But wherefore more of planets, or of stars? Ethereal journeys, and, discover'd there, Ten thousand worlds, ten thousand ways devout, All nature sending incense to the Throne, Except the bold Lorenzos of our sphere? 1900 Opening the solemn sources of my soul, Since I have pour'd, like feign'd Eridanus,[72] My flowing numbers o'er the flaming skies, Nor see, of fancy, or of fact, what more Invites the Muse.--Here turn we, and review Our past nocturnal landscape wide:--then say, Say, then, Lorenzo! with what burst of heart, The whole, at once, revolving in his thought, Must man exclaim, adoring, and aghast? 1909 "Oh, what a root! Oh, what a branch, is here! Oh, what a Father! what a family! Worlds! systems! and creations!--and creations, In one agglomerated cluster, hung, Great Vine![73] on Thee, on Thee the cluster hangs; The filial cluster! infinitely spread In glowing globes, with various being fraught; And drinks (nectareous draught!) immortal life. Or, shall I say (for who can say enough?) A constellation of ten thousand gems, (And, oh! of what dimension! of what weight!) 1920 Set in one signet, flames on the right hand Of Majesty Divine! The blazing seal, That deeply stamps, on all created mind, Indelible, His sovereign attributes, Omnipotence, and love! that, passing bound: And this, surpassing that. Nor stop we here, For want of power in God, but thought in man. Even this acknowledged, leaves us still in debt: If greater aught, that greater all is Thine, Dread Sire!--Accept this miniature of Thee; 1930 And pardon an attempt from mortal thought, In which archangels might have fail'd, unblamed." How such ideas of th' Almighty's power, And such ideas of th' Almighty's plan (Ideas not absurd), distend the thought Of feeble mortals! Nor of them alone! The fulness of the Deity breaks forth In inconceivables to men, and gods. Think, then, oh, think; nor ever drop the thought; How low must man descend, when gods adore! 1940 Have I not, then, accomplish'd my proud boast? Did I not tell thee, "We would mount, Lorenzo! 1942 And kindle our devotion at the stars"? And have I fail'd? and did I flatter thee? And art all adamant? and dost confute All urged, with one irrefragable smile? Lorenzo! mirth how miserable here! Swear by the stars, by Him who made them, swear, Thy heart, henceforth, shall be as pure as they: Then thou, like them, shalt shine; like them, shalt rise From low to lofty; from obscure to bright; 1951 By due gradation, Nature's sacred law. The stars, from whence?--Ask Chaos--he can tell. These bright temptations to idolatry, From darkness, and confusion, took their birth; Sons of deformity! from fluid dregs Tartarean, first they rose to masses rude;