So lurk'd there still in her a living ray,
To animate again its tenement of clay.

The sinking heart unto a rush will cling;

Such hope lit up the Husband's bright'ning eye,
When, like some Cherub borne on Mercy's wing,
Thou seem❜dst to whisper soft-She shall not die!
For this, a kindred circle views

With grateful thought thy pencil'd hues ;
And, while for many a future year.

We look on thy resemblance here,

We'll think that Thou, blest messenger of Life,

First to our hopes gave back the Mother and the Wife.

WRITTEN

DURING A THUNDER STORM.

JULY 14TH, 1810.

- Ιθύνει σκολιόν, και αγήνορα κάρφει
ΖΕΥΣ υψιβρεμέτης.

HESIOD.

How awfully tremendous is the scene!
Darkness veils all, save where a vivid flash
Of blue electrick light in forked course
Darts frequent cross the eye, and opes to view
The jarring clouds; which, in concussion met,
Now rumble in hoarse murmurs o'er our heads

Now, breaking out in angry open warfare,
Discharge their roaring thunder:-hark! that peal!
How grand, and yet how dreadful !—while the rain
Spouts down in torrents, and the air is thick
With pelting hailstones :-see that sheet of fire!
And hark how instantly almost succeeds
The burst of Heaven's artillery!--The storm
Is near us then. Now wake, ye listless souls,
Now bend, ye stubborn sinners; bow the knee
Before your GOD! He hurls the thunderbolt,
Frowns in the cloud, and threatens in the storm.
Thou, harden'd wretch, see'st thou that dreadful flash,

And fear'st thou not 'twill blast thee? Where, where

now

Shall the proud Atheist hide himself? where now

His boasted courage? E'en the good must tremble;
E'en to the best how awful is the scene;

To guilty minds how terrible!-O! THOÚ,
That dost bestride unseen the roaring blast,

Shrouding the brightness of thy majesty

In clouds and thickest darkness; O! great GOD!
That guidest these thy flaming ministers,
And bid'st them strike the sin-devoted head,

In THEE, with humble confidence, I trust

For safety; into THY ALMIGHTY HAND

I commit those I love!-And, as Thou teachest To pray for all, let these thy Signs on earth Carry conviction to the harden'd sinner,

And turn him to his GoD! Nor with the cause Let die th' effect; not with the ceasing storm

Let each impression fade, which it produced;— Thou wilt not thus be mock'd! Tho' merciful, Yet art Thou just; and wilt not always spare: -But, as the scene shall brighten to the view, And each dark cloud disperse, so may the sinner

Cast off the works of darkness; arm'd in light,

Burst through the clouds of guilt; and, hush'd the

storms

Of conscience, pass the remnant of his days

In virtuous sunshine and unclouded peace.