I>RAISE 0^ PHILOSOPHY. <15 



LESSON i4 



The Praise of Philosophy. 



But now !et other themes our care engage^ 



For lo, with modest yet majestic grace, 

 To curb imagination's lawless rage, 



And from within the cherish'd heart to brace. 

 Philosophy appears. The gloomy race 



By Indolence and moping Fancy bred, 

 Fear, Discontent, Solicitude, give place, 



And Hope and Courage brighten in their stead, 



While on the kindling soul her vital beams are shed 



Then waken from long lethargy to life 



The seeds of happiness and powers of thought ; 

 Then jarring appetites forego their strife, 



A strife by ignorance to madness wrought. 

 Pleasure by savage man is dearly bought 



With fell revenge, lust that defies control, 

 With gluttony and death. The mind untaught 



Is a dark waste, where fiends and tempests howl ; 



As Phoebus to the world, is science to the soul. 



And Reason now through number, time, and space, 

 Darts the keen lustre of her serious eye, 



And learns, from facts compared, the laws to trace, 

 Whose long progression leads to Deity. 



Can mortal strength presume to soar so high ! 

 Can mortal sight, so ok bedimm'd with tears 



^uch glory bear ! — for lo, the shadows fly 

 From Nature's face ; confusion disappears. 

 And order charms the eyes, and harmony the ears 



|n the deep windings of the grove, no more 



The hag obscene and grisly phantom dwell ; 

 )Kor in the fall of mountain-stream, or roar 



Of winds, is heard the angry spirit's yell ; 



No wizard mutters the tremendous spell, 

 f^or sinks convulsive in prophetic swoon ; 



Nor bids the noise of drums and trumpets swell, 

 Vo ease of fancied pangs the labouring moon, 



Or chase the shade that blots the blazing wb of noon 

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