The Works of the Reverend and Learned Isaac Watts, D. D. Containing, besides his Sermons, and Essays on miscellaneous subjects, several additional pieces, Selected from his Manuscripts by the Rev. Dr. Jennings, and the Rev. Dr. Doddridge, in 1753: to which are prefixed, memoirs of the life of the author, compiled by the Rev. George Burder. In six volumes |
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| LXVI.—FRAGMENTS OF VERSE. |
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 | The Works of the Reverend and Learned Isaac Watts, D. D. |  |
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LXVI.—FRAGMENTS OF VERSE.
1. The Preface of a Letter, written August, 1692.
E'er since the morning of that dayWhich bid my dearest friends adieu,
And rolling wheels bore me away
Far from my native town and you,
E'er since I lost through distant place,
The pleasures of a parent's face,
This is the first whose language sues
For your release from waxen bands;
Laden with humble love it bows
To kiss a welcome from your hands:
Accept the duty which it brings,
And pardon its delaying wings.
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2. The Sun in Eclipse.—To Horatio.
Now, now 'tis just at hand—
Now the bright sun leaves his meridian stage,
Rolls down the hill, and meets his sister's rage;
Her gloomy wheels full at his chariot run,
And join fierce combat with her brother sun.
The gentle monarch of the azure plain
Still paints and silvers her rebellious wain,
And shoots his wonted fires, but shoots his fires in vain.
Th'ungrateful planet does as fast requite
Th'o'erflowing measures of her borrow'd light
With an impetuous deluge of her resistless night.
His flaming coursers toss their raging heads,
And heave and grapple with the stubborn shades;
Their eyeballs flash, their brazen bellows puff,
And belch ethereal fire to guard the darkness off;
In vain their brazen lungs, in vain their eyes,
Night spreads her banners o'er the wond'ring skies.
Now the bright sun leaves his meridian stage,
Rolls down the hill, and meets his sister's rage;
Her gloomy wheels full at his chariot run,
And join fierce combat with her brother sun.
The gentle monarch of the azure plain
Still paints and silvers her rebellious wain,
And shoots his wonted fires, but shoots his fires in vain.
Th'ungrateful planet does as fast requite
Th'o'erflowing measures of her borrow'd light
With an impetuous deluge of her resistless night.
His flaming coursers toss their raging heads,
And heave and grapple with the stubborn shades;
Their eyeballs flash, their brazen bellows puff,
And belch ethereal fire to guard the darkness off;
In vain their brazen lungs, in vain their eyes,
Night spreads her banners o'er the wond'ring skies.
Say, peaceful muse, what fury did excite
The kindred stars to this prodigious fight?
Are these the rules of nature? Will the skies
Let such dark scenes of dreadful battle rise?
What dire events hang threat'ning o'er the earth?
What plagues, what wars, just bursting into birth?
Now for his teeming glebe the ploughman fears,
Lest it should yield a crop of iron spears:
Shepherds see death spread o'er the fleecy downs,
Monarchs grow pale, and tremble for their crowns:
Vain dreams of mortal weakness!
The kindred stars to this prodigious fight?
Are these the rules of nature? Will the skies
Let such dark scenes of dreadful battle rise?
What dire events hang threat'ning o'er the earth?
What plagues, what wars, just bursting into birth?
Now for his teeming glebe the ploughman fears,
Lest it should yield a crop of iron spears:
Shepherds see death spread o'er the fleecy downs,
Monarchs grow pale, and tremble for their crowns:
Vain dreams of mortal weakness!
Awake, Philosophy, with radiant eye,
Who searcheth all that's deep, and all that's high;
Awake, survey the spheres, explain the laws
Of heav'n, and bring to light th'eternal cause
Of present darkness, &c.
Who searcheth all that's deep, and all that's high;
Awake, survey the spheres, explain the laws
Of heav'n, and bring to light th'eternal cause
Of present darkness, &c.
Southampton, June, 1695.
3. In a Letter to Marinda, speaking concerning our blessed Saviour.
Let your immortal thoughts arise,Survey him crown'd with every grace,
Jesus, the wonder of the skies,
The great, the meek, the lovely and the wise,
The joy and glory of the place.
Here angels fix their gazing sight,
Here saints releas'd from earth and sin,
Dwell on his face divinely bright,
Copy his beauties with intense delight,
And with advancing lustre shine.
| The Works of the Reverend and Learned Isaac Watts, D. D. | |