All recklessly they rush to hear

The dark words of that gifted seer,

Who amid a guilty race

Favour found and saving grace;

Rescued from the doom that hurled

To chaos back a sinful world.—

Self-polluted, lost, debased,

Every noble trait effaced,

[Pg 40]

To rapine, lust, and murder given,

Denying God, defying heaven,

Spoilers of the shrine and hearth,

Behold the impious sons of earth!

Alas! all fatally opposed,

The heart of erring man is closed

Against that warning, and he deems

The prophet's counsel idle dreams,

And laughs to hear the preacher rave

Of bursting cloud and whelming wave!

Tremble Earth! the awful doom

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