The Spacious Firmament

The Spacious Firmament on high, With all the blue Ethereal Sky, And spangled Heav'ns, a Shining Frame, Their great Original proclaim: Th' unwearied Sun, from day to day, Does his Creator's Pow'r display, And publishes to every Land The Work of an Almighty Hand.

Soon as the Evening Shades prevail, The Moon takes up the wondrous Tale, And nightly to the list'ning Earth Repeats the Story of her Birth: Whilst all the Stars that round her burn, And all the Planets, in their turn, Confirm the Tidings as they rowl, And spread the Truth from Pole to Pole. What though, in solemn Silence, all Move round the dark terrestrial Ball? What tho' nor real Voice nor Sound Amid their radiant Orbs be found?

In Reason's Ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious Voice, For ever singing, as they shine, The Hand that made us is Divine. To Mr. Dryden

How long, great Poet, shall thy sacred lays Provoke our wonder, and transcend our praise? Can eneither injuries of time, or age, Damp thy poetic heat, and quench thy rage? No so thy Ovid in his exile wrote, Grief chill'd his breast,and check'd his rising thought: Pensive and sad, his drooping Muse betrays The Roman genius in its last decays. Prevailing warmth has still thy mind possest, And second youth is kindled in thy breast; Thou mak'st the beauties of the Romans known, And England boasts of riches not her own; Thy lines have heighten'd Virgil's majesty, And Horace wonders at himself in thee. Thou teachest Persius to inform our isle In smoother numbers, and a clearer style; And Juvenal, instructed in thy page, Edges his satire, and improves his rage, Thy copy casts a fairer light on all, And still out-shines, the bright original. Now Ovid boasts th' advanage of thy song, And tells his story in the British tongue; Thy charming verse, and fair translations, show How thy own laurel first began to grow: How wild Lycaon, chang'd by angry gods, And frighted at himself, ran howling through the woods. O may'st thou still the noble talk prolong, Nor age, nor sickness, interrupt thy song: Then may we wondering read, how human limbs Have water'd kingdoms, and dissolv'd in streams; Of those rich fruits that on the fertile mold Turn'd yellow by degrees, and ripen'd into gold: How some in feathers, or a ragged hide, Have liv'd a second life, and different natures try'd. Then will thy Ovid, thus transform'd, reveal A nobler change than he himself can tell.

When all Thy Mercies, o My God

When all Thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I’m lost In wonder, love and praise.

Thy Providence my life sustained, And all my wants redressed, While in the silent womb I lay, And hung upon the breast.

To all my weak complaints and cries Thy mercy lent an ear, Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned To form themselves in prayer.

Unnumbered comforts to my soul Thy tender care bestowed, Before my infant heart conceived From Whom those comforts flowed.

When in the slippery paths of youth With heedless steps I ran, Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe, And led me up to man.

Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths, It gently cleared my way; And through the pleasing snares of vice, More to be feared than they.

O how shall words with equal warmth The gratitude declare, That glows within my ravished heart? But thou canst read it there.

Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss Hath made my cup run o’er; And, in a kind and faithful Friend, Hath doubled all my store.

Ten thousand thousand precious gifts My daily thanks employ; Nor is the last a cheerful heart That tastes those gifts with joy.

When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou With health renewed my face; And, when in sins and sorrows sunk, Revived my soul with grace.

Through every period of my life Thy goodness I’ll pursue And after death, in distant worlds, The glorious theme renew.

When nature fails, and day and night Divide Thy works no more, My ever grateful heart, O Lord, Thy mercy shall adore.

Through all eternity to Thee A joyful song I’ll raise; For, oh, eternity’s too short To utter all Thy praise!