THE

UNIVERSE.

A

POEM.

Intended to restrain the PRIDE of MAN.

HY Works, Eternal POWER by whom

THY

fhe fings!

The Muse attempts, and tunes the founding Strings: To Heav'n and Thee her Adoration raife,

And form the Song devoted to thy Praise!

Around thy Throne, the Creatures of thy Hand Spirits immortal, rang'd in Order stand, Attend thy Nod, fulfil thine high Command:And what is MAN, who dares difpute thy Sway? A crawling Worm! an Infect of a Day!

Vain Wretch! toward Heav'n direct thy wond'ring

Eyes:

Behold the Sun, array'd with Glory, rise.
Night and her gloomy Train before him fly :
His Race begins: He blazes through the Sky.
Oceans of Light he pours upon the Plains,
And forth to Labour calls the jovial Swains.
All Nature fmiles, rejoycing in his Beams :
The Fish skim, sportive, o'er the gilded Streams :
The feather'd Kinds their Morning Anthem fing,
And foar aloft, exulting on the Wing:
Their tow'ring Tops the waving Forests shew,
The Meadows glitter, fpangl'd o'er with Dew:
The op'ning Flowers their various Dyes display,
Perfume the Skies, and welcome in the Day.

Again; obferve him in his Noon-tide Hour: Learn thy own Weakness, and his mighty Pow'r. When all the Cattle panting leave the Plain, And feek the Shades, canft thou his Heat sustain ?

Does

Does he not make thy very Marrow fry?

Canft Thou behold him with a stedfast Eye? Why doft thou turn and hide Thee from his Sight? Is he, indeed, unfufferably bright?

Think then, how glorious muft that Pow'r be Whofe Hand has form'd ten thousand fuch as he!

See, to the West, he downward bends his Way, Looks kindly back, and gives a milder Ray : The Clouds around him, beauteous to behold, Blush with Carnation Streaks, and flame with Gold. Home from the Fields the hungry Swains repair: The whift'ling Shepherd folds his bleating Care: The Birds, in Couples, feek the gloomy Groves, And droop their Heads, forgetful of their Loves : The Bat in wanton Circles flutters round: The sparkling Glow-worm glitters on the Ground: Night draws her fable Curtains o'er the Plain, And Silence re-affumes her awful Reign.

Sleep over all expands her filky Wings,
Care finds Repofe, recruited Vigour springs.

Now Eastward turn: lo, thence ferenely bright, The full-orb'd MOON diffuses Silver Light; In folemn State begins her filent Round: The lengthen'd Shadows tremble on the Ground: From the cool Skies the balmy Dew distills : The Meads rejoice: the waving Harvest fills. Onward the leads along her sparkling Train, In order marshall'd, o'er the azure Plain : On Earth, benign, bestows her borrow'd Ray, Dispels the Gloom and emulates the Day.

The Nightingale from every Thicket fings,

And toward fome Grot the Owl directs her flagging Wings.

Obferve, obedient to their Maker's Pow'r,

Both SUN and Moon know their appointed Hour:

Where

5

Where he commands their glorious Light difpence, And as he wills exert their Influence.

Along the Skies the SUN obliquely rolls, Forfakes, by turns, and visits both the Poles. Diff'rent his. Track, but conftant his Career, Divides the Times, and measures out the Year. To Climes returns where freezing Winter reigns, Unbinds the Glebe, and fructifies the Plains.

The crackling Ice diffolves: the Rivers flow : Vines crown the Mountain Tops, and Corn the Vales below.

When he appoints, the horned MOON renews Her waining Light, and her whole Vifage fhews: Fulfils her Course in Circles yet unknown, And cheers Mankind with Luftre not her own. Pale Terror flies before her friendly Ray : The Traveller, benighted, finds his Way:

Her