The Poetical Works - ... Author:James Beattie Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: And wings the soul with boundless flight to soar, Where dangers threat, and fears alarm no more. Transporting thought! here let me wipe away The tear of grief, a... more »nd wake a bolder lay. But ah ! the swimming eye o'erflows anew ; Nor check the sacred drops to pity due; Lo, where in speechless, hopeless anguish, bend O'er her lov'd dust, the parent, brother, friend ! How vain the hope of man ! but cease thy strain, Nor sorrow's dread solemnity profane ; Mix'd with yon drooping mourners, on her bier In silence shed the sympathetic tear. ODE TO HOPE. I. 1. O Thou, who glad'st the pensive soul, More than Aurora's smile the swain forlorn, Left all night long to mourn Where desolation frowns, and tempests howl; And shrieks of woe, as intermits the storm, Far o'er the monstrous wilderness resound, And 'cross the gloom darts many a shapeless form, And many a fire-ey'd visage glares around; O come, and be once more my guest! Come, for thou oft thy suppliant's vow hast heard, And oft with smiles indulgent cheer'd And sooth'd him into rest. I. 2. Smit by thy rapture-beaming eye Deep flashing through the midnight of their mind, The sable bands combin'd, Where Fear's black banner bloats the troubled sky, Appall'd retire. Suspicion hides her head, Nor dares the obliquely gleaming eyeball raise ; Pespair, with gorgon-figur'd veil o'erspread, Speeds to dark Phlegethon's detested maze. Lo, startled at the heavenly ray, With speed unwonted Indolence upsprings, And, heaving, lifts her leaden wings, And sullen glides away: I. 3. Ten thousand forms, by pining Fancy view'd. Dissolve.—'Above the sparkling flood When Phoebus rears his awful brow, From lengthening lawn and valley low The troops of fen-born mist...« less