The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1828-02-07
From che ATnmSal.
THE uEkUGE.

Der the vide earth was Joy, Ths shel went read,
Add song and mirth, nOtinnocent, was there.
The fires upon the altar we've extinct,
Or lighted but at pleasures shrine. they burnd
With an unholy brightness. There was heard
The sound Ofrevelry, the merry laugh
That peal'd amid the banquet. Men reclin'd
bowers Of roses. On the rivers bank,
ulPd by the sounding waters, and the calm
Of cooling shades, sOOth'd by the rushing breese,
Mngling with music's soft and melting strain,
Flew The vOiuptuous hours. Then men how'd
But not to God, and innocence had now
Not cen a name on earth. The hills, the rocks.
Were not Gods affairs. Men received the gift
But worshpp'd not the Giser.. Ger the earth
Was one great festival, one gala day,
Ofenervatng pleasure. They whose bTOws
Should bear the helmet, wore the cOronsly
IN unnlanIy chapIet u sInmanly aoweas.
The bowers of beauty were proiaR'd- blush
Which, like the ruin'd tempIe's fire, betrRy'd
Tn approach of its disturbeF, was ecorn.
Mems senses reel'd amid The banquet's joys e.
The wine-cup's poison they had drunk, and who
Should stay the pestilence the smiling earth,
Where'er they habtet, from hill to hill,
From rock TO rock, rung with the echOng strain,
VI pleasures orgies, like trumpets bafs'
What is the rushing sound that fills the ar7
Why is the voice ofrerelry so mute?
Why fly the roses from the bIouming cheekY
Ii is the dash Of waters. Hank! agan!
AS ifa thousand torrents were abroad,
Ilashlng their headlong way. or the wild waves
Burst the loud cry Of horror and dismay. ..s (, q
There is the shrek of agony: the groan
Hall drownd m bubbllng Waters; the deep curse,
And the half utter'd prayer. and hopeless shrieks
For more than hope ess help; and the wild veil
OF the astonished bessts-who ply their limbs
In vain to gain some spot above the waves
From the proud lion, roaring in his WRATH
To the poor lamb, who struggles for awhile,
Then with silent and appealing look,
Sinks down beneath the waters--and there too,
SAs 6 E,N ~Nxhc lr1A H., H..
Spends his last breath to save the one he loves,
Forgetful of himself;-and whensat length
The sobbing breath and failing limbs proclaim
The effort well nigh over, still enjoys $500
Affections proudest privilege, TO die sra
With him he could not save. All else forget sss3
Their natures and their passions, in the depth Id
or their calamity. The mountain tor
Affords a moments retuge--there was seen
The young lamb crouching at the tigers side
Securely; and some desperate hand has seized
And wrestled with the monster Tor his place,
Till the waves close DER BOTH and struggling both
Together sink. The father spurns his child,
Yet clinging to Him, in the whirling wave.
The sisters hand hath found some frail support
brothers stronger grasp has wrench'd il from her,
And dashd her in the waters-safe on high 4
The dove flies trembling with the trembling kite r
Unharm'd, unharming.- is selfish now, &
Only the mother clasps her frightened babe ~
In wild amazeinent closer to her breast,
And shrieks, and perishes. Afection's ties
And broken or forgotten. The tall tower, ~,
And lofty hill, are peopled with the brutes .s..}
And men some yainly struggling for the place,
Grapple with desperate arm the lions throat,
Till The wild prey and waters sweep them all
Into one common sepulchre. With shrieks s
The wild bird vainly seeks resting place >.
Over that shoreless ocean, till at last ss4 w eA ~
She clasps her weary wing, and drops, and dies. "A
Through the wide earth tits deeply silent now
There is no sound, save Of the waters flow.
The world is one vast grave; and all its caves
And wales and mountains huge sepulchse.
In his new world TIL astonish' d dolphin plays;--
The pondrous whale sports now in beautys bowers,
In stupid wonder at the unwonted sight.
Around the wanton harp-striugs serpents Irvine,
And twine amidst the rose wreath'd coronaIs.
Ont voluptuous couch, o'ercanopied
With fair and fragrant flowers, the slimy eel
And sea-snake knot and nestle, for the hour
Of dreadful retribution is arrived - a.g
A sound once more.
The rushing of the winds are heard, and joy! again
The mountain lifts its heads above the waves.
Wheeling amid the solitary air Fk
The raven now appears--o' er that wide waste
The dove all ,ainly seeks resting place.
Yet not again in vain, for now she bears
The token-brHnch Of mercy--and the waves RI
And waters have subsidized; and the deep
Rolls slowly back its surges, and the hills
And dripping forests come once more to light
s-:v- +.
Yet mid this scene Of horrors is there hope
And pledge Of redeeming mercy. Not again,
Yet not again, oh God, wilt thou. rebuke
In wrath was lifted up. The cloud past not
Till on its bosom played the rainbow's smile.
Still may that pledge be ours: and when the cloud
OF thy rebuke is on us, thcn, oh! God,
In mercy let thy rainbow still appear
Till the tremendous hour be passed away. -