LET LUXURY her fancied wants deplore,

Let AVARICE pine amid his hoarded wealth;

Let the proud Conqu’ror, when his wars are o’er,

Offer whole kingdoms for an hour of health.

 

For inward PEACE, CONTENT, heart-kindling JOY,

Such as reward the duties Heaven requires;

Rewards to those who their best hours employ,

To vanquish strife and quench destruction’s fires.

 

Obedient, heavenly WISDOM, to thy voice,

(More sweet than music to the virtuous ear),

Causing the poor, the aged to rejoice,

JUSTICE their guide, and MERCY their compeer.

 

Not all HINDOSTAN’s wealth can purchase these,

Nor the soul-soothing hope from these that springs;

That hope ne’er shipwreck’d on life’s stormy seas,

Can meet the tempest on seraphic wings.

 

The GOOD MAN lives beyond the day of death:

The BAD MAN dies before the year of doom:

FATE ever threat’ning, claims his forfeit breath,

Till giant INFAMY bestride his tomb!

 

On thee, O GOD! my soul for aid relies,

On thee for ever shall her hopes depend;

Perish the earth, and dissipate the skies,

VIRTUE shall live, for thou art VIRTUE’s friend.

 

No—not apart from NATURE, she is thine,

Thy WISDOM infinite, her charms combined;

Omnipotence sustains the fair design,

Eternal transcript of the heavenly mind.

 

Thro’ her delightful, ever varying round,

O let my soul a rapt enthusiast fly!

Still to her love may I be faithful found,

Live in her life, till FATE compel TO DIE.

 

To DIE IS NATURE’s SABBATH.—To survive

Is NATURE fraught with ACTIVE ENERGY.

All from one omnipresent LIFE derive

Existence, Joy, and love of Liberty.

 

Ah! when will man, deluded man, rejoice

In NATURE’s bliss, and listen to her voice;

The voice of TRUTH, of HARMONY and LOVE,

That with the eagle’s strength unites the mildness of the Dove?