THE COURSE OF TIME. THIS BOOK II. HIS said, he waked the golden harp, and thus, As from yon everlasting hills that gird Heaven northward, I thy course espied, I judge Thou from the Arctic regions came? Perhaps Thou noticed on thy way a little orb, Attended by one moon, her lamp by night, With her fair sisterhood of planets seven, Revolving round their central sun; she third In place, in magnitude the fourth. That orb, New made, new named, inhabited anew, Though whiles we sons of Adam visit still Our native place, not changed so far but we Can trace our ancient walks, the scenery Of childhood, youth, and prime, and hoary age, But scenery most of suffering and woe,— That little orb, in days remote of old, When angels yet were young, was made for Man, And titled Earth, her primal virgin name. With hill, and dale, and lawn, and winding vale, His mind conceived, accomplished, and, well pleased, All else was prone, irrational, and mute, To hold communion with the heavens above; Of virtue, truth, and love; with reason high With hill, and dale, and laten, and winding vale, Woodland, and stream, and lake, and rolling seas, Green mead, and fruitful tree, and fertile grain, And herb, and flower." Freely and sovereignly his will entire. Of every tree that in the garden grows Thus they, the representatives of men, Were placed in Eden, choicest spot of earth. With royal honour and with glory crowned, Adam, the lord of all, majestic walked, With godlike countenance sublime, and form Of lofty towering strength; and by his side Eve, fair as morning star, with modesty Arrayed, with virtue, grace, and perfect love, In holy marriage wed, and eloquent Of thought and comely words, to worship God And sing His praise, the Giver of all good ; Glad, in each other glad, and glad in hope, Rejoicing in their future happy race. O lovely, happy, blest, immortal pair! Pleased with the present, full of glorious hope. But short, alas, the song that sings their bliss! Henceforth the history of man grows dark; Shade after shade of deepening gloom descends; |