dazzling, sheds his noon-day light, Or, cloudy, hides, My fancy, in her airy flight, With you resides.

Where far you wander down the vale, When balmy scents perfume the gale, And purling rills and linnets hail The King of kings, To muse with you I never fail, On heavenly things.

Where dashing cataracts astound, And foaming shake the neighbouring ground, And spread a hoary mist around, With you I gaze!— And think, amid’st the deaf’ning sound, On wisdom’s ways.

Where rocky mountains prop the skies, And round the smiling landscape lies, Whilst you look down with tearful eyes On grovelling man, My sympathetic fancy flies, The scene to scan.

p. 194From Pisgah’s top we then survey The blissful realms of endless day, And all the short but narrow way That lies between, Whilst Faith emits a heavenly ray, And cheers the scene.

p. 194

With you I wander on the shore To hear the angry surges roar, Whilst foaming through the sands they pour With constant roll, And meditations heavenward soar, And charm the soul.

On life’s rough sea we’re tempest-driven In crazy barks, our canvas riven! Such is the lot to mortals given Where sins resort: But he whose anchor’s fixed in heaven Shall gain the port.

Though swelling waves oft beat him back, And tempests make him half a wreck, And passions strong, with dangerous tack, Retard his course, Yet Christ the pilot all will check, And quell their force.

So talk we as we thoughtful stray Along the coast, where dashing spray With rising mist o’erhangs the day, And wets the shore, And thick the vivid flashes play And thunders roar!

p. 195Whilst passing o’er this giddy stage, A pious and a learned sage Resolved eternal war to wage With passions fell; How oft you view with holy rage These imps of hell!

p. 195

See! with what madd’ning force they sway The human breast and lead astray, Down the steep, broad, destructive way, The giddy throng; Till grisly death sweeps all away The fiends among!

As when the mad tornado flies, And sounding mingles earth and skies, And wild confusion ’fore the eyes In terrors dressed. So passions fell in whirlwinds rise, And rend the breast!

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