 | Miscellanies in Verse and Prose |  |
78
A Thought in Affliction.
I
Where shall the Persecuted fly,To shun the Blows of angry Fate?
No Succour, no Relief is nigh:
How can I bear this ruin'd State!
II
Unpity'd, unsustain'd, oppress'd,On ev'ry Side, at once distress'd,
All fly from my contagious Woes,
And Sorrow's Waves upon me close!
III
Help, Heav'n! in this my utmost Need,On thee, my earnest Hope is stay'd;
Let Innocence, at last, succeed,
And be thou present to my Aid!
IV
On hurtful Malice, justly frown,And suff'ring Virtue's Cause assert,
By Vice, insulting, trampled down;
The threaten'd Danger, oh! avert!
V
On thy Assistance I depend,My certain and unfailing Prop;
By which for a successful End,
I look with Confidence of Hope.
79
VI
And see, at length, expected Joy,Tho' long-protracted, makes Return!
Thus, slowly, in the clouded Sky,
And ling'ring breaks the chearful Morn.
VII
My Fears are o'er, and foul Despair,Which rack'd my ever-anxious Breast,
Is fled with ev'ry haunting Care,
And left my Soul becalm'd in Rest.
So stalking Ghosts, at dawning Light,
Post swiftly to their native Night.
| Miscellanies in Verse and Prose | |