CCV. “The feather’d fowl, that upward heav’n doth scale, These we have followed in their dusky flight; The eagle strong, or lark, or loud land-rail, And vulture fierce, with cruel talons’ might Bearing his victim to his craggy height; View’d all the air with living creatures swarm, Dance in the sunbeam with a golden light: These we discoursed, enraptured with the charm Of Nature fair dispread, that doth the fancy warm. CCVI. “And last we did direct your utmost gaze To yonder golden fires that blaze on high, Filling the mind with wonder and amaze; Her boldest pinion vain attempts to fly, Or threshold reach, its glories to descry; She cannot stretch so far, her vision dim Sees but the outskirts of immensity. The fulness of His glory dwells with Him; We but the shadow scan--how great to earth’s pilgrim! CCVII. “But vain the search, if scarce no higher aim Than curious wonder, or mere idle gaze; Employ our reason, that hath loftier claim, No less than our immortal nature raise To Him the giver,--all adoring praise His matchless works, in glory infinite! Vast in an atom as yon starry blaze; So great the pow’r display’d to mortal sight-- So skilful in design, past searching out His might! CCVIII. “For knowledge vain it is, and reason’s pow’rs, If man’s chief end it doth not teach enforce, And bid him turn from earth to heav’nly bowers, The soul’s implanted wish and purest source; But downward dragg’d by sin’s debasing choice, His noble spirit vain essays to rise, Till heav’nly guidance leads to holier course, And cause him mount once more his native skies, For which he ardent pants, for which he inward sighs. CCIX. “For oh! how vast is one immortal soul, Its end, capacity, duration great: Compared, how small creation’s mighty whole, Earth, with its glorious canopy of state, That last must wane and meet its doomed fate; But man’s immortal spirit ever lives, For him, new clothed, eternal garments wait, Fresh amaranthine bloom, and bliss derives, His being, powers, renewed, godlike Creator gives. CCX. “Such destiny, co-eval with the skies, Is man’s, whose thought most like to angel’s soars, With mind endued pre-eminent, that tries To cast its slough, and try its latent pow’rs, A new existence found ’neath blissful bowers; So shines the chrysalis, with golden wing Escaped to sip on nectar-dropping flow’rs. If, when life’s trammels burst, new life doth spring, Embrace, hold fast the Truth, seek mercy’s offering. CCXI.