In pleasure's lap the muses long have…

In pleasure's lap the muses long have lain, And hung, attentive, on her Syren strain: Still toils the bard beneath some weak design, And puny thought but halts along the line: Or tuneful nothings, stealing on the mind, Melt into air, nor leave a trace behind. While to thy rapt'rous prose, we feel, belong The strength of wisdom, and the voice of song: This lifts the torch of sacred truth on high, And points the captives to their native sky. How false the joys, which earth or sense inspires, That clog the soul, and damp her purer fires! Truths, which thy solemn scenes, my friend, declare, Whose glowing colours paint us as we are. Yet not morosely stern, nor idly gay, Dull melancholy reigns, or trifles sway; Ill wou'd the strains of levity befit, And sullen gloom but sadden all thy wit: Truth, judgment, sense, imagination join; And ev'ry muse, and ev'ry grace, is thine. Religion prompting the true end of man, Conspiring genius executes the plan; Strong to convince, and elegant to charm, Plaintive to melt, or passionate to warm. Rais'd by degrees, we elevate our aim; And grow immortal as we catch thy flame; True piety informs our languid hearts, And all the vicious, and the vain, departs. So, when foul spreading fogs creep slowly on, Blot the fair morn, and hide the golden sun: Ardent he pours the boundless blaze of day, Rides thro' the sky, and shines the mist away. O, had it been th' Almighty's gracious will, That I had shar'd a portion of thy skill; Had this poor breast receiv'd the heav'nly beam, Which spreads its lustre thro' thy various theme; That speaks deep lessons from the silent tomb, And crowns thy garden with fresh springing bloom; Or, piercing thro' creation's ample whole, Now sooths the night, or gilds the starry pole; Or marks how winter calls her howling train, Her snows and storms, that desolate the plain; With thee the muse shall trace the pleasing road, That leads from Nature up to Nature's GOD; Humble to learn, and, as she knows the more, Glad to obey, and happy to adore.