100 HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 



cause from the midnight gloom in which they were involved, 

 they looked up to the Sun of Righteousness, and shone with 

 reflected radiance, when cheered by his gladdening rays \" 



Afloat upon the deep at midnight hour, 



When sleep has sealed the eyes of all aboard ; 



When even the helmsman, trusting to the calm, 



Over the rudder sleeps ; when not a sound, 



Save at long intervals the heavy clank 



Of the dark wave, is heard against the keel 



Thy pensive mind inclines to ruminate ; 



And 'midst thy ponderings perchance thou'lt say, 



' All nature sleeps ! Hail, solitude sublime !' 



But sleepeth nature? Sleep these twinkling orbs ? 



And reigneth solitude ? Art thou forsooth alone ? 



Hover no cherubim on noiseless wing 



Around thy head ? Dead is the silent sea ? 



Smite but with sudden stroke the darkened prow, 



And flash refulgent from the gloomy deep 



Will tell that myriads of the finny tribes, 



In silver shoals, are wantoning around. 



Dip but an oar into the briny main, 



And straight the oar drops diamonds, and the sea, 



Though, when unwounded and untroubled, dark, 



Now shines like furnace full of molten gold. 



"Tis with vast multitudes of living things 



That thus the deep is burnish'd. Undisturb'd, 



No light they give, and would unseen remain, 



Though the bright sun shone on the peopled wave. 



But in the gloom of night, if the rough wind, 



