Then smooth and clear, along the fertile plain • Winds his majestick waters to the distant main. • Flocks and herds the hills adorn ;

The lark, high foaring, hails the morn
And while along yon crimfon-clouded steep
The flow fun fteals into the golden deep,
• Hark! the folemn nightingale
Warbles to the woodland dale.
See, defcending angels fhower

< Heaven's own blifs on Eden's bower:
Peace on Nature's lap repofes;
• Pleasure ftrews her guiltless roses;
Joys divine in circles move,

• Link'd with Innocence and Love.
Hail, happy Love, with Innocence combin'd!
All hail, ye finless parents of mankind !'.

They paus'd the monarch, proftrate on his bed,
Submiffive, bow'd his head;

Ador'd the works of boundless power Divine:

Then, anguish-ftruck, he cry'd, (and fmote his breaft)

In vain, devoted pair, thefe tears ye fhed;

Peace with Innocence is fled :

The meffengers of Grace depart;

• Death glares, and shakes the dreadful dart !—

Ah, whither fly ye, by yourfelves abhorr'd,

To fhun that frowning cherub's fiery fword!

• Lo!

< Lo!

Haplefs, hapless pair,

• Goaded by despair,

• Forlorn, thro' defart climes they go !
Wake, my lyre! can Pity fleep,

• When Heaven is mov'd, and angels weep!
Flow, ye melting numbers, flow;

< Till he feel that guilt is woe.'

The king, with pride, and shame, and anguish torn,
Shot fury from his eyes, and fcorn.

The glowing youth,

Bold in truth,

(So still should virtue guilty power engage)
With brow undaunted met his rage.
See, his cheek kindles into generous fire!
Stern, he bends him o'er his lyre;

And, while the doom of guilt he fings,
Shakes horror from the tortur'd ftrings.

• What founds of terror and diftrefs

• Rend yon howling wilderness!

The dreadful thunders found!

The forked lightnings flash along the ground!
Why yawns that deep'ning gulph below?-
'Tis for Heaven's rebellious foe!-

Fly, ye fons of Ifrael, fly;

• Who dwells in Korah's guilty tents must die !-
They fink!-Have mercy, Lord!-Their cries

• In dreadful tumult rife!

• Hark! from the deep their loud laments I hear!
They leffen now, and leffen on the ear!

Now, deftruction's ftrife is o'er!

The countless hoft

For ever loft!

The gulph is clos'd!-Their cries are heard no more!—

• But

But oh, my lyre! what accents can relate
Sinful man's appointed fate !--

• He comes, he comes! th' avenging God!
• Clouds and darkness round him roll:

Tremble, earth! ye mountains, nod!

⚫ He bows the fkies, and shakes the pole. The gloomy banners of his wrath unfurl'd, • He calls the floods, to drown a guilty world."Ruin, lift thy baleful head;

Rouze the guilty world from fleep;

"Lead up thy billows from their cavern'd bed,
"And burft the rocks that chain thee in the deep!"

1

Now, th' impetuous torrents rise;
The hoarfe-afcending deluge roars:
• Down rush the cataracts from the skies;
The fwelling waves o'erwhelm the shores.-
Juft, O God, is thy decree!

• Shall guilty man contend with thee!
Lo, Hate and Envy, fea-entomb'd,
And Rage with Luft in ruin, fleep;
And fcoffing Luxury is doom'd
To glut the vaft and ravenous deep!

In vain from Fate th' aftonifh'd remnant flies:-
"Shrink, ye rocks! Ye oceans, rife!"—
• The tottering cliffs no more the floods controul;
• Sea, following fea, ingulphs the ball :
O'er the funk hills the wat'ry mountains roll,
And wide Deftruction fwallows all.-
Now fiercer let th' empaffion'd numbers glow:
• Swell the fong, ye mighty choir !
Wing your dreadful darts with fire!
"Hear me, monarch!-Guilt is woe!'

Thus while the frowning fhepherd pour'd along
The deep impetuous torrent of his fong;

Saul,

Saul, ftung by dire despair,

Gnash'd his teeth, and tore his hair:
From his blood, by horror chill'd,
A cold and agonizing sweat diftill'd;
Then, foaming with unutterable smart,

He aim'd a dagger at his heart.

His watchful train prevent the blow;

And call each lenient balm to foothe his frantick woe:
But pleas'd, the fhepherd now beheld

His pride by Heaven's own terrors quell'd;

Then bade his potent lyre controul

The mighty storm that rent his foul.

Cease your cares! the body's pain
• A fweet relief may find;
But gums and lenient balms are vain,

To heal the wounded mind.

Come, fair Repentance, from the skies
O fainted maid, with upcaft eyes!
Defcend, in thy celeftial fhroud,
Vested in a weeping cloud!

Holy Guide, defcend, and bring

Mercy from th' Eternal King!

To his foul your beams impart,

And whisper comfort to his heart!

They come. O king, thine ear incline!

• Liften to their voice divine:

< Their voice fhall every pang compofe,

• To gentle forrow foothe thy woes;
• Till each pure wish to heaven shall foar,
•And Peace return, to part no more!

Behold, obedient to their great command,
The lifted dagger quits his trembling hand!

Smooth'd is his brow, where fullen Care
And furrow'd Horror couch'd with fell Despair:

No

No more his eyes with fury glow;

But heavenly grief fucceeds to hell-born woe.

See, the figns of grace appear!

See the foft relenting tear,

Trickling at fweet Mercy's call!
Catch it, angels, ere it fall!
And let the heart-fent offering rife,
Heaven's best-accepted facrifice!'

Yet, yet again!-Ah! fee, the pang returns!

Again with inward fire his heaving bofom burns!
Now, fhepherd, wake a mightier ftrain;
Search the deep heart-rending pain;

< Till the large floods of forrow roll,

And quench the tortures of his foul.'-
Almighty Lord, accept his pang fincere!
• Let heavenly hope dispel each dark temptation!
And, while he pours the penitential tear,
O vifit him with thy falvation!

Stoop from heaven, ye raptur'd throng!
Sink, ye fwelling tides of fong!

For lo! diffolv'd by Mufick's melting power,
• Celestial Sorrow rolls her plenteous shower:
• O'er his wan cheek the colours rise,

. And beams of comfort brighten in his eyes.

• No more shall black Despair afflict his foul!

Each gentler found, ye shepherds, now combine

Sweetly let the numbers roll;

Soothe him into hope divine.

Now