University of Virginia Library

VIII.

Thou, Pow'r Divine and Wisdom to display,
The deep Foundations of the Earth did'st lay;
The beauteous Structure frame with artful Care,
And weigh the pond'rous Mass, and hang the Pile in Air;
Th' unshaken Pillars which sustain it, stand
Fixt on no Base but Thy upholding Hand.
Thou spak'st, th' aspiring Hills appear'd,
Their everlasting Heads the Mountains rear'd,
The Rocks of vast unmeasur'd Size
Obey'd th' impulsive Word, and sprung amid'st the Skies:
The humble Vallies now subside,
And with their Wealth upbraid the fruitless Mountain's Pride.
The starting Streams begin their Race,
And with their winding Arms the flow'ry Mead embrace.
Now Birds for Flight, their untry'd Wings display,
Beat thro' Aerial Waves, and cut the liquid Way.
The Flocks adorn'd the Hills, the Herds the Mead.
The bellowing Bull advancing at their Head.
The Woods with various Beasts were stor'd,
Where uncontroul'd their Yellow Lord
Slept in his Den, or thro' the Forrest roar'd.
The mighty Whale rolls in his weedy Court,
While Finny Trains around their Monarch sport
More Energy and more amzing Art
In Man at last Thou did'st exert,
Thy godlike Creature destin'd to command
The spacious Empires of the Sea and Land:
Thy wide Creation then review'd,
Pleas'd with Thy Works, Thou did'st pronounce them good.