The pitying heart that felt for human wo; The dauntless heart that feared no human pride; The friend of man, to vice alone a foe; "For even his failings leaned to virtue's side."1 A PRAYER IN THE PROSPECT OF In the course of the summer 1784, the health of the poet gave way to a serious extent. The movements of the heart were affected, and he became liable to fainting fits, particularly in the night-time. The youthful bard, feeling that death hovered over him, and reflecting with compunction on the errors partly involved in the cause of his malady, was for a time under very serious impressions. He at this time wrote what he calls in his Commonplace-book “a Prayer when fainting fits and other alarming symptoms of a pleurisy, or some other dangerous disorder which still threatens me, first put nature on the alarm." It was subsequently published under the more simple title of A Prayer in the Prospect of Death. OH thou unknown, Almighty Cause 1 Goldsmith. In whose dread presence, ere an hour, If I have wandered in those paths As something, loudly, in my breast, Thou know'st that Thou hast formed me Where human weakness has come short, Do thou, All-good! for such thou art, Ja shades of darkness hide. Where with intention I have erred, No other plea I have, But, Thou art good; and goodness still STANZAS ON THE SAME OCCASION. WHY am I loth to leave this earthly scene? Have I so found it full of pleasing charms? Some drops of joy with draughts of ill be tween: Some gleams of sunshine 'mid renewing storms: Is it departing pangs my soul alarms? Or death's unlovely, dreary, dark abode? For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms; I tremble to approach an angry God, And justly smart beneath his sin-avenging rod. Fain would I say, "Forgive my foul offence!" Again exalt the brute, and sink the man; "Then how should I for heavenly mercy pray, Who act SO counter heavenly mercy's plan? Who sin so oft have mourned, yet to temptation ran? Oh Thou, great Governor of all below! Or still the tumult of the raging sea: With that controlling power assist even me Those headlong furious passions to confine; For all unfit I feel my powers to be, To rule their torrent in the allowed line; Oh, aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine ! 1 THE FIRST PSALM. To the same period I am disposed to refer two translations of psalms, which appeared in the Edinburgh edition of his poems. THE man, in life wherever placed, Hath happiness in store, Who walks not in the wicked's way, Nor from the seat of scornful pride But with humility and awe Still walks before his God. That man shall flourish like the trees 1 In Mr. Dick's MS. is apparently an earlier copy of this poem, containing some variations expressive of deeper contrition than what here appears. After "Again I might desert fair Virtue's way," comes, " Again by passion would be led astray." The second line of the last stanza is, "If one so black with crimes dare on thee call." But he whose blossom buds in guilt, For why? that God the good adore THE FIRST SIX VERSES OF THE NINETIETH PSALM. ОH Thou, the first, the greatest friend Whose strong right hand has ever been Before the mountains heaved their heads Beneath thy forming hand, Before this ponderous globe itself Arose at Thy command; That Power which raised and still upholds This universal frame, From countless, unbeginning time, Was ever still the same. |