TIME. 41 



Thou proud man, look upon j'on starry vault, 



Survey the countless gems which richly stud 



The night's imperial chariot ; — Telescopes 



"Will show thee myriads more, innumerous 



As the sea-sand ; — Each of those little lamps 



Is the great source of light, the central sun 



Around which some other mighty sisterhood 



Of planets travel, — Every planet stock'd 



With living beings impotent as thee. 



Now, proud man — now, where is thy greatness fled i 



What art thou in the scale of universe ? 



Less, less than nothing ! — Yet of thee the God 



Who built this wondrous frame of worlds is careful, 



As well as of the mendicant who begs 



The leavings of thy table. And shalt thou 



Lift up thy thankless spirit, and contemn 



His heavenly providence ! Deluded fool. 



Even now the thunderbolt is wing'd with death, 



Even now thou totterest on the brink of Hell. 



How insignificant is mortal man, 



Bound to the hasty pinions of an hour ! 



How poor, how trivial in the vast conceit 



Of infinite duration, boundless space ! 



God of the universe — Almighty One — 



Thou who dost walk upon the winged winds, 



Or with the storm, thy rugged charioteer. 



Swift and impetuous as the northern blast, 



Eldest from pole to pole ; — Thou who dost hold 



The forked lightnings in thine awful grasp. 



And reinest in the earthquake, when thy wrath 



Goes down towards erring man, — I would address 



To thee my parting paean ; for of thee, 



Great beyond comprehension, who thyself 



Art time and space, sublime infinitude, 



Of thee has been my song ! — With awe I kneel 



Trembling before the footstool of thy state, 



My God, my Father ! — I will sing to thee 



A hymn of laud, a solemn canticle, 



Ere on the cypress wreath, which overshadea 



