Gods fuch as guilt makes welcome; gods that sleep,
Or difregard our follies, or that fit

Amus'd fpectators of this buftling stage.
Thee we reject, unable to abide

Thy purity, till pure as thou art pure;

Made fuch by thee, we love thee for that caufe

For which we fhunn'd and hated thee before.

Then we are free.

Then liberty, like day,

and by a flash from heav'n

Breaks on the foul,

Fires all the faculties with glorious joy.

A voice is heard that mortal ears hear not
Till thou haft touch'd them; 'tis the voice of fong-
A loud hofanna fent from all thy works;
Which he that hears it with a fhout repeats,
And adds his rapture to the gen'ral praise.
In that bleft moment, Nature, throwing wide
Her veil opaque, difclofes with a smile
The Author of her beauties, who, retir'd
Behind his own creation, works unseen
By the impure, and hears his pow'r denied.
Thou art the fource and centre of all minds,
Their only point of reft, eternal Word!
From thee departing, they are loft, and rove
At random, without honour, hope, or peace.
From thee is all that foothes the life of man,
His high endeavour, and his glad fuccefs,

His ftrength to fuffer, and his will to ferve.
But oh thou bounteous Giver of all good,
Thou art of all thy gifts thyfelf the crown!
Give what thou canft, without thee we are poor;
And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away.

THE TASK.

BOOK VI.

VOL. II.

R

ARGUMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

Bells at a diflance.-Their effe&.-A fine noon in winter.-A Sheltered walk.-Meditation better than books. Our familiarity with the courfe of nature makes it appear less wonderful than it is.-The transformation that fpring effects in a fhrubbery defcribed.A miflake concerning the courfe of nature corrected.God maintains it by an unremitted act.-The amufements fashionable at this hour of the day reproved.Animals happy, a delightful fight-Origin of cruelty to animals. That it is a great crime proved from fcripture. That proof illuftrated by a tale.-A line drawn between the lawful and unlawful deftruction of them. Their good and ufeful properties infifled on.Apology for the encomiums beflowed by the author on animals.-Inflances of man's extravagant praife of man.-The groans of the creation fhall have an end.— A view taken of the refloration of all things.-A invocation and an invitation of Him who shall bring to pass.-The retired man vindicated from the charg of ufeleffness.-Conclufion.