And, while the wings of fancy still are free,
And I can view this mimic show of thee,
Time has but half succeeded in his theft
Thyself removed, thy power to soothe me left.

COWPER.

THE DOG AND THE WATER-LILY.

THE noon was shady, and soft airs

Swept Ouse's silent tide,
When, 'scaped from literary cares,

I wandered on its side.

My spaniel, prettiest of his race,

And high in pedigree(Two nymphs, adorned with every grace,

That spaniel found for me)

Now wantoned lost in flags and reeds,

Now starting into sight,
Pursued the swallow o'er the meads,

With scarce a slower flight.

It was the time when Ouse displayed

His lilies newly blown;
Their beauties I intent surveyed,

And one I wished my own.

With cane extended far, I sought

To steer it close to land ;
But still the prize, though nearly caught,

Escaped my eager hand.

Beau marked my unsuccessful pains

With fixed considerate face,
And, puzzling, set his puppy brains

To comprehend the case.

But with a cherup clear and strong,

Dispersing all his dream,
I thence withdrew, and followed long

The windings of the stream.

My ramble ended, I returned;

Beau, trotting far before,
The floating wreath again discerned,

And, plunging, left the shore.

I saw him, with that lily cropped,

Impatient swim to meet
My quick approach, and soon he dropped
The treasure at my

feet.

Charmed with the sight, “The world,” I cried,

“Shall hear of this thy deed : My dog shall mortify the pride

Of man's superior breed;

But chief myself I will enjoin,

Awake at duty's call,
To show a love as prompt as thine

To Him who gives me all.”

COWPER.

THE HEALER.

I was a stricken deer, that left the herd
Long since. With many an arrow deep infix'd
My panting side was charged, when I withdrew
To seek a tranquil death in distant shades.
There was I found by One, who had Himself
Been hurt by th' archers. In His side He bore,
And in His hands and feet, the cruel scars.
With gentle force soliciting the darts,
He drew them forth, and healed, and bade me live.

COWPER.

SUNDAY.

O DAY most calm, most bright,
The fruit of this, the next world's bud,
The indorsement of supreme delight,
Writ by a Friend, and with His blood;
The couch of time; care’s balm and bay;
The week were dark, but for thy light;

Thy torch doth shew the way.

The other days and thou
Make up one man; whose face thou art,
Knocking at heaven with thy brow:
The working days are the back part;
The burden of the week lies there,
Making the whole to stoop and bow,

Till thy release appear.

Man had straight forward gone
To endless death; but thou dost pull
And turn us round to look on One,
Whom, if we were not very dull,
We could not choose but look on still;
Since there is no place so alone

The which He doth not fill.

Sundays the pillars are
On which heaven's palace arched lies;
The other days fill up the spare
And hollow room with vanities.
They are the fruitful beds and borders
In God's rich garden: that is bare

Which parts their ranks and orders.

The Sundays of man's life,
Threaded together on Time's string,
Make bracelets to adorn the wife
Of the eternal glorious King.
On Sunday heaven's gate stands ope;
Blessings are plentiful and rife,

More plentiful than hope.

This day my

Saviour

rose, And did enclose this light for His; That, as each beast his manger knows, Man might not of his fodder miss. Christ hath enclosed this piece of

ground, And made a garden there for those

Who want herbs for their wound.

a

The rest of our creation Our great Redeemer did remove With the same shake, which at His passion Did the earth and all things with it move. As Samson bore the doors away, Christ's hands, though nail'd, wrought our salvation,

And did unhinge that day.

The brightness of that day
We sullied by our foul offence:
Wherefore that robe we cast away,
Having a new at His expense,
Whose drops of blood paid the full price
That was required to make us gay,

And fit for Paradise.

Thou art a day of mirth:
And where the week days trail on ground,
Thy flight is higher, as thy birth :
O let me take thee at the bound,
Leaping with thee from seven to seven,
Till that we both, being toss'd from earth,
Fly hand in hand to heaven.

HERBERT.

GRACE.

My stock lies dead, and no increase
Doth my dull husbandry improve;
O let thy graces without cease

Drop from above.