The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson ... for the first time fully collected and compared with the original and early editions ... edited ... by the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart ... with portrait, illustrations, &c |
 | I. |
 | II. |
| HYMNS. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
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| III. |
| IV. |
 | The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson |  |
309
HYMNS.
I.
[Where'er I turn my weary eyes]
Where'er I turn my weary eyes,
Surrounding sorrows wait;
For vain are all the passing joys,
And fairest smiles of Fate.
Surrounding sorrows wait;
For vain are all the passing joys,
And fairest smiles of Fate.
Full oft, thro' life's perplexing maze,
We chase some distant gain;
Death comes—we leave the mad pursuit,
And sigh—that all is vain.
We chase some distant gain;
Death comes—we leave the mad pursuit,
And sigh—that all is vain.
And is all vanity below?—
Religion mild replies,
‘No other joys, save those I give,
Can make thee good or wise.’
Religion mild replies,
‘No other joys, save those I give,
Can make thee good or wise.’
II.
[Ye dazzling stars above]
Ye dazzling stars above,
That deck the midnight sky;
Say, whence the mighty pow'r that thus
Suspended you on high.
That deck the midnight sky;
Say, whence the mighty pow'r that thus
Suspended you on high.
Wide o'er the vast expanse
Your glitt'ring numbers roll;
And thus, methinks, in solemn strains,
You whisper to the soul:
Your glitt'ring numbers roll;
And thus, methinks, in solemn strains,
You whisper to the soul:
‘For thee, from age to age,
Here silently we shine;
To lift thy thoughts from things below,
And lead them to divine.’
Here silently we shine;
To lift thy thoughts from things below,
And lead them to divine.’
310
III.
[Glad Morning now unfolds her wing]
Glad Morning now unfolds her wing,
And shakes the dews of night away;
The birds, from airy branches, sing,
To hail the near approach of day.
And shakes the dews of night away;
The birds, from airy branches, sing,
To hail the near approach of day.
How sad to them when Sol retires!
How welcome his returning rays!
When love their every breast inspires,
To chant the great Creator's praise.
How welcome his returning rays!
When love their every breast inspires,
To chant the great Creator's praise.
Come then, my soul! that Pow'r adore,
While light, and life, and time remain;
Soon will my day of life be o'er,
And death's descending darkness reign.
While light, and life, and time remain;
Soon will my day of life be o'er,
And death's descending darkness reign.
IV.
[Slow sinks the sun]
Slow sinks the sun
Amid the ruddy main;
While silence seals
Each closing eye to rest;
The weary bird
Steals softly to its nest;
While, from the town,
The sounds of labour cease
And all around
Is universal peace.
Amid the ruddy main;
While silence seals
Each closing eye to rest;
The weary bird
Steals softly to its nest;
While, from the town,
The sounds of labour cease
And all around
Is universal peace.
Now while the moon
Begins her nightly course;
While mild the air,
And silent sleeps the breeze;
And shadows stretch
Beneath the branching trees;
There, musing deep,
Let Contemplation stray;
Far from the noise
And discontents of day.
Begins her nightly course;
While mild the air,
And silent sleeps the breeze;
And shadows stretch
Beneath the branching trees;
There, musing deep,
Let Contemplation stray;
Far from the noise
And discontents of day.
311
V.
[Why fails my courage now?]
Why fails my courage now?Why tremble I at death?
Why sweats my throbbing brow,
To yield that trifle—breath?
Alas! some pow'r within
Incessant seems to say;
That I, in deepest sin,
Have trifled life away.
Oh! save me from the deep,
That life I may renew;
Suspend the blow, but keep
Death ever in my view.
VI.
[Again the fading fields]
Again the fading fields
Announce wild Winter nigh;
Each shed the harvest shields
From the inclement sky.
Low low'r the clouds
And o'er the plain,
Fast pours the rain
And swells the floods.
Announce wild Winter nigh;
Each shed the harvest shields
From the inclement sky.
Low low'r the clouds
And o'er the plain,
Fast pours the rain
And swells the floods.
Loud o'er the lonely height
The lashing tempest howls;
And, through the tedious night
Wild scream the wailing owls;
While round the shores
Of Albion wide;
In foaming pride,
Old Ocean roars.
The lashing tempest howls;
And, through the tedious night
Wild scream the wailing owls;
While round the shores
Of Albion wide;
In foaming pride,
Old Ocean roars.
312
VII.
[To Him who bids the tempest roll]
To Him who bids the tempest roll,
Or lulls the noontide blaze;
In joyful anthems let your soul
Proclaim His boundless praise.
Or lulls the noontide blaze;
In joyful anthems let your soul
Proclaim His boundless praise.
Where'er yon glorious orb of day
Dispels the dreary night;
Where'er his bright refulgent ray
Dispenses life and light:
Dispels the dreary night;
Where'er his bright refulgent ray
Dispenses life and light:
In one triumphant chorus high,
Let all unite around;
Till loud along the vaulted sky,
The lofty song resound.
Let all unite around;
Till loud along the vaulted sky,
The lofty song resound.
| The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson | |