They cannot dread created might, who love God the Creator! fair and lofty thought! It lifts and swells my heart! and as I muse, Behold a VISION gathers in my soul, Voices and shadowy shapes! In human guise I seem to see the phantom, FEAR, pass by, Hotly-pursued, and pale! From rock to rock He bounds with bleeding feet, and thro' the swamp, The quicksand and the groaning wilderness, Struggles with feebler and yet feebler flight. But lo! an altar in the wilderness, And eagerly yet feebly lo! he grasps The altar of the living God! and there With wan reverted face the trembling wretch All wildly list'ning to his Hunter-fiends Stands, till the last faint echo of their yell Dies in the distance. _Soon refresh'd from Heaven_ &c. 1803. [74-7] Swims in his eyes: his swimming eyes uprais'd: And Faith's whole armour girds his limbs! And thus Transfigur'd, with a meek and dreadless awe, A solemn hush of spirit _he beholds_ 1803. [78-84] Yea, and there, Unshudder'd unaghasted, he shall view E'en the SEVEN SPIRITS, who in the latter day Will shower hot pestilence on the sons of men, For he shall know, his heart shall understand, That kindling with intenser Deity They from the MERCY-SEAT like rosy flames, From God's celestial MERCY-SEAT will flash, And at the wells of renovating LOVE Fill their Seven Vials _with salutary wrath_. 1796. [81-3] For even these on wings of healing come, Yea, kindling with intenser Deity From the Celestial MERCY SEAT they speed, _And at the renovating_ &c. 1803. [86] soft] sweet 1803. [96-7] Darkling with earnest eyes he traces out Th' immediate road, all else of fairest kind 1803. [98] the burning Sun 1803. [115] The Cherubs and the trembling Seraphim 1803. [119-21] om. 1803. [135-41] O Fiends of SUPERSTITION! not that oft Your pitiless rites have floated with man's blood The skull-pil'd Temple, not for this shall wrath Thunder against you from the Holy One! But (whether ye th' unclimbing Bigot mock With secondary Gods, or if more pleas'd Ye petrify th' imbrothell'd Atheist's heart, The Atheist your worst slave) I o'er some plain Peopled with Death, and to the silent Sun Steaming with tyrant-murder'd multitudes; Or where mid groans and shrieks loud-laughing TRADE More hideous packs his bales of living anguish 1796. [165] pious] _pious_ 1796-1829. [176] mazy surge] tortuous-folds 1796. [177] imbreathe] inbreathe 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829. [202] An] A 1834. [222] an] a 1834. [223] om. 1796, 1803. [254-5] The wafted perfumes, gazing on the woods The many tinted streams 1803. [257] In extacy! 1803. [266] Blessed] O _Blest_ 1796, Watchman: evil 1803: _Blessed_ 1797, 1828, 1829. [270] by] at Watchman. [273] bloody] gore-stained 1803. [274] plants] rolls 1796. [277-8] Ye whom Oppression's ruffian gluttony Drives from the feast of life 1803. [280-1]