Ah! return, and love me still;
See me subject to thy will;

Frown with wrath, or smile with grace,
Only let me see thy face!

Evil I have none to fear,

All is good, if thou art near.

Yet he leaves me--cruel fate!
Leaves me in my lost estate-—
Have I sinn'd? Oh say wherein ;
Tell me, and forgive my sin!
King, and Lord, whom I adore,
Shall I see thy face no more?

Be not angry; I resign,
Henceforth, all my will to thine:
I consent that thou depart,

Though thine absence breaks my heart;

Go then, and for ever too;

All is right that thou wilt do.

This was just what Love intended,

He was now no more offended;
Soon as I became a child,

Love return'd to me and smiled:

Never strife shall more betide

'Twixt the bridegroom and his bride.

A CHILD OF GOD LONGING TO SEE HIM

BELOVED.

THERE's not an echo round me,
But I am glad should learn,
How pure a fire has found me—,
The love with which I burn.
For none attends with pleasure
To what I would reveal;
They slight me out of measure,
And laugh at all I feel.

The rocks receive less proudly
The story of my flame;
When I approach, they loudly
Reverberate his name.

I speak to them of sadness,
And comforts at a stand;

They bid me look for gladness,
And better days at hand.

Far from all habitation,

I heard a happy sound;
Big with the consolation,
That I have often found
I said, "My lot is sorrow,
My grief has no alloy;"
The rocks replied-" To-morrow,
To-morrow brings thee joy."

These sweet and sacred tidings,
What bliss it is to hear!
For, spite of all my chidings,
My weakness and my fear,
No sooner I receive them,
Than I forget my pain,
And, happy to believe them,
I love as much again.

I fly to scenes romantic,

Where never men resort; For in an age so frantic Impiety is sport.

For riot and confusion

They barter things above; Condemning, as delusion, The joy of perfect love.

In this sequester'd corner,

None hears what I express; Deliver❜d from the scorner,

What peace do I

possess !

Beneath the boughs reclining,

Or roving o'er the wild,

I live as undesigning

And harmless as a child.

No troubles here surprise me,
I innocently play,

While Providence supplies me,

And guards me all the day:

My dear and kind defender
Preserves me safely here,
From men of pomp and splendour,
Who fill a child with fear.

ASPIRATIONS OF THE SOUL AFTER GOD.

My Spouse! in whose presence I live,
Sole object of all my desires,

Who know'st what a flame I conceive,
And canst easily double its fires!
How pleasant is all that I meet!
From fear of adversity free,
I find even sorrow made sweet;
Because 'tis assign'd me by thee.

Transported I see thee display
Thy riches and glory divine;
I have only my life to repay,
Take what I would gladly resign.
Thy will is the treasure I seek,

For thou art as faithful as strong;
There let me, obedient and meek,
Repose myself all the day long.

My spirit and faculties fail;

Oh finish what love has begun! Destroy what is sinful and frail,

And dwell in the soul thou hast won!

Dear theme of my wonder and praise,
I cry, who is worthy as thou!
I can only be silent and gaze!
'Tis all that is left to me now.

Oh glory in which I am lost,

Too deep for the plummet of thought; On an ocean of Deity toss'd,

I am swallow'd, I sink into nought. Yet, lost and absorb'd as I seem,

I chant to the praise of my King; And, though overwhelm'd by the theme, Am happy whenever I sing.

GRATITUDE AND LOVE TO GOD.

ALL are indebted much to thee,
But I far more than all,
From many a deadly snare set free,
And raised from many a fall.

Overwhelm me, from above,
Daily, with thy boundless love.

What bonds of gratitude I feel
No language can declare;
Beneath the oppressive weight I reel,
'Tis more than I can bear:
When shall I that blessing prove,

To return thee love for love?