While sable-mantled darkness with his veil The visage of the fair horizon shades, And over nature spreads his raven wings; Let me upon some unfrequented green While sleep sits heavy on the drowsy world, Seek out some solitary peaceful cell, Where darksome woods around their gloomy brows Bow low, and ev’ry hill’s protended shade Obscures the dusky vale, there silent dwell, Where contemplation holds its still abode, There trace the wide and pathless void of heav’n, And count the stars that sparkle on its robe. Or else in fancy’s wild’ring mazes lost Upon the verdure see the fairy elves Dance o’er their magick circles, or behold, In thought enraptur’d with the ancient bards, Medea’s baleful incantations draw Down from her orb the paly queen of night. But chiefly ~NEWTON~ let me soar with thee, And while surveying all yon starry vault With admiration I attentive gaze, Thou shalt descend from thy celestial seat, And waft aloft my high-aspiring mind, Shalt shew me there how nature has ordain’d Her fundamental laws, shalt lead my thought Through all the wand’rings of th’ uncertain moon, And teach me all her operating powers. She and the sun with influence conjoint Wield the huge axle of the whirling earth, And from their just direction turn the poles, Slow urging on the progress of the years. The constellations seem to leave their seats, And o’er the skies with solemn pace to move. You, splendid rulers of the day and night, The seas obey, at your resistless sway Now they contract their waters, and expose The dreary desart of old ocean’s reign. The craggy rocks their horrid sides disclose; Trembling the sailor views the dreadful scene, And cautiously the threat’ning ruin shuns. But where the shallow waters hide the sands, There ravenous destruction lurks conceal’d, There the ill-guided vessel falls a prey, And all her numbers gorge his greedy jaws. But quick returning see th’ impetuous tides Back to th’ abandon’d shores impell the main. Again the foaming seas extend their waves, Again the rouling floods embrace the shoars, And veil the horrours of the empty deep. Thus the obsequious seas your power confess, While from the surface healthful vapours rise Plenteous throughout the atmosphere diffus’d, Or to supply the mountain’s heads with springs, Or fill the hanging clouds with needful rains, That friendly streams, and kind refreshing show’rs May gently lave the sun-burnt thirsty plains, Or to replenish all the empty air With wholsome moisture to increase the fruits Of earth, and bless the labours of mankind. O ~NEWTON~, whether flies thy mighty soul, How shall the feeble muse pursue through all The vast extent of thy unbounded thought, That even seeks th’ unseen recesses dark To penetrate of providence immense. And thou the great dispenser of the world Propitious, who with inspiration taught’st