THANKSGIVING. HEN firft in ancient time, from Jubal's tongue The tuneful anthem fill'd the morning air, To facred hymnings and elyfian song His mufic-breathing shell the minstrel woke. Devotion breathed aloud from every chord :The voice of praise was heard in every tone, And prayer, and thanks to Him the eternal one, To Him, that with bright inspiration touch'd The high and gifted lyre of heavenly fong, And warm'd the foul with new vitality. A ftirring energy through Nature breathed:The voice of adoration from her broke, Swelling aloud in every breeze, and heard Long in the fullen waterfall,-what time Soft Spring or hoary Autumn threw on earth Its bloom or blighting,—when the Summer smiled, 2 Thanksgiving. Or Winter o'er the year's fepulchre mourn'd. Moved in the breafts of men to do Him homage; They came beneath the broad o'erarching trees, And in their tremulous fhadow worfhipp'd oft, Where pale the vine clung round their fimple altars, And gray mofs mantling hung. Above was heard The melody of winds, breathed out as the green trees Bow'd to their quivering touch in living beauty, Thanksgiving. 3 Sang with a cheerful song of sweet tranquillity. That, wrapt in darkness, moved upon its face. 4 Thanksgiving. Or, in the moonlight pale, the curling wave And have our hearts grown cold? Are there on earth No pure reflections caught from heavenly light?— Sunday Evening, October, 1824. |