 | Translations and Poems Written on Several Subjects |  |
129
PYTHAGORAS Moriens.
PARAPHRASED.
Worn out with Cares, and tott'ring in her Seat,
The Soul resigns her Throne, and seeks Retreat;
At her approaching Liberty she glows,
And quits the giddy World's delusive Shows;
To her own native Realms she wings her Way,
Employ'd her Self-existence to survey,
Till by Degrees she feels herself refine,
And rise her great Original to join:
[Like a Sun Beam that springs with vibrant Force,
And darts to meet its ever-glorious Source.]
By whom new modell'd various Shapes she wears,
But still her Parent's bright Resemblance bears;
Thro' Forms alternate, now Delights to range,
Her self the same, unalter'd by her Change;
In distant Orbs, new Beauties she explores,
Or wanders thro' Creation's fertile Stores:
Or here on Earth in diff'rent Bodies plac'd,
Still Acts new Scenes, forgetful of the past:
Till from her dull material Chain set free,
(The mortal Curtian drawn) she smiles to see,
The various Prospects of Immensity.
While Space indefinite she wanders o'er,
And as she sees the farther, loves the more.
The Soul resigns her Throne, and seeks Retreat;
At her approaching Liberty she glows,
And quits the giddy World's delusive Shows;
To her own native Realms she wings her Way,
Employ'd her Self-existence to survey,
Till by Degrees she feels herself refine,
And rise her great Original to join:
[Like a Sun Beam that springs with vibrant Force,
And darts to meet its ever-glorious Source.]
By whom new modell'd various Shapes she wears,
But still her Parent's bright Resemblance bears;
130
Her self the same, unalter'd by her Change;
In distant Orbs, new Beauties she explores,
Or wanders thro' Creation's fertile Stores:
Or here on Earth in diff'rent Bodies plac'd,
Still Acts new Scenes, forgetful of the past:
Till from her dull material Chain set free,
(The mortal Curtian drawn) she smiles to see,
The various Prospects of Immensity.
While Space indefinite she wanders o'er,
And as she sees the farther, loves the more.
Thou Power Supreme! thy Dictates I obey,
And fearless quit this animated Clay;
In every State thy Guardianship I claim,
Tho' I may change, Thou ever art the same!
And as thy Goodness has pursued me still,
Gladly I follow thy directing Will,
For wheresoe'er my future Lot is plac'd,
Thou still art with me, — and I must be blest!
And fearless quit this animated Clay;
In every State thy Guardianship I claim,
Tho' I may change, Thou ever art the same!
And as thy Goodness has pursued me still,
Gladly I follow thy directing Will,
For wheresoe'er my future Lot is plac'd,
Thou still art with me, — and I must be blest!
131
So by the rural Hearth the slumb'ring Hound,
Hears at the Door his kindly Master's Sound;
The well-known Voice, the faithful Servant wakes,
Impatient to his smiling View he breaks,—
Close by his generous Side he bounds along,
For He, he knows can never lead him wrong.
Hears at the Door his kindly Master's Sound;
The well-known Voice, the faithful Servant wakes,
Impatient to his smiling View he breaks,—
Close by his generous Side he bounds along,
For He, he knows can never lead him wrong.
| Translations and Poems Written on Several Subjects | |