"Remember thy Creator in thy youth; Thy early days of purity and truth ; "Ere come the years with only evil fraught ; “When earthly pleasure shall in vain be sought; “When sun, and moon, and stars withhold their ray, "And oft returning clouds shall dim thy darkening day ; “When strength shall yield, and sense and feeling fail, "And the stout heart shall sink, and fears prevail; "Feeble the pace, timid and slow the tread, "Pale the thin cheek, and white the palsied head : “When vain alarms the wasting frame shall shake, "And fancied sounds the restless senses wake; "When nought of earthly good shall tempt desire, "Or hope, or fear, or love, or hate inspire; “But in the silent street the mourners wait, "To bear their burden from the darkened gate. “Then shall, arrested, still, and silent, be “Life's curious frame, and nice machinery ; "The silvery cords unloosed, the golden bowl 66 Emptied, the busy wheels no longer roll : “Each soft integument, and fine-stretched spring, "And now the mighty theme's conclusion hear;— "Be it thy life, thy all, thy God to fear, "And His commands to keep; for every thing, "Known, secret, evil, good, He will to judgment bring!" Farewell, of monarchs mightiest yet weak man! No more thy faults or virtues let us scan; Yet sovereign grace, which once thy spirit filled, We bless Eternal Truth, for us, that told Thy pregnant tale, and turned the dross to gold: Have cast; to us to judge belongeth not! END OF CANTO V. CANTO VI. SOLOMON AND HIS SUCCESSORS. IMMUTABLE are Heaven's eternal laws; Oft, midst the fervours of a summer-day, The Monarch sunk, deeper and darker gloom Quenched the bright beams, which Heaven's auspicious hand Had erst dispensed upon its favoured land. Yet, as th' indulgent parent long o'erlooks Faults, which not wholly rigid justice brooks; And the fond bosom pauses oft and swells, With favours heaped, became the monarch's foes; When the Crown-loosely held-should be his prey. He stayed his ravening swoop and downward wing. Meanwhile, in wisdom deep and king-craft skilled, The aged King his regal course fulfilled; A tainted fealty and forced command. |