Say, did these fingers delve the mine,
Or with its envied rubies shine?
To hew the rock, or wear the gem,
Can nothing now avail to them:
But if the page of truth they sought,
Or comfort to the mourner brought,
Those hands shall strike the lyre of praise,
And high the palm of triumph raise.
Avails it whether bare or shod
These feet the path of life had trod,
If from the bower of joy they fled,
To soothe affliction's humble bed?
If, spurning all the world bestowed,
They sought the strait and narrow road,
These feet with angel's wings shall vie,
And tread the palace of the sky.

CXCII.

BLEST pair of syrens, pledges of heaven's joy,
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verse,
Wed your divinest sounds, and mixed power employ
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to pierce ;
And to our high raised phantasy present
That undisturbed song of pure consent,
Aye sung before the sapphire-coloured throne,
To Him that sits thereon,

With saintly shout, and solemn jubilee;

Where the bright seraphim, in burning row,
Their loud uplifted angel-trumpets blow;
And the cherubic host, in thousand quires,
Touch their immortal harps of golden wires,
With those just spirits that wear victorious palms
Hymns devout and holy psalms
Singing everlastingly:

That we on earth, with undiscording voice
May rightly answer that melodious noise;

As once we did, till disproportioned sin
Jarred against nature's chime, and with harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made,

To their great Lord, whose love their motion swayed In perfect diapason, whilst they stood

In first obedience, and their state of good.

Oh, may we soon again renew that song,

And keep in tune with heaven, till God e're long
To his celestial concert us unite,

To live with Him, and sing in endless morn of light.

CXCIII.

IN cold misfortune's cheerless day,
When joy and peace and love depart
When friends deceive and hopes decay,
And sorrows press the heavy heart,
O Lord! Thou canst relief impart;

'Tis Thou canst cheer the wounded mind,
'Tis Thou canst heal affection's smart ;-
Teach us to pray and be resigned.

But, oh! should changeful fortune frown,
Or those we love prove true no more,
Should Death's relentless hand strike down
Those who returned the love we bore;
Still let us worship and adore,

And seek the peace we yet may find ;—
Teach us, O Father! we implore,

To trust in Thee and be resigned.

CXCIV.

THE wind blows chill across those gloomy waves:
Oh! how unlike the green and dancing main!
The surge is foul, as if it rolled o'er graves ;—
Stranger, here lie the cities of the plain!

Yes, on that plain, by wild waves covered now,
Rose palace once, and sparkling pinnacle;
On pomp and spectacle beamed mornings' glow,
On pomp and festival the twilight fell.

Lovely and splendid all,-but Sodom's soul

Was stained with blood, and pride, and perjury. Long warned, long spared, till her whole heart was foul, And fiery vengeance on its clouds came nigh!

And still she mocked, and danced, and taunting, spoke Her sportive blasphemies against the Throne.

It came the thunder on her slumber broke:

God spake the word of wrath ;-her dream was done.

Yet, in her proud might, amid her stood Immortal messenger, and pausing Heaven Pleaded with man, but she was quite imbued, Her last hour waned, she scorned to be forgiven. 'Twas done!-down pour'd at once the sulphurous shower,

Down stoop'd, in flame, the heaven's red canopy. Oh! for the arm of God in that fierce hour!— 'Twas vain, nor help of God or man was nigh. They rush, they bound, they howl, the men of sin ;— Still stoop'd the cloud, still burst the thicker blaze: The earthquake heav'd!-then sank the hideous din! Yon wave of darkness o'er their ashes strays.

CXCV.

O JESU, source of calm repose,

Thy like nor man nor angel knows,
Fairest among ten thousand fair!

Even those whom death's sad fetters bound,
Whom thickest darkness compass'd round,
Find light and life, if Thou appear.

Effulgence of the light divine,
Ere rolling planets knew to shine,

Ere time its ceaseless course began,
Thou, when the appointed hour was come,
Didst not abhor the virgin's womb,

But, God with God, wast man with man.

The world, sin, death, oppose in vain,
Thou, by Thy dying, death hast slain,
My great Deliverer and my God!
In vain does the old dragon rage,
In vain all hell its powers engage:

None can withstand Thy conqu'ring blood.

Lord over all, sent to fulfil

Thy gracious Father's sovereign will,
To Thy dread sceptre will I bow;
With duteous reverence at thy feet,
Like humble Mary, lo, I sit:

Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth now.

Renew thine image, Lord, in me,

Lowly and gentle may I be;

No charms but these to Thee are dear:

No anger mayst Thou ever find,

No pride in my unruffled mind,

But faith and heaven-born peace be there.

A patient, a victorious mind

That, life and all things cast behind,

Springs forth obedient to Thy call,-
An heart, that no desire can move
But still t'adore, believe, and love,-
Give me, my Lord, my Life, my All.