ON THE MEMORY OF MRS CATHARINE THOMSON. WHEN faith and love, which parted from thee never, Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God, Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load Of death, called life; which us from life doth sever. Thy works, and alms, and all thy good endeavour, beams And azure wings, that up they flew so drest, And spake the truth of thee on glorious themes Before the Judge; who thenceforth bid thee rest, And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams. MILTON'S SONNET ON HIS OWN WHEN I consider how my light is spent To serve therewith my Maker, and present That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need Either man's work, or his own gifts; who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: his state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed, SAMSON BEWAILING HIS BLINDNESS. "O LOSS of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse than chains, Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age! Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct, And all her various objects of delight Annull'd, which might in part my grief have eased, Of man or worm; the vilest here excel me: Scarce half I seem to live, dead more than half. Without all hope of day! O first-created beam, and thou great Word, And silent as the moon, When she deserts the night, Hid in her vacant interlunar cave." HENRY VAUGHAN. BORN 1614-DIED 1695. HENRY VAUGHAN was born in Brecknockshire about the year 1614. He was intended for the bar, but, in consequence of the civil wars, returned to his native place, and became an eminent physician. He died in 1695. EARLY RISING AND PRAYER. WHEN first thy eyes unveil, give thy soul leave The spirit's duty: true hearts spread and heave Give him thy first thoughts then, so shalt thou keep Yet never sleep the sun up; prayer should Walk with thy fellow-creatures: note the hush Serve God before the world; let him not go The whole unto him, and remember who Mornings are mysteries: the first, world's youth, Man's resurrection, and the future's bud, Shroud in their births; the crown of life, light, truth, Is styl'd their star; the stone and hidden food: Three blessings wait upon them, one of which Should move-they make us holy, happy, rich. When the world's up, and every swarm abroad, Which must be carried on, and safely may : THE RAINBOW. STILL young and fine, but what is still in view For thy new light, and trembled at each shower! fair; Forms turn to music, clouds to smiles and air; Rain gently spends his honey-drops, and pours TIMBER. SURE thou didst flourish once, and many springs, Many bright mornings, much dew, many showers, Past o'er thy head; many light hearts and wings, Which now are dead, lodg'd in thy living towers. And still a new succession sings and flies, Towards the old and still-enduring skies, THE WREATH. TO THE REDEEMER. SINCE I in storms most us'd to be, (a) Genesis, ch. ix. ver. 1. |