Night Musings.
The sun’s keen rays are hidden by the hills,But golden glories flame along the sky,Shooting their radiance to the lofty crownOf heaven’s bright vault. Unnumbered floating cloudsSkirt the horizon, and their crimson foldsBurn like a furnace in the glowing light,Yet softly, gently; no fierce earthly fireIs passing on them, but they calmly restAs in the warmth and lustre of some sphereBy spirits tenanted; and gazing deepThrough yon refulgent vistas of the west,The heart is ’wakened to immortal thoughtsOf higher beings, or of purer worlds;To contemplations fitted to receiveThe starry lessons of the coming night.More soft and pure, more varied and serene,The rainbow hues of fading twilight grow.Above the summit of yon mountain peak,The glittering star of evening sparkles fairWith gem-like radiance. O’er the darkening earthThe warm mists hover, and on buds and bellsDistil their fragrant life-inspiring dews.Sweet flowers send forth their incense of perfume,And fill the air with odour, breathing roundA rich refreshment, grateful to the heart.Deep shadows spread, as if from heaven’s high arch,Night, like a purple curtain, slowly fell,Enfringed with gold, and richly ’broidered o’erWith sparkling gems, all scintillating bright.The purple deepens, and one star-filled dome,Circles with lustre all the earth aroundSo calm and peaceful, so serenely fair,That earth’s wild passions at the glorious sightSeem awed into repose; and man, brought forthAmid a solitude sublime, to museWith elevated thoughts, and higher aims,Infused from heaven, and kindled by the glanceOf those far orbs, so lucid soft and clear,Till all his soul in humble worship melts,And holy reverence before the high,Majestic presence of the starry worlds.Ye gleaming lights, how beautiful ye shine,Filling the night with loveliness. Not one,Of all your myriads, but reveals a taleOf ages so remote and vast, they seemAs an eternity to short-lived man.Thus calmly shone ye when the formless deepHeaved with the birth-throes of this present world,And mountain summits forced their jagged headsThrough the dark surges of the boiling main.Slow spread the continents beneath your lightIn fearful desolation. Turbid flowedThe new-born rivers through the wilderness,Herbless and treeless their wild, dreary banks.But soon the life-touch of Creative breathPassed o’er this desert, and it swiftly bloomed,In verdant beauty. Herb and fruit and flowerMingled their loveliness beneath the shadeOf trees umbrageous. The wide waters teemedWith pregnant life, the groves were filled with song,And hill and valley echoed to the cryOf new-formed creatures sporting in delight.When earth was fitted to receive her guest,After long ages of successive changeAnd wondrous preparation, man appeared,Creation’s crown, the culminating pointWhere finite and where infinite unite;Where thought could dwell, and with sublime ascent,Rise from all creatures to their Living Cause.How fearful and how wonderful is mind!A mystic mirror, fitted to reflectThe universe with all its varied forms,In pure unsullied beauty; thence to pierceThrough the rich vision, and the fair array,And deeply search each hidden spring and causeTill, link by link, the golden chain is foundThat binds creation to the Throne of Power.How full of wonder man’s first ardent gazeAround the earth, in daylight beauty bright;But higher wonder must have stirred his soul—More deep religious awe—when first the nightRevealed the glories of her ebon shade,With thousand lamps attendant. Soon his mindWould strive to learn the mystery immenseOf all their fair array. “Are ye mere lightsAmid the azure canopy of heaven,In order marshalled, to redeem the nightFrom utter desolation? Oh! ye moveIn wondrous sequence, and keep up a marchO’er the same pathway that the sun hath trod.How godlike is your aspect, ye must ruleThe destinies of man. Your varied firesControl the life within him and around,And make the kingdoms of the earth your own.”Thus, in the infancy of mind, the stars,Bright realms of light, by erring thought, were madeTo shed a darkness on the human soul,And bind its free-born energies. But now,When thought, through centuries its march sublimeHath onward held, and Science hath enlargedHer bounds as ocean: to man’s questioningsThe heavens unfold their secrets, and send downTheir revelations to astound his soul.Her magic tube Astronomy hath heldWith power aloft, and pierced the hidden depths,Then turned to earth again, and told the tale,The mighty tale, most wonderful yet true—That yon bright specks are gorgeous worlds and suns,In countless millions, far apart and spreadThroughout immensity, in ordered clans,Harmonious systems, moving swiftly onWith power past utt’rance, through the aweful, vast,Infinitude of space, and had their birthOr first commenced their race sublime amidSuch deep profundity of ancient TimeIt seems Eternity. Ye mighty worlds,Like them of old, still would I fondly thinkThat on your orbs man’s destiny is writIn brighter, fairer characters than e’erChaldean sage decyphered. Tell ye notThe greatness of that essence that can linkItself by thought with ye? And are ye notThe cradles of his being, the primal worldsWhere his immortal destiny begins,From whence ascending, into higher spheres,His growing spirit may at length find restIn spiritual realms? Your numbers tellOf “numbers numberless” of finite minds,Created likenesses of God most High,In whose full myriads he may image forthHis own infinity, and fill their soulsWith heavenly goodness, wisdom high and pure,That thus receiving from the fount of LifeThe living stream, their natures may becomeDivine, angelical, prepared to formA still increasing universe of bliss.Oh thought ennobling, destiny sublime!Happy the man who marks the canons writOn his own being, on the sacred pageOf revelation, and the ordered frameOf this fair world, and with an effort firmAnd persevering, strives to win the prize!How grand the lessons of creation’s book,How mighty every page, when read aright,To teach humility to man, and fillHis breast with sacred confidence and loveAnd holy fear. Then, bow ye, and adore,The infinite of Love whence all things are,The infinite of Truth that gave them frame,The infinite of Power wherein they dwell,The one Creating and Redeeming God!
The sun’s keen rays are hidden by the hills,But golden glories flame along the sky,Shooting their radiance to the lofty crownOf heaven’s bright vault. Unnumbered floating cloudsSkirt the horizon, and their crimson foldsBurn like a furnace in the glowing light,Yet softly, gently; no fierce earthly fireIs passing on them, but they calmly restAs in the warmth and lustre of some sphereBy spirits tenanted; and gazing deepThrough yon refulgent vistas of the west,The heart is ’wakened to immortal thoughtsOf higher beings, or of purer worlds;To contemplations fitted to receiveThe starry lessons of the coming night.More soft and pure, more varied and serene,The rainbow hues of fading twilight grow.Above the summit of yon mountain peak,The glittering star of evening sparkles fairWith gem-like radiance. O’er the darkening earthThe warm mists hover, and on buds and bellsDistil their fragrant life-inspiring dews.Sweet flowers send forth their incense of perfume,And fill the air with odour, breathing roundA rich refreshment, grateful to the heart.Deep shadows spread, as if from heaven’s high arch,Night, like a purple curtain, slowly fell,Enfringed with gold, and richly ’broidered o’erWith sparkling gems, all scintillating bright.The purple deepens, and one star-filled dome,Circles with lustre all the earth aroundSo calm and peaceful, so serenely fair,That earth’s wild passions at the glorious sightSeem awed into repose; and man, brought forthAmid a solitude sublime, to museWith elevated thoughts, and higher aims,Infused from heaven, and kindled by the glanceOf those far orbs, so lucid soft and clear,Till all his soul in humble worship melts,And holy reverence before the high,Majestic presence of the starry worlds.Ye gleaming lights, how beautiful ye shine,Filling the night with loveliness. Not one,Of all your myriads, but reveals a taleOf ages so remote and vast, they seemAs an eternity to short-lived man.Thus calmly shone ye when the formless deepHeaved with the birth-throes of this present world,And mountain summits forced their jagged headsThrough the dark surges of the boiling main.Slow spread the continents beneath your lightIn fearful desolation. Turbid flowedThe new-born rivers through the wilderness,Herbless and treeless their wild, dreary banks.But soon the life-touch of Creative breathPassed o’er this desert, and it swiftly bloomed,In verdant beauty. Herb and fruit and flowerMingled their loveliness beneath the shadeOf trees umbrageous. The wide waters teemedWith pregnant life, the groves were filled with song,And hill and valley echoed to the cryOf new-formed creatures sporting in delight.When earth was fitted to receive her guest,After long ages of successive changeAnd wondrous preparation, man appeared,Creation’s crown, the culminating pointWhere finite and where infinite unite;Where thought could dwell, and with sublime ascent,Rise from all creatures to their Living Cause.How fearful and how wonderful is mind!A mystic mirror, fitted to reflectThe universe with all its varied forms,In pure unsullied beauty; thence to pierceThrough the rich vision, and the fair array,And deeply search each hidden spring and causeTill, link by link, the golden chain is foundThat binds creation to the Throne of Power.How full of wonder man’s first ardent gazeAround the earth, in daylight beauty bright;But higher wonder must have stirred his soul—More deep religious awe—when first the nightRevealed the glories of her ebon shade,With thousand lamps attendant. Soon his mindWould strive to learn the mystery immenseOf all their fair array. “Are ye mere lightsAmid the azure canopy of heaven,In order marshalled, to redeem the nightFrom utter desolation? Oh! ye moveIn wondrous sequence, and keep up a marchO’er the same pathway that the sun hath trod.How godlike is your aspect, ye must ruleThe destinies of man. Your varied firesControl the life within him and around,And make the kingdoms of the earth your own.”Thus, in the infancy of mind, the stars,Bright realms of light, by erring thought, were madeTo shed a darkness on the human soul,And bind its free-born energies. But now,When thought, through centuries its march sublimeHath onward held, and Science hath enlargedHer bounds as ocean: to man’s questioningsThe heavens unfold their secrets, and send downTheir revelations to astound his soul.Her magic tube Astronomy hath heldWith power aloft, and pierced the hidden depths,Then turned to earth again, and told the tale,The mighty tale, most wonderful yet true—That yon bright specks are gorgeous worlds and suns,In countless millions, far apart and spreadThroughout immensity, in ordered clans,Harmonious systems, moving swiftly onWith power past utt’rance, through the aweful, vast,Infinitude of space, and had their birthOr first commenced their race sublime amidSuch deep profundity of ancient TimeIt seems Eternity. Ye mighty worlds,Like them of old, still would I fondly thinkThat on your orbs man’s destiny is writIn brighter, fairer characters than e’erChaldean sage decyphered. Tell ye notThe greatness of that essence that can linkItself by thought with ye? And are ye notThe cradles of his being, the primal worldsWhere his immortal destiny begins,From whence ascending, into higher spheres,His growing spirit may at length find restIn spiritual realms? Your numbers tellOf “numbers numberless” of finite minds,Created likenesses of God most High,In whose full myriads he may image forthHis own infinity, and fill their soulsWith heavenly goodness, wisdom high and pure,That thus receiving from the fount of LifeThe living stream, their natures may becomeDivine, angelical, prepared to formA still increasing universe of bliss.Oh thought ennobling, destiny sublime!Happy the man who marks the canons writOn his own being, on the sacred pageOf revelation, and the ordered frameOf this fair world, and with an effort firmAnd persevering, strives to win the prize!How grand the lessons of creation’s book,How mighty every page, when read aright,To teach humility to man, and fillHis breast with sacred confidence and loveAnd holy fear. Then, bow ye, and adore,The infinite of Love whence all things are,The infinite of Truth that gave them frame,The infinite of Power wherein they dwell,The one Creating and Redeeming God!
The sun’s keen rays are hidden by the hills,But golden glories flame along the sky,Shooting their radiance to the lofty crownOf heaven’s bright vault. Unnumbered floating cloudsSkirt the horizon, and their crimson foldsBurn like a furnace in the glowing light,Yet softly, gently; no fierce earthly fireIs passing on them, but they calmly restAs in the warmth and lustre of some sphereBy spirits tenanted; and gazing deepThrough yon refulgent vistas of the west,The heart is ’wakened to immortal thoughtsOf higher beings, or of purer worlds;To contemplations fitted to receiveThe starry lessons of the coming night.More soft and pure, more varied and serene,The rainbow hues of fading twilight grow.Above the summit of yon mountain peak,The glittering star of evening sparkles fairWith gem-like radiance. O’er the darkening earthThe warm mists hover, and on buds and bellsDistil their fragrant life-inspiring dews.Sweet flowers send forth their incense of perfume,And fill the air with odour, breathing round
The sun’s keen rays are hidden by the hills,
But golden glories flame along the sky,
Shooting their radiance to the lofty crown
Of heaven’s bright vault. Unnumbered floating clouds
Skirt the horizon, and their crimson folds
Burn like a furnace in the glowing light,
Yet softly, gently; no fierce earthly fire
Is passing on them, but they calmly rest
As in the warmth and lustre of some sphere
By spirits tenanted; and gazing deep
Through yon refulgent vistas of the west,
The heart is ’wakened to immortal thoughts
Of higher beings, or of purer worlds;
To contemplations fitted to receive
The starry lessons of the coming night.
More soft and pure, more varied and serene,
The rainbow hues of fading twilight grow.
Above the summit of yon mountain peak,
The glittering star of evening sparkles fair
With gem-like radiance. O’er the darkening earth
The warm mists hover, and on buds and bells
Distil their fragrant life-inspiring dews.
Sweet flowers send forth their incense of perfume,
And fill the air with odour, breathing round
A rich refreshment, grateful to the heart.Deep shadows spread, as if from heaven’s high arch,Night, like a purple curtain, slowly fell,Enfringed with gold, and richly ’broidered o’erWith sparkling gems, all scintillating bright.The purple deepens, and one star-filled dome,Circles with lustre all the earth aroundSo calm and peaceful, so serenely fair,That earth’s wild passions at the glorious sightSeem awed into repose; and man, brought forthAmid a solitude sublime, to museWith elevated thoughts, and higher aims,Infused from heaven, and kindled by the glanceOf those far orbs, so lucid soft and clear,Till all his soul in humble worship melts,And holy reverence before the high,Majestic presence of the starry worlds.Ye gleaming lights, how beautiful ye shine,Filling the night with loveliness. Not one,Of all your myriads, but reveals a taleOf ages so remote and vast, they seemAs an eternity to short-lived man.Thus calmly shone ye when the formless deepHeaved with the birth-throes of this present world,And mountain summits forced their jagged headsThrough the dark surges of the boiling main.Slow spread the continents beneath your lightIn fearful desolation. Turbid flowed
A rich refreshment, grateful to the heart.
Deep shadows spread, as if from heaven’s high arch,
Night, like a purple curtain, slowly fell,
Enfringed with gold, and richly ’broidered o’er
With sparkling gems, all scintillating bright.
The purple deepens, and one star-filled dome,
Circles with lustre all the earth around
So calm and peaceful, so serenely fair,
That earth’s wild passions at the glorious sight
Seem awed into repose; and man, brought forth
Amid a solitude sublime, to muse
With elevated thoughts, and higher aims,
Infused from heaven, and kindled by the glance
Of those far orbs, so lucid soft and clear,
Till all his soul in humble worship melts,
And holy reverence before the high,
Majestic presence of the starry worlds.
Ye gleaming lights, how beautiful ye shine,
Filling the night with loveliness. Not one,
Of all your myriads, but reveals a tale
Of ages so remote and vast, they seem
As an eternity to short-lived man.
Thus calmly shone ye when the formless deep
Heaved with the birth-throes of this present world,
And mountain summits forced their jagged heads
Through the dark surges of the boiling main.
Slow spread the continents beneath your light
In fearful desolation. Turbid flowed
The new-born rivers through the wilderness,Herbless and treeless their wild, dreary banks.But soon the life-touch of Creative breathPassed o’er this desert, and it swiftly bloomed,In verdant beauty. Herb and fruit and flowerMingled their loveliness beneath the shadeOf trees umbrageous. The wide waters teemedWith pregnant life, the groves were filled with song,And hill and valley echoed to the cryOf new-formed creatures sporting in delight.When earth was fitted to receive her guest,After long ages of successive changeAnd wondrous preparation, man appeared,Creation’s crown, the culminating pointWhere finite and where infinite unite;Where thought could dwell, and with sublime ascent,Rise from all creatures to their Living Cause.How fearful and how wonderful is mind!A mystic mirror, fitted to reflectThe universe with all its varied forms,In pure unsullied beauty; thence to pierceThrough the rich vision, and the fair array,And deeply search each hidden spring and causeTill, link by link, the golden chain is foundThat binds creation to the Throne of Power.How full of wonder man’s first ardent gazeAround the earth, in daylight beauty bright;But higher wonder must have stirred his soul—
The new-born rivers through the wilderness,
Herbless and treeless their wild, dreary banks.
But soon the life-touch of Creative breath
Passed o’er this desert, and it swiftly bloomed,
In verdant beauty. Herb and fruit and flower
Mingled their loveliness beneath the shade
Of trees umbrageous. The wide waters teemed
With pregnant life, the groves were filled with song,
And hill and valley echoed to the cry
Of new-formed creatures sporting in delight.
When earth was fitted to receive her guest,
After long ages of successive change
And wondrous preparation, man appeared,
Creation’s crown, the culminating point
Where finite and where infinite unite;
Where thought could dwell, and with sublime ascent,
Rise from all creatures to their Living Cause.
How fearful and how wonderful is mind!
A mystic mirror, fitted to reflect
The universe with all its varied forms,
In pure unsullied beauty; thence to pierce
Through the rich vision, and the fair array,
And deeply search each hidden spring and cause
Till, link by link, the golden chain is found
That binds creation to the Throne of Power.
How full of wonder man’s first ardent gaze
Around the earth, in daylight beauty bright;
But higher wonder must have stirred his soul—
More deep religious awe—when first the nightRevealed the glories of her ebon shade,With thousand lamps attendant. Soon his mindWould strive to learn the mystery immenseOf all their fair array. “Are ye mere lightsAmid the azure canopy of heaven,In order marshalled, to redeem the nightFrom utter desolation? Oh! ye moveIn wondrous sequence, and keep up a marchO’er the same pathway that the sun hath trod.How godlike is your aspect, ye must ruleThe destinies of man. Your varied firesControl the life within him and around,And make the kingdoms of the earth your own.”Thus, in the infancy of mind, the stars,Bright realms of light, by erring thought, were madeTo shed a darkness on the human soul,And bind its free-born energies. But now,When thought, through centuries its march sublimeHath onward held, and Science hath enlargedHer bounds as ocean: to man’s questioningsThe heavens unfold their secrets, and send downTheir revelations to astound his soul.Her magic tube Astronomy hath heldWith power aloft, and pierced the hidden depths,Then turned to earth again, and told the tale,The mighty tale, most wonderful yet true—That yon bright specks are gorgeous worlds and suns,In countless millions, far apart and spreadThroughout immensity, in ordered clans,Harmonious systems, moving swiftly onWith power past utt’rance, through the aweful, vast,Infinitude of space, and had their birthOr first commenced their race sublime amidSuch deep profundity of ancient TimeIt seems Eternity. Ye mighty worlds,Like them of old, still would I fondly thinkThat on your orbs man’s destiny is writIn brighter, fairer characters than e’erChaldean sage decyphered. Tell ye notThe greatness of that essence that can linkItself by thought with ye? And are ye notThe cradles of his being, the primal worldsWhere his immortal destiny begins,From whence ascending, into higher spheres,His growing spirit may at length find restIn spiritual realms? Your numbers tellOf “numbers numberless” of finite minds,Created likenesses of God most High,In whose full myriads he may image forthHis own infinity, and fill their soulsWith heavenly goodness, wisdom high and pure,That thus receiving from the fount of LifeThe living stream, their natures may becomeDivine, angelical, prepared to formA still increasing universe of bliss.
More deep religious awe—when first the night
Revealed the glories of her ebon shade,
With thousand lamps attendant. Soon his mind
Would strive to learn the mystery immense
Of all their fair array. “Are ye mere lights
Amid the azure canopy of heaven,
In order marshalled, to redeem the night
From utter desolation? Oh! ye move
In wondrous sequence, and keep up a march
O’er the same pathway that the sun hath trod.
How godlike is your aspect, ye must rule
The destinies of man. Your varied fires
Control the life within him and around,
And make the kingdoms of the earth your own.”
Thus, in the infancy of mind, the stars,
Bright realms of light, by erring thought, were made
To shed a darkness on the human soul,
And bind its free-born energies. But now,
When thought, through centuries its march sublime
Hath onward held, and Science hath enlarged
Her bounds as ocean: to man’s questionings
The heavens unfold their secrets, and send down
Their revelations to astound his soul.
Her magic tube Astronomy hath held
With power aloft, and pierced the hidden depths,
Then turned to earth again, and told the tale,
The mighty tale, most wonderful yet true—
That yon bright specks are gorgeous worlds and suns,
In countless millions, far apart and spread
Throughout immensity, in ordered clans,
Harmonious systems, moving swiftly on
With power past utt’rance, through the aweful, vast,
Infinitude of space, and had their birth
Or first commenced their race sublime amid
Such deep profundity of ancient Time
It seems Eternity. Ye mighty worlds,
Like them of old, still would I fondly think
That on your orbs man’s destiny is writ
In brighter, fairer characters than e’er
Chaldean sage decyphered. Tell ye not
The greatness of that essence that can link
Itself by thought with ye? And are ye not
The cradles of his being, the primal worlds
Where his immortal destiny begins,
From whence ascending, into higher spheres,
His growing spirit may at length find rest
In spiritual realms? Your numbers tell
Of “numbers numberless” of finite minds,
Created likenesses of God most High,
In whose full myriads he may image forth
His own infinity, and fill their souls
With heavenly goodness, wisdom high and pure,
That thus receiving from the fount of Life
The living stream, their natures may become
Divine, angelical, prepared to form
A still increasing universe of bliss.
Oh thought ennobling, destiny sublime!Happy the man who marks the canons writOn his own being, on the sacred pageOf revelation, and the ordered frameOf this fair world, and with an effort firmAnd persevering, strives to win the prize!How grand the lessons of creation’s book,How mighty every page, when read aright,To teach humility to man, and fillHis breast with sacred confidence and loveAnd holy fear. Then, bow ye, and adore,The infinite of Love whence all things are,The infinite of Truth that gave them frame,The infinite of Power wherein they dwell,The one Creating and Redeeming God!
Oh thought ennobling, destiny sublime!
Happy the man who marks the canons writ
On his own being, on the sacred page
Of revelation, and the ordered frame
Of this fair world, and with an effort firm
And persevering, strives to win the prize!
How grand the lessons of creation’s book,
How mighty every page, when read aright,
To teach humility to man, and fill
His breast with sacred confidence and love
And holy fear. Then, bow ye, and adore,
The infinite of Love whence all things are,
The infinite of Truth that gave them frame,
The infinite of Power wherein they dwell,
The one Creating and Redeeming God!