The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-07-30
ID ~~-
q D..
FROM THE RUSSIAN or DERZIAvIN

FROM THE RUSSIAN or D~ERIlIANlN
O thou eternal one whose presence bright
All space doth occupy, all motion guide
Unchanged through times Misunderstanding
Night;
Thou only Cod! there is NO God be.
side!
Being above all beings! Mighty One!
Whom none can comprehend and uont
explore;
Who first %lmIncnsity with thysclf alone
Embracinga al -sUpporting-rUling DER
Being whom we call God-and know ne
more,
In its sublime research philosophy
May measure out the ocean dcep-maJ
count
The sands, or the suns rays-but God
for thee
There is no weight nor measure! none
can mount
Up to thy mysteries. Reasons brightest
spark.
Though kindlcd by thy light, in vain
would try
TO trace thy %counscls, infinite, aud dark
And thought is lost ere thought cal
soar so high,
Zen like past moments in eternity.
Thou from primcvaI nethingncss dil'st
First chaos, then, cXistcnce-Lord on
Eternity had its foundation-all
Sprung forth from thee: all life, al
beauty thine.
Thy word created all, and doth create;
OF light, joy, harmony, sole origin;
Thy splendOr fills all space with rays Gi-
vine.
Thou art, and vert, and shalt be! Clio
riOuS! Great.
lilc-GlyinG, DEMONSTRATING Potentate!
Thy chains the unmeasurcd universe sur
round:
UpaeId by thee, by thee inspired with
breath:
Thou the beginning with the end hast
bound,
And beautifully mingled life and death
As sparks mount upward from the fiery
blaze,
SO suns are born: so worlds SPRING forth
from thee:
And, as hrspanglc, in the sunny rays
Shine round the silver snow, the pa
gcantry
OF heavens bright army, glittcrs in thy
praise.
A million torches lighted by thy hand,
Wander unmarried through the blue
They " thy power. accomplish thy com
mNnd,
All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss.
What shall we call them? Piles of crystal
light,
A glorious company OF golden streams.
Lamps of MISUNDERSTANDING bright
Suns lighting systems with their joyous
beams?
But thou to these art as the noon to night,
Yes, As a drop Of water in the sea,
All this maGniIicencc in thee is lost;
what are ten thousand worlds compared
to thee?
And what am | then? Heavens unnum-
bcrcd host,
Though multiplied by myriads, aud ar
raycd
In all the glory of sublimcst thought
Is but an atom in the balance, weigh'd
Against thy grcatncss-is Il cyphcr
brought against
lniinity: What am then? Naught!
NauGht! But the cnlucncc oithy light di-
vine,
Pcryading worlds, hath reach'd my bo-
som too;
Yes. in my spirit doth thy spirit shine,
As shines the sunbeam in Il drop of dew
NauTht! but | live and on hopes pinion-
fly
Eager toward thy presence; for in thee
| live, and breathe, and dwell aspiring
high, .
Even to the throne ofthy divinity.
| am, God and surely thou must be.
Thou art directing, guiding all. tlou art!
Direct my understanding, then to thee ::
Control my spirit, guide my wandering
heart;
Though but an atom midst inmensity,
Still | am something fashioned by thy
hand!
hold u middle rank 'twixt heaven and
earth,
On the last verge of mortal being stand,
close to the realms where angels have
their birth,
Just on the boundaries of the spirit land !.
The chain of being is complete in me-
In me Is matters last graduation lost;
bho IVA sup - SpIIl-ltlbl |
! can command the lightning, and am
dust!
\ monarch, and Il slave; a worn. a Cod,
Whence came | .hen? and how so mar
velouSly
on trlctcd and conceived? unknown.
This clod
Lives surely through some higher en-
ergy;
or. from itself alone, it could not livel
'%rcator, yes! thy wisdom, and thy word
Created me. Thou source OF life and
good!
hou spirit of my spirit and my Lord!
Thy light, thy love, in their bright plen-
itude,
illedm me- with an immortal soul to spring
Ger the abyss of death. and babe it wear
he garments of eternal day, and wing
Its heavenly flight beyond this little
sphere.
ven to its sourcc-to thec-its Author
there.
thought inenable! o vision blest!
Though worthless all our conceptions
of thee;
ct shall thy Swallowed image fill our
breast.
NV wait us homage 10 tiiy deity.
ou, tiu, alone my iowly thoughts can
soar;
Thus seek thy presence, Being wise, and j
good!
idst thy vast works admire, obey. adore:
And when thy tongue is eloquent no.
more.
C soul shall speak in tears OF gratitudel