WHO can behold thy wildly varied forms,

Thy gentler beauties, and thy lovely hues;

Or walk sublime amid thy mountain storms,

O NATURE! and the vocal lay refuse?

 

Fair transcript of the vast eternal mind,

With awe—with love—with ever-new delight:

Viewing thy charms, I bless the ties that bind

My soul to thee; ne’er may they disunite.

 

For all the works of GOD combine in thee,

Vast aggregate of his creative will!

To him a point—to man immensity!

Fired with the sentiment, I fear no ill.

 

’Tis confidence in an eternal good:

’Tis resignation to almighty power:

’Tis human reason floating on the flood

Of WISDOM infinite, thro’ FORTUNE’s hour.

 

In HIM shall ACHMED’s boundless FAITH repose,

Thro’ every change of sublunary things;

Life of our joys, and balm of all our woes,

The diadem of PEACE to RIGHTEOUS KINGS!

 

When these, O lovely NATURE! learn to prize

Thy simple charms, the harbingers of TRUTH;

Then shall celestial virtues round them rise,

Fairer than all the blooms of vernal youth.

 

Then, spurning all the viper-brood of ART,

That taint the air of COURTS with poisonous breath,

Where embrio DEMONS form in FLATTERY’s heart,

And LUXURY riots on the spoils of DEATH.

 

Yes, spurning these, th’ indignant MAN of SWAY

Shall feel more joy, to will a NATION blest;

More comfort, in one heaven-approving day,

Than ASIA’s proudest Conqueror e’er possest.

 

Thro’ thee, O NATURE! will I raise my love,

To thine eternal ARCHETYPE above.