ON READING DIi. WATTS's POEMS SACRED TO PIETY AND DEVOTION. .......... " REGARD the man, who, in seraphic lays, [praise And flowing numbdrs, sing his Maker's Ile need invoke no fabled muse's art, The beav'nly song comes genuine from bis heart, From that pure heart, which God has deign'd t' inspire With holy raptures, and a sacred fire. Thrice happy man? whose soul, .. and guiltless breast, [guest! Are well prepar'd to lodge th' almighty 'Tis he that lends thy tow'ring thoughts their wing, [to sing: And tunesthy lyre, when thou attempt st He to thy soul lets in celestial day, Ev'nwhilst imprison'd inthis mormlclay. By death's grim aspect thou art not alarm'd, [arm'd; He, for thy sake, has death itself dis- Nor shall the grave o'er thee a vict'ry boast ; Her triumph in thy rising shall be lost, When thou shalt join th' angelic choirs above, In never - endingsongs of praiseand love. FuscasA. 7 Far as the distant regions, where The beauteonsmornmg springs, And scatters odours through the air, From her resplendent wing ; 8 Unto the new-found matins, which sae The latter sun arise, When, with an easy progress, he Rolls down the nether skies." Joely, 1706. PHItOMELA. TO DR. WATTS, On bis Poems Sacred to Devotion. 1 "TO murmuring streams, in tender strains, My pensive muse no more Of love's enchanting force complains, Along the fiow'ry shore. 2 Np more Mirtillo's fatal face , My quiet breast alarms ; His eyes, his air, and youthful grace, Ilave lost their usual charms. S No gay Alexis in the grove Shall be my future theme: I burn with an immortal love, And sing a purer flame. 4 Seraphic heights I seem to gain, And sacred transports feel, While, WATTS, to thy celestial strain, Surpris'd I listen still. 5 The glidingstreams their course for- bear, When I thy lays repeat; The bending forest lends an ear; The birds their notes forget. F With such a graceful harmony Thy numbers still prolong; And let remotest lands reply, And echato thy song TO DR. WATTS, On reading his Home Lyrics. "HAIL, heaven -born muse! that with celestial flame, Andhigh seraphic numbers,durstattempt To gain thy native skies. No common theme [soul Merits thy thought, self - conscious of a Superior,though on earthdetain'dawhile; Let some propitious angel, that's de- sign'd A resident in this inferior orb, 1111 To guide the wand'ring souls to heavenly bliss, Thou seem'st; while thou their ever- lasting songs Hast sung to mortal ears, and down to earth Transferred the work of heaven: with thought sublime, [sing'st And high sonorous words, thou sweetly To thy immortal lyre. Amaz'd, we vie.. The tow'ring height stupendous, while thou soar'st [thought Above the reach of vulgar eyes pr Hymning th' eternal Father; as of old When first the Almighty from the dark abyss Ofeverlasting night and silence call'd The shiningworldswithone creatingword, And rajs'd from nothing all the heavenly hosts, And with external gloriesfill'd the void; Harmonious seraphs tared their golden harps, Andwith their cheerfulHallelujahsb'ess'd The bounteousAuthor oftheir happiness; From orb to orb th' alternatem usic rang, And from the crystal arches of the sky Reach'd our then glorious world, the na- tive seat [songs Of the first happy pair, who'jein'd their To the loud echoes of the angelic choirs, And fill'd with blissful hymns, terrestial 'heaven, The paradise of God where all delights Abounded, and the pure ambrosial air, Fann'd by.mild zephyrs, breath'd eternal sweets,
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