Pervading ether, borne on learning's wings,
He followed Nature to its latent springs;
Of all its secret powers explor'd the Source;
Centripetal, and Centrifugal force :
Attracting here-and there repelling far,
The eliptic Comet, and the wandering Star.
The gravitating power of earthly things;
The course of Tides-their Equinoctial Springs:
Of Light and Tints he true Adjustments made,
Defining Colours with the prism's aid:
Stopp'd at Effects, explained their hidden Cause,
And taught the astonish'd World great Nature's Laws.
A train of Sages after him arose ;
Their study, sacred Wonders to disclose :
They wrote of Worlds, and Suns, a beauteous Host,
To common sense, and simple vision lost.
Others again, of Seas and hidden Mines,
Of Earth's vast Treasures, and its measur'd Lines,
Of all its Beauties, (an exhaustless Theme,)
Descant at large, and laud the wondrous scheme;
Or rather Him who formed it great and good,
First Cause of all-of all least understood.
Continuing on the philosophic race,
Some pass'd away, and more supplied their place;
Till Time had nearly run its ample course,
And still was hastening to rejoin its source.
Then STURM appear'd, deep vers'd in NEWTON's page, Diffusing Knowledge through this latter age, To lead the simple in the path of truth, And guide in Wisdom's ways, unwary Youth. He spake of Fields, and Meads-of Deserts wild, Of rending Earthquakes, and of Moonlight mild;
From Mountains vast, in many a distant Land,
Down to the Wonders in a grain of Sand:
Of frigid Climes, where rest perpetual Snows,
And Torrid Zone, where Heat intensely glows.
He spake of Oceans too, and Earth's rich Store,
Of lovely Coralines, and precious Ore:
Of Clouds and Mists, and mist-dispelling Rays;
Of gradual-coming Night, and rising Days..
Ascending still in Being's mighty scale, He notes the Oyster, and describes the Whale.
Rising to middle air, he there descries
The feather'd Tribes, of every hue and size :
The tyrant Eagle, and the gentle Dove:
Of POWER the emblem that-and this of LOVE.
The roaming wild Beast, and domestic Clan:
(The bane of human-kind-the friend of man,)
Are noted too, with philosophic eye;
With Snails that creep, and light-wing'd Butterfly,
These are the embrycs of his mighty plan; Which now unfolding, rises into MAN:
Dissects his form with anatomic care;
Compos'd of Fire, and Water, Earth, and Air:
Which modell'd by the forming Hand divine,
In perfect symmetry and beauty shine.
A noble Structure, rear'd with curious art;
The whole exact-exact its every part.
Of ALL he spake, and taught by simple rules,
The true Philosophy of learned Schools,
Without their jargon; lovely all and free,
Like Nature's purest Self, SIMPLICITY!
And what through this laborious Work his aim ?-
To magnify his great Creator's Name:
Display his power, and spread his praise abroad,
Till Infidels confounded, own a GOD!
To profit those who knew a Power supreme,
And gloried in the soul-exulting Theme;
Who fear'd, who lov'd, and joyfully ador'd,
Their Body's Maker, and their Spirit's Lord.
Thus STURM design'd, and prosperous was his plan,
Far as his native, nervous Language ran.
Yet all was vain to those who knew not aught
Of German tongue, by famous Bachmair taught :
Nor yet were conversant with Chambaud's lore,
To aid in reading Constance' copy o'er.
Pity a work so good should be confin'd,
Or mutilated transcripts vex mankind :
So reason'd CLARKE, and his diffusive Soul
Disdaining partial Good-translates the Whole.
Hail blessed pair! Your great design the same, To publish through his Works, your Maker's Fame! And when our tribute of respect is paid,
We'll own, that Time this trifling difference made, STURM went before, CLARKE following, "points the road That leads through NATURE up to NATURE'S GOD."
The Lady who translated the second German Edition into French,
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