And these are Suns !-vast, central, living fires, 10 Blaze round thee, leading forth their countless worlds! And drink the bliss of being, from the fount Of all-pervading Love. What mind can know, What tongue can utter all their multitudes,— Known but to Thee, blest Father? Thine they are, Thy children, and Thy care, and none o'erlooked 15 Of Thee! No, not the humblest soul that dwells Upon the humblest globe, which wheels its course Amid the giant glories of the sky, Like the mean mote that dances in the beam, Tell me, ye splendid Orbs!—as from 25 Ye mark the rolling provinces that own your thrones Your sway, what beings fill those bright abodes? 30 Peopled those purer realms with lovelier forms, And Slavery forged his chains, and Wrath, and Hate, Leagued their base bands to tread out Light and Truth 40 Or are they yet all Paradise, unfallen And uncorrupt;-existence one long joy, 5 Upon the heart, or weariness of life, Hope never quenched, and age unknown, And leath unfeared; while fresh and fadeless youth Open your lips, ye wonderful and fair! Speak, speak! the mysteries of those living worlds May read and understand. The hand of God 15 Bound to the surface of this pigmy globe, In other days, Perchance, amongst those vast mysterious spheres, 20 Familiar with its children,-learn their laws, 25 And beauty, by the hand Divine Eternity Shai tnus ro on with ever fresh delight; 30 But adding to its glories; while the soul, 5 -Mason LESSON CLXXVIII.-THE FATE OF TYRANNY. Oppression dies: the tyrant falls : Jehovah breaks the avenger's rod. Has run his raging race, has closed the scene of blood. Chiefs, armed around, behold their vanquished lord; Nor spread the guardian shield, nor lift the loyal sword. He falls; and earth again is free: Hark! at the call of Liberty, All Nature lifts the choral song. The lordly cedars nod on sacred Lebanon: Tyrant! they cry, since thy fell force is broke, Our proud heads pierce the skies, nor fear the woodman's stroke . Hell, from her gulf profound, Rouses at thine approach; and all around, Her shadowy heroes all, E'en mighty kings, the heirs of empire wide, "What! dost thou join our ghostly train, Proud king! Corruption fastens on thy breast; And calls her crawling brood, and bids them share the feast "O Lucifer! thou radiant star; Flamed foremost in the van of day; How art thou fallen, thou King of Light! Who saidst, The distant poles shall hear me and obey. He spake, he died. Distained with gore, See where his livid corse is laid. The aged pilgrim, passing by, Surveys him long with dubious eye, And muses on his fate, and shakes his reverend head "Just Heavens! is thus thy pride imperial gone Is this poor heap of dust the King of Babylon? Is this the man, whose nod Made the earth tremble; whose terrific rod Saw her rich realms transformed to deserts dry, Vain man! behold thy righteous doom; The laurel shades their sacred dust: "No trophied arch, no breathing bust, No laurel flourish o'er thy grave. For why, proud king, thy ruthless hand Hurled desolation o'er the land, And crushed the subject race, whom kings are born to save: Eternal infamy shall blast thy name, And all thy sons shall share their impious father's shame. "Rise, purple Slaughter! furious rise; Dart thy vindictive shafts around: Let no strange land a shade afford, Nor let their cities rise to curse the goodly ground. 66 Thus saith the righteous Lord: My vengeance shall unsheathe the flaming sword; I'll spread the stagnant flood; And there the bittern in the sedge shall lurk, While, sweeping o'er the plain, Yes, on mine holy mountain's brow, 5 10 15 20 25 30 The irrevocable word is spoke. From Judah's neck the galling yoke Spontaneous falls, she shines with wonted state; LESSON CLXXIX.-THE DOWNFALL OF POLAND. Thomas Campbell. O sacred Truth! thy triumph ceased a while, Warsaw's last champion from her height surveyed, He said, and on the rampart-heights arrayed In vain, alas! in vain, ye gallant few! From rank to rank your volleyed thunder flew :- Strength in her arms, nor mercy in her woe! Dropped from her nerveless grasp the shattered spear |