Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/72
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54
HYMN TO VIRTUE.
And when the stars come forth—
When to the trusting heart sweet hopes are given,
And the deep stillness of the hour gives birth
To pure, bright dreams of heaven—
Kneel to thy God, ask strength life's ills to bear:—
Night is the time for prayer!
When to the trusting heart sweet hopes are given,
And the deep stillness of the hour gives birth
To pure, bright dreams of heaven—
Kneel to thy God, ask strength life's ills to bear:—
Night is the time for prayer!
When is the time for prayer?
In every hour, while life is spared to thee—
In crowds or solitude, in joy or care-
Thy thoughts should heavenward flee.
At home—at morn and eve—with loved ones there,
Bend thou the knee in prayer!
In every hour, while life is spared to thee—
In crowds or solitude, in joy or care-
Thy thoughts should heavenward flee.
At home—at morn and eve—with loved ones there,
Bend thou the knee in prayer!
The Setting Sun.
That setting sun! that setting sun!
What scenes, since first its race begun,
Of varied hue its eye hath seen,
Which are as they had never been.
What scenes, since first its race begun,
Of varied hue its eye hath seen,
Which are as they had never been.
That setting sun! full many a gaze
Hath dwelt upon its fading rays
With sweet, according thought sublime,
In every age and every clime!
Hath dwelt upon its fading rays
With sweet, according thought sublime,
In every age and every clime!
'Tis sweet to mark thee, sinking slow
The ocean's fabled caves below;
And when th' obscuring night is done,
To see thee rise, sweet setting sun.
The ocean's fabled caves below;
And when th' obscuring night is done,
To see thee rise, sweet setting sun.
So, when my pulses cease to play,
Serenely close my evening ray,
To rise again, death's slumber done,
Glorious like thee, sweet setting sun!
Serenely close my evening ray,
To rise again, death's slumber done,
Glorious like thee, sweet setting sun!
Hymn to Virtue.
Ever lovely and benign,
Endowed with energy divine—
Hail! Virtue, hail! Erom thee proceed
The great design, the heroic deed,
The heart that melts for human woes,
Valour and truth, and calm repose.
Endowed with energy divine—
Hail! Virtue, hail! Erom thee proceed
The great design, the heroic deed,
The heart that melts for human woes,
Valour and truth, and calm repose.