which he laboured to administer with impartial justice and universal benevolence. 6. The discordant claims of different regions and climates, and the opposite wants of the various fruits of the earth in the same district, harassed his mind with incessant care, suspense, and perplexity. 7. If he suffered the clouds to pour down their treasures on the thirsty deserts of Arabia, impetuous torrents overwhelmed the fertile plains of Bassora; and when he sent forth a storm, to sweep away the pestiferous Samiel,* which carried death and destruction in its progress, a fleet, laden with the richest merchandize, was shipwrecked in the Gulf of Ormus. 8. The fervid beams of the sun, while they matured the luscious grape of Smyrna, destroyed the harvest of corn, and burnt up the herbage of the fields. 9. The philosopher thought that he could, perhaps, remedy these evils by turning aside the axis of the earth, and varying the ecliptic of the sun: but he found it impossible to make a change of position, by which the world could be benefited; and he dreaded the injury he might occasion to distant and unknown parts of the solar system.† 10. Oppressed with anxiety, he earnestly solicited the great governor of the universe to divest him of the painful office with which he was honoured. 11. "Father of Light," exclaimed he, The Samiel is a sudden vapour, to which travellers are exposed in the deserts of Arabia in the months of June, July, and August, which occasions instant death to every man and beast in its way. This pestiferous gust quickly passes, and does not extend itself far, but runs, as it were, in streams of no great breadth. sun. The order of the several celestial bodies which move round the 66 thy omnipotent hand and all-seeing eye are alone equal to the mighty empire of this globe. 12. The ways of nature exceed my finite thought; and I now feel with reverence and humility, that, to dispense good and evil, nothing less can be required than unerring wisdom, spotless rectitude, and sovereign power." 13. The Deity listened with indulgence to a prayer which flowed from a sincere and pious heart. 14. In the folly of the astronomer, he saw and pitied the weakness of human nature; and by strengthening the present conviction of his mind, he graciously removed the insanity under which he laboured. PERCIVAL. CHAP. XVI. On the Works of the Creation. Cre-a ́-ti-on, s. the act of forming or giving existence. In its strict sense, it implies the giving existence to a thing which had no pre-existing matter. The things created, or the universe. 1. A-do'r-ed, pret. honoured with divine worship; reverenced. 2. So'-li-ta-ry, a. lonely. Gloomy, dismal. Glade, s. a lawn or opening of a wood; a passage through a wood made by lopping off the branches of trees. 4. Choir, s. a band or company of singers 6. Re-veals', v. (third person singular), shows, discloses. Glare, s. an overpowering or dazzling lustre. 1. BEAUTY complete and majesty divine, In all thy works, ador'd Creator, shine; * What we call the sky is nothing more than the boundary of sight. Where'er I cast my wond'ring eyes around, The God I seek in ev'ry part is found. 2. Pursuing thee, the flow'ry fields I trace, And read thy name on ev'ry spire of grass. I follow thee thro' many a lonely shade, And find thee in the solitary glade. 3. I meet thee in the kind refreshing gale That gently passes thro' the dewy vale: The pink, the jasmine, and the purple rose, Perfum'd by thee, their fragrant leaves disclose. 4. The feather'd choir, that welcome in the spring, By thee were taught their various notes to sing; By thee the morning, in her crimson vest And ornaments of golden clouds, is drest. 5. The sun in all its splendour wears thy beams, And drinks in light from thy exhaustless streams The moon reveals thee by her glimm'ring ray.; Unnumber'd stars thy glorious paths display. 6. Amid the solemn darkness of the night, The thoughts of God my musing soul delight. 7. Thick shade and night thy dread pavilion forın; In state thou rid'st upon the flying storm; While thy strong hand its fiercest rage restrains, And holds the wild unmanag'd winds in reins. 8. What sparklings of thy majesty appear, When thro' the firmament swift lightnings glare! When peals of thunder fill the skies around, I hear thy voice in the tremendous sound. 9. But oh! how small a part is known of thee; From all thy works immense variety! Whatever mortal men perfection name Thou in an infinite degree dost claim. 10. And while I here thy faintest shadow's trace, 11. When shall the heav'nly scene, without controul, Open in dazzling triumph on my soul? My powers with all their ardour, shall adore, And languish for terrestrial charms no more. RowE. CHAP. XVII. On the Death of Mr. R. Levet, a practiser in Physic. 3. Af-fec'-ti-on, s. love, fondness, regard, or good-will. Ar-ro-gance, s. the assuming a claiming to one's-self more honour or merit than is our due. 6. Pet'-ty, a. small, inconsiderable. 8. Gli'-ded, pret. passed by without any tumult 1. CONDEMN'D to hope's delusive mine, 2. Well try'd through many a varying year, Officious, innocent, sincere, Of ev'ry friendless name the friend. 3. Yet still he fills affection's eye, Obscurely wise, and coarsely kind; Nor, letter'd arrogance, deny Thy praise to merit unrefin'd. 4. When fainting nature call'd for aid, The power of art without the show. 5. In misery's darkest cavern known, 6. No summons mock'd by chill delay, 7. His virtues walk'd their narrow round, 8. The busy day-the peaceful night, His frame was firm-his pow'rs were bright, 9. Then with no fiery throbbing pain, Death broke at once the vital chain, And forc'd his soul the nearest way. JOHNSON. |