The Sun, his rise and set we know; Ye restless, homeless, shapeless things! Who mock all our imaginings, Like Spirits in a dream; What epithet can words supply Unto the Bard who takes such high Unmanageable theme? But one-to me, when Fancy stirs And when, as now, at midnight's hour, It seems the VOICE of GOD. THE CLOUDS. S. C. HALL. CLOUDS. WHEN the first day-beam bless'd the sky, And wooed them with a thousand wiles :- And dull and naked, after night; But on, toward the east they roll'd And clad them in a robe of light. Others, as if they loved to dwell In darkness, moved but slowly on, And when on them its brightness fell, But little of their gloom had gone: One, gloomier still, its course delays, As though too heavy for the sky, Then breaks and passes gaily by :While some had gathered round the rays That gave them hues and forms so fair, As loth to leave that glorious place, To lose their beauty and to trace Their pathway through the murky air. I marked when day was at its height, Others of many a varied dye, More fair of form, more purely bright Than those that deck'd the morning sky, And gaz'd, till over all on high The sun held uncontrolled sway And chased from heaven all gloom away, While the few clouds that o'er it past, No beam obscur'd, no shadow cast. But when the day was almost done, All cover'd with their snow-white spray; Their shores and mountains all of gold. They vanish'd, as the night came on- "Those very clouds, so bright, so gay, So fair-are vapours which the earth Flung, as diseased parts away, Foul mists, which owe their second birth To him who keeps his throne on high, To bless the earth and gild the sky. Yes! 'tis the sun whose influence brings A change to these degraded thingsThat gives them lovely forms-and then Deprives them of their baneful powers, And sends to mother Earth again In gentle dews and cheering showers, What was her burthen and her bane. Man feels a change as great-when man Feels that immortal spark withinWhose might no human tongue can tell, Which shines to lighten and dispel The darkness and the weight of sin ;When He, who form'd Creation's whole, To school and guide the human soul, Bids o'er the intellectual skies The Sun of Righteousness arise, And things of heaven and earth assume Their proper shape of light or gloom." Now let the contemplative mind Fill up the blank I leave behind; And see through all Creation's plan Some useful lesson taught to man; Compare the changes wrought within, And those without,-by nature wroughtCompare the man who lives in sin, And him, by Jesus led and taught. See how the Christian's shining light Makes all that once was darkness, bright; And see how, like the clouds on high, His every feeling, every thought, Adorn and bless the mental sky, And then his glories never die! TO THE CLOUDS. CLARE. O PAINTED CLOUDS! Sweet beauties of the sky, How have I viewed your motion and your rest, When like fleet hunters ye have left mine eye, In your thin gauze of woolly-fleecing drest: Or in your threaten'd thunder's grave, black vest, Like black, deep waters slowly moving by, Awfully striking the spectator's breast With your Creator's dread sublimity, As admiration mutely views your storms; And I do love to see you idly lie, Painted by heav'n as various as your forms, Pausing upon the eastern mountain high, As morn awakes with spring's wood-harmony; And sweeter still, when in your slumber's sooth You hang the western arch o'er day's proud eye: Still as the even-pool, uncurv'd and smooth, My gazing soul has look'd most placidly; And higher still devoutly wish'd to strain, To wipe your shrouds and sky's blue blinders by, With all the warmness of a moon-struck brain, To catch a glimpse of Him who bids you reign, And view the dwelling of ALL MAJESTY. THE CLOUD. WILSON. A CLOUD lay cradled near the setting sun, A gleam of crimson tinged its braided snow, Long had I watch'd the glory moving on, O'er the still radiance of the lake below; Tranquil its spirit seem'd, and floated slow, E'en in its very motion there was rest; While ev'ry breath of eve that chanced to blow, Wafted the trav'ller to the beauteous west. Emblein, methought, of the departed soul To whose white robe the gleam of bliss is giv'n, And by the breath of mercy made to roll Right onward to the golden gates of heav'n, Where to the eye of faith it peaceful lies, And tells to man his glorious destinies. THE evening was glorious, and light through the trees, On the lap of the year, in the beauty of May. For the Queen of the Spring, as she pass'd down the vale, The skies, like a banner in sunset unroll'd, O'er the west threw their splendour of azure and gold; We gaz'd on the scenes, while around us they glow'd, Nor the moon, that rolls nightly through starlight and blue. Like a Spirit, it came in the van of a storm! And the eye, and the heart, hail'd its beautiful form; In the hues of its grandeur, sublimely it stood, 'Twas the bow of Omnipotence; bent in His hand, Not dreadful, as when in the whirlwind he pleads, In the breath of his presence, when thousands expire, And the sword, and the plague-spot with death strew the plain, Not such was that Rainbow, that beautiful one! Awhile, and it sweetly bent over the gloom, I gaz'd not alone on that source of my song;- Its presence to all was the path of the Lord! Like a visit the converse of friends—or a day, 'Tis a picture in memory distinctly defined, Beheld on that cloud, and transcribed on my soul. ODE TO THE SUN. FELLOWES. THOU whose rejoicing eye of light Look'd forth, at God's inspiring call, When order lay in boundless night, And darkness wanton'd over all; Whence thy perpetual youth, O Sun! Since life, and light, and time begun? Exulting on thy course sublime, How bright thy yellow cresses glare, As still, they wave unhurt by time, High o'er the azure depths of air; As still thy wings unwearied go, While earth and ocean laugh below. SUN. When first thy ruddy pinions lave The stars are blench'd, the ghost of night Unchang'd art thou when darkness shrouds, The mountain-oak, with age shall fall, The everlasting hills decay; But thou shalt hear the morning call, SUNRISE. THOMSON. SEE, yonder comes the powerful King of Rejoicing in the east. The less'ning cloud, On rocks, and hills, and tow'rs, and wandering streams, High-gleaming from afar. Prime cheerer light! Of all material beings first, and best! Efflux divine! Nature's resplendent robe ! Without whose vesting beauty all were wrapt In unessential gloom; and thou, O Sun! Soul of surrounding worlds! in whom best seen Shines out thy Maker! may I sing of thee? |