; "Which reason's light illumes, which friendship warms, "Which pity softens, and which virtue charms; "Which feels the pure affections gen'rous glow, "Shares others joy, and bleeds for others woe-- "Oh never will the gen'ral Father prove "Of man forgetful, man the child of love!"

When all those planets in their ample spheres Have wing'd their course, and roll'd their destin'd years; When the vast sun shall veil his golden light Deep in the gloom of everlasting night; When wild, destructive flames shall wrap the skies, When Chaos triumphs, and when Nature dies; Man shall alone the wreck of worlds survive, Midst falling spheres, immortal man shall live!

The voice which bade the last dread thunders roll, Shall whisper to the good, and cheer their soul.

G.o.d shall himself his favour'd creature guide Where living waters pour their blissful tide, Where the enlarg'd, exulting, wond'ring mind Shall soar, from weakness and from guilt refin'd; Where perfect knowledge, bright with cloudless rays, Shall gild eternity's unmeasur'd days; Where friendship, unembitter'd by distrust, Shall in immortal bands unite the just; Devotion rais'd to rapture breathe her strain, And love in his eternal triumph reign!

_Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them._

MATT. vii. 12.

Precept divine! to earth in mercy given, O sacred rule of action, worthy heaven!

Whose pitying love ordain'd the bless'd command To bind our nature in a firmer band; Enforce each human suff'rer's strong appeal, And teach the selfish breast what others feel; Wert thou the guide of life, mankind might know A soft exemption from the worst of woe; No more the powerful would the weak oppress, But tyrants learn the luxury to bless; No more would slav'ry bind a hopeless train, Of human victims, in her galling chain; Mercy the hard, the cruel heart would move To soften mis'ry by the deeds of Jove; And av'rice from his h.o.a.rded treasures give Unask'd, the liberal boon, that want might live!

The impious tongue of falshood then would cease To blast, with dark suggestions, virtue's peace; No more would spleen, or pa.s.sion banish rest And plant a pang in fond affection's breast; By one harsh word, one alter'd look, destroy Her peace, and wither every op'ning joy; Scarce can her tongue the captious wrong explain, The slight offence which gives so deep a pain!

Th' affected ease that slights her starting tear, The words whose coldness kills from lips so dear; The hand she loves, alone can point the dart, Whose hidden sting could wound no other heart-- These, of all pains the sharpest we endure, The breast which now inflicts, would spring to cure.-- No more deserted genius then, would fly To breathe in solitude his hopeless sigh; No more would Fortune's partial smile debase The spirit, rich in intellectual grace; Who views unmov'd from scenes where pleasures bloom, The flame of genius sunk in mis'ry's gloom; The soul heav'n form'd to soar, by want deprest, Nor heeds the wrongs that pierce a kindred breast.-- Thou righteous Law! whose clear and useful light Sheds on the mind a ray divinely bright; Condensing in one rule whate'er the sage Has proudly taught, in many a labour'd page; Bid every heart thy hallow'd voice revere, To justice sacred, and to nature dear!

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

POEMS,

BY

HELEN MARIA WILLIAMS.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

CONTENTS

OF THE

SECOND VOLUME.

An Epistle to Dr. Moore, Author of a View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany.

Part of an irregular Fragment, found in a Dark Pa.s.sage of the Tower.

Peru.

Sonnet to Mrs. Siddons.