University of Virginia Library

LIGHT AND THE PRISM.

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(A Rain-bow Scene.)

Brightness of heav'n,—how can I gaze on thee?
Exceeding weight of glory, light of light,
Essential name and character of God,
Effulgence inconceivable, with which
Compar'd the lightning's momentary flash
Is but a stream of darkness! lo, I close
Imagination's red and fever'd eye,
My soaring fancy droops her languid wing,
My thought recoils upon itself, afraid
To dive into the fathomless abyss
Of light unbearable, lest reason's taper
Should in the vision of its God be quenched.
What mortal eye can gaze on Him and live?
He dwells in glory unapproachable,
Glory supreme, that nothing can increase,
Nor aught diminish, though a million suns
Drink seas of splendour from that gushing source!
But let the veil of manhood interpose;
Let God incarnate be the central prism
To illustrate the Deity to man,—
Then in what glorious hues of love and grace,
Wisdom, and Beauty, and Omnipotence,
The rain-bow of the covenant shines forth!
And though the Christian's mind may chiefly dwell
On darling attributes he chiefly loves,
Yet each fair ray, and every varied shade
May to the same bright focus still be drawn,
Glory supreme, unsullied, infinite!
Thus in prismatic dyes creation glows
In all her loveliness, and nature's face
Is but a chart of God; a fair expanse
In which are mirror'd all His attributes.