Love not the world! its artifice beware! What are its friendships? counterfeits at best: Its promises, though lavish, false as fair, And daggers to the unsuspecting breast; Dealt are its favours with the hope of gain, As to the soil committed is the grain. Love not the world! O wretched lust indeed! Love not the world! else then for ever part Be wise to-day, to-morrow lest too late: Love not the world! the counsel be it yours— The life which through eternity endures For know the world repels the Father's love, And ever must the wretched soul exclude From Him, the Fountain of eternal good, ODE TO THE OCEAN. OLL on, thou mighty and majestic Deep! Hail to their hoarse, tremendous music, hail! If aught beneath the eternal throne of Heaven Vast, glorious mirror, circling sublime, From age to age, from pole to pole, the world, Mocking those shafts of fate against her hurled, Rolling defiance on the power of Time. Ten thousand fleets have plough'd thine azure breast, Tempest on tempest raved, and storm on storm Have howled destruction, and have sunk to rest; Yet what affects thine all-enduring form? Unchanged, unchangeable thou roll'st this hour As first from chaos by omnific power. Stupendous, boundless, horrible abyss, Where sceptred Terror holds her dismal sway; Creation's dread residuum, where day Thy realms cimmerian never dawned to bless; Where in dire labyrinths of caves profound, Rocks, hideous glens, and chasms vast unknown, Slumber oblivious, by the world disowned, The awful spoils of years and ages gone The flower of nations, and the boast of kings, Nor to those endless wrecks of endless fate, Thy pisculent recesses everywhere With multifarious forms and natures teem, In thee, though overwhelming the displays Of knowledge, wisdom, skill, and power divine, Under that glorious first efficient cause Great source of vapour and descent of rain, Whence rivers roll, and brooks meand'ring flow, Earth to adorn, unmeasured boons bestow On millions ere they reach their fount again; While woods their vernal loveliness renew, The fields luxuriant crown the labourer's toil; O'er hill and dale bright flowers of every hue In sweet profusion captivating smile; Unblessed by thee, what were this world? A vast, Dull, lifeless solitude-an arid waste. Still, as a part of one harmonious whole, We further thy utility behold; From shore to shore what blessings hast thou rolled Since lighted Science the adventurous soul O'er thy pellucid, billowy expanse ! And knowledge and refinement to promoteWhence spring distinction, honour, power, and fame, All in a nation worthy of a name. Hence hath immortal glory Albion crowned- But to such axioms why for answers call? Then hail, thou mighty and majestic Deep! Hail to their hoarse, tremendous music, hail! |