Miscellanies in Prose and Verse By Mrs. Catherine Jemmat |
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A Paraphrase on the 104th PSALM, in Imitation of MILTON's Style.
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 | Miscellanies in Prose and Verse |  |
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A Paraphrase on the 104th PSALM, in Imitation of MILTON's Style.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord, exceeding awful!
On the high arch of heav'n he sits enthron'd,
With daz'ling light array'd, and blaze, and glory!
Whose ample skirts diffusing orient beams,
Illumine all the blue translucid æther!
Majestic, lo! he walks upon the wings
Of all the winds! while airy meteors flash
Abroad his dreadful messages! 'Twas he,
Wide circling on the centre, fix'd this earth
High in the ambient air, and spread her face,
With seas, and oceans, and unnumber'd streams!
On the high arch of heav'n he sits enthron'd,
With daz'ling light array'd, and blaze, and glory!
Whose ample skirts diffusing orient beams,
Illumine all the blue translucid æther!
Majestic, lo! he walks upon the wings
Of all the winds! while airy meteors flash
Abroad his dreadful messages! 'Twas he,
Wide circling on the centre, fix'd this earth
High in the ambient air, and spread her face,
With seas, and oceans, and unnumber'd streams!
Great are thy works, O God! thou hast ordain'd
Eternal bounds unto the raging seas!
And thro' the porous womb of rocks, and hills,
Let out the gushing fountains; falling tuneful,
From rock to rock, adown their shaggy sides,
And thence meandring in the lawns and meads,
Where herbs and flow'rets grow in various hue.
Eternal bounds unto the raging seas!
And thro' the porous womb of rocks, and hills,
Let out the gushing fountains; falling tuneful,
From rock to rock, adown their shaggy sides,
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Where herbs and flow'rets grow in various hue.
From his high chambers, in the fleecy clouds,
He sendeth soft'ning rain, moisture prolific,
That gently watereth thirsty hill and dale,
Till earth, with plenty crown'd of golden fruits,
Smiles amiable; tender blades of grass
He causeth spring, that cattle there may browse
Luxurious: nor for man's relief are wanting
Herbs, part exhaling aromatic fumes,
Of healing virtue; part with juice delicious,
Inviting sweet repast; with wine to cheer
The heavy heart, and gloomy cares dispel;
And corn, the cherisher of human nature.
He sendeth soft'ning rain, moisture prolific,
That gently watereth thirsty hill and dale,
Till earth, with plenty crown'd of golden fruits,
Smiles amiable; tender blades of grass
He causeth spring, that cattle there may browse
Luxurious: nor for man's relief are wanting
Herbs, part exhaling aromatic fumes,
Of healing virtue; part with juice delicious,
Inviting sweet repast; with wine to cheer
The heavy heart, and gloomy cares dispel;
And corn, the cherisher of human nature.
The trees of God are flourishing and fair,
Without the art of man. The mountain cedars,
Upon the pathless heights of Lebanon,
Advance to mighty stature, and expand
An ample shelter to the storks and eagles!
Without the art of man. The mountain cedars,
Upon the pathless heights of Lebanon,
Advance to mighty stature, and expand
An ample shelter to the storks and eagles!
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Wide, when he spreads the curtain of the night,
The forests he unlocks, and lets the lions
Roar thro' the silent wilderness for prey,
And seek their meat from him, whose liberal hand
The universe sustains! All night they proul,
Secure and undisturb'd, till morn returns;
Back to their haunts he sends the ravagers,
And man arises to renew his toil.
The forests he unlocks, and lets the lions
Roar thro' the silent wilderness for prey,
And seek their meat from him, whose liberal hand
The universe sustains! All night they proul,
Secure and undisturb'd, till morn returns;
Back to their haunts he sends the ravagers,
And man arises to renew his toil.
How manifold, O Lord! thy works appear!
Thee, the large earth, and th' unbounded air,
Reptiles, and beasts, and birds, proclaim thy bounty!
And from the deep the huge leviathan,
Up-heaves his cumb'rous mail, attesting thee!
On thee they all for sustenance attend;
Thou freely giv'st, and they are fill'd with good;
And when thou turn'st away thy face they perish.
But still a standing monument of praise
The world remains; and thou, with bounteous hand,
Dost the wide waste of mould'ring time repair.
Thee, the large earth, and th' unbounded air,
Reptiles, and beasts, and birds, proclaim thy bounty!
And from the deep the huge leviathan,
Up-heaves his cumb'rous mail, attesting thee!
On thee they all for sustenance attend;
Thou freely giv'st, and they are fill'd with good;
And when thou turn'st away thy face they perish.
But still a standing monument of praise
The world remains; and thou, with bounteous hand,
Dost the wide waste of mould'ring time repair.
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In hymns to God, from whom I have my being,
I will my life, he has bestow'd, employ;
Sweet exercise! that to my soul will yield,
Soft peace, and streams of joy, heav'nly solace!
Let impious men, by impious deeds, draw down
Almighty vengeance on their guilty heads,
And swift destruction seize the direful crew;
Bless thou, my soul, the Lord thy God, and join
In concert all the list'ning worlds around.
I will my life, he has bestow'd, employ;
Sweet exercise! that to my soul will yield,
Soft peace, and streams of joy, heav'nly solace!
Let impious men, by impious deeds, draw down
Almighty vengeance on their guilty heads,
And swift destruction seize the direful crew;
Bless thou, my soul, the Lord thy God, and join
In concert all the list'ning worlds around.
| Miscellanies in Prose and Verse | |