 | The Josephine Gallery |  |
230
CAROLINE BONAPARTE.
From the humblest little blossom
To the flowers of tropic climes,
All things God has made are lovely,
In their seasons and their times.
To the flowers of tropic climes,
All things God has made are lovely,
In their seasons and their times.
From the farthest star that twinkles,
To the sun with dazzling light,
Every planet is most glorious
In his own appointed height.
To the sun with dazzling light,
Every planet is most glorious
In his own appointed height.
And the oak tree is no better,
Towering in majestic pride,
Than the clinging vine, whose verdure
Covers all his rugged side.
Towering in majestic pride,
Than the clinging vine, whose verdure
Covers all his rugged side.
And the nightingale's soft music
Falls no sweeter through the dark,
Than the clear and ringing matin
Of the heaven-ascending lark.
Falls no sweeter through the dark,
Than the clear and ringing matin
Of the heaven-ascending lark.
Nature always owns God's wisdom;
Flower, and bird, and star, and sun,
Keep wherever he has placed them,
Growing, singing, shining on.
Flower, and bird, and star, and sun,
Keep wherever he has placed them,
Growing, singing, shining on.
231
When the birds of morn are chanting,
Then the nightingale doth rest;
Never any lark soars, singing,
When she should be in her nest.
Then the nightingale doth rest;
Never any lark soars, singing,
When she should be in her nest.
And each little star rejoices
In his empire of a night,
As the sun doth, in the slendor
Of his own unrivalled light.
In his empire of a night,
As the sun doth, in the slendor
Of his own unrivalled light.
Only man, of all creation,
His true limit doth o'erleap:
Only man falls down, by climbing
Up to heights he cannot keep.
His true limit doth o'erleap:
Only man falls down, by climbing
Up to heights he cannot keep.
Yet thy rise and fall, fair lady,
Makes at least this lesson plain:
Haughty pride and usurpation
Cannot keep what they can gain.
Makes at least this lesson plain:
Haughty pride and usurpation
Cannot keep what they can gain.
Thou hadst never suffered downfall,
And disgrace and banishment;
If, in thine own humble station,
Thou hadst learned to be content.
And disgrace and banishment;
If, in thine own humble station,
Thou hadst learned to be content.
Hadst thou kept thy feet from places,
Where but lawful queens had trod,
Claiming this one title only,
“Woman, by the grace of God.”
Where but lawful queens had trod,
Claiming this one title only,
“Woman, by the grace of God.”
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