In DAVID all express'd; the good, the great, The king, the hero, and the man compleat. Serene he sits, and sweeps the golden lyre, And blends the prophet's with the poet's fire. See! with what art he strikes the vocal strings, The God, his theme, inspiring what he sings! Hark--or our ears delude us--from his tongue Sweet flows, or seems to flow, some heav'nly song. Oh! could thine art arrest the flitting sound, And paint the voice in magic numbers bound; Could the warm sun, as erst when Memnon play'd Wake with his rising beam the vocal shade: Then might he draw th' attentive angels down, Bending to hear the lay, so sweet, so like their own. On either side the monarch's offspring shine, And some adorn, and some disgrace their line. Here Ammon glories; proud, incestuous lord! This hand sustains the robe, and that the sword. Frowning and fierce, with haughty strides he tow'rs, And on his horrid brow defiance low'rs. There Absalom the ravish'd sceptre sways, And his stol'n honour all his shame displays: The base usurper Youth! who joins in one The rebel subject, and th' ungrateful son. Amid the royal race, see Nathan stand: Fervent he seems to speak, and lift his hand; His looks th' emotion of his soul disclose, And eloquence from every gesture flows. Such, and so stern he came, ordain'd to bring Th' ungrateful mandate to the guilty King: When, at his dreadful voice, a sudden smart Shot thro' the trembling monarch's conscious heart; From his own lips condemn'd; severe decree! Had his God prov'd so stern a Judge as He. But man with frailty is allay'd by birth; Consummate purity ne'er dwelt on earth: Thro' all the soul tho' virtue holds the rein, Beats at the heart, and springs in ev'ry vein: Yet ever from the clearest source have ran Some gross allay, some tincture of the man. But who is he----deep-musing----in his mind, He seems to weigh, in reason's scales, mankind; Fix'd contemplation holds his steady eyes---- I know the sage[3]; the wisest of the wise. Blest with all man could wish, or prince obtain, Yet his great heart pronounc'd those blessings vain. And lo! bright glitt'ring in his sacred hands, In miniature the glorious temple stands. Effulgent frame! stupendous to behold! Gold the strong valves, the roof of burnish'd gold. The wand'ring ark, in that bright dome enshrin'd, Spreads the strong light, eternal, unconfin'd! Above th' unutterable glory plays } Presence divine! and the full-streaming rays } Pour thro' reluctant clouds intolerable blaze. } But stern oppression rends Reboam's reign; See the gay prince, injurious, proud and vain! Th' imperial sceptre totters in his hand, And proud rebellion triumphs in the land. Curs'd with corruption's ever-fruitful spring,