HYMN TO HOPE.

BY THE SAME.

ALL hail, bright Hope! Thou, when the fatal box,
 Replete with ills, was sent by angry Jove
 In punishment of Japhet's daring son,
 When every woe of fearful name flew forth
 To vex the human race, thou kindly deign'dst
 To stay behind, man's gentle comforter,
 Life's balm and blessing! or, without the aid
 Of truth-assimilated fiction, thou
 Wast given by God himself, a chearing light
 To guide man's feet, driv'n from fair Eden's groves
 Across the untrack'd wilderness of life
 To Heaven's blest mansions: where and where alone
 Thy office, friendly Hope, shall sweetly cease
 To full fruition yielded! But on earth,
 Nay, not, perchance, ev'n in fair Eden's groves,
 Are thy assuasive consolations vain:
 For what is life, or what its highest scenes
 Of boasted happiness, if present bliss
 Bounds the horizon of our views; nor Hope,
 With eagle eye, kens aught beyond, on which
 To fix the future, ardent, heart's desire,
 To fill the soul, and make the rapid wish
 Run o'er with plentitude of joy? — Vain, vain,
 To man's felicity, in youth or age,
 The present draught of pleasure, tho' once wish'd
 With all the eagerness of panting thirst. 
Deep, deep he drinks, and longs for more! From hope
 To hope he springs: he views, and still extends
 His view: o'er cloud-capt Alps new Alps arise! 
He gains the summit: still the prospect wide
 Enlarges to his eye: forward he fares
 Nor ceases to ascend, till high in heaven
 He rides at anchor, and then Hope's no more. 

But O! thou general blessing, smiling Hope! 
Thy lucid ray, not only leads us on
 From view to view; not only dost thou chear
 With expectation sweet of future good;
 But with serenity of present bliss
 Thou fill'st the heart expectant! Hope can give
 Habitual good-humour! To the soul
 A vital heat: she quickens the still parts,
 Nay, ev'n in motion keeps the springs of life! 
And when most indolent, and most remiss,
 Or rouzes, or preserves the mind awake. 

See, too, how few — and ev'n those few how short —
 Are actual enjoyments! But thro' thee,
 Blest Hope, we gain a taste, delicious taste
 Of pleasures possible! Taste, not less sweet,
 Perchance, than real: for kind Hope bestows
 A bliss in expectation, not less full,
 And fuller oft than ripe fruition brings:
 Fruition, haughty nymph, she never deigns
 To walk with humble Hope, who, at her sight
 Retires, abash'd, unnotic'd, and unthank'd! 

But O! blest comforter, ingrate to thee
 Let me not ever prove, should wish'd success
 Crown my heart's hope! let me not e'er forget
 The dear indulgences thy soothing views
 Have to my soul presented! Yet, O yet —
 Thy promis'd consummation too, too long
 Delay'd, the heart in deep despondence sighs,
 And sickens sad with care. O then, indulge
 Thy votary's prayer, nor ever let me lose
 Thy chearing aspect; never let the night
 Of black despondence, with its dismal veil,
 My little prospects in thick darkness wrap! 
Nor yet too long delay to grant my wish
 Accomplishment, if worthy! So my soul
 Invigorated still shall onward press
 To more and more improvement: nor grow faint
 Till the big buds of Hope terrestrial burst
 To blossoms full and fair in better climes! 

But say, bright Hope, what numbers shall be found,
 Worthy to sing thy praise: for that thy hand
 Not only to the happiest life imparts
 Its zest, its relish; but with tender care
 Is stretch'd forth to assuage the wretch's woe,
 To soothe the anguish of disease and pain;
 And soften sad adversity's rough bed! 
Thou only cheap and universal cure
 Of human ills — of human sorrow, thou
 Best comforter, and oft, full oft, alas! 
The only comforter the wretched find! 

Ah! see from that unfortunate, o'erwhelm'd
 In the deep gulph of sorrow, with what speed,
 What cruel speed, as from contagion, all
 With one consent are flying! — and will none,
 For gentle pity's sake, remain behind
 To comfort the distrest! Yes, faithful Hope
 Benevolently stays! and, flatterer kind,
 Her far-foreseeing tube applies, thro' which
 The eye, tho' dim with mourning, oft discerns
 Future and happier days, thro' the black gloom
 Of melancholy prospects shining bright. 

Ah, honest flatterer! — yes, for once the muse
 Commends, what most the worthy mind abhors,
 And calls thee honest flatterer: for while all
 Assiduous join to adulate the blest,
 Hope, tender Hope alone, with soft concern,
 Flatters th' unhappy! and when every friend
 Flies from the ship-wreck'd, naked, ruin'd wretch;
 When every woe, in dire array, crowds round,
 Ev'n then, in that sad hour, Hope still remains,
 As loth to leave (divine philanthrophist!) 
Her labour of disinterested love! 
See — with those anxious sailors, see her watch
 Her eye! almost exhausted on the mast,
 The top-mast of yon high Admiral
 Just peeping from those waves! that have ingulph'd
 The gallant vessel with its hapless crew,
 Save those who sit, as if for bitterer fate
 Reserv'd, long wakeful nights and anxious days
 High on the top-mast! fearing instant death
 From each insulting wave! yet, yet, not yet
 Will Hope desert them! See, she strains her eye
 Far o'er the trackless occan: see, she looks,
 With eager expectation, looks around! 
Wild winds alone are heard: green waves alone,
 Foaming with fury, are beheld! O Hope,
 Blest Hope! forsake them not: should'st thou forsake,
 And from the top mast fly, they fall, they sink
 Irrevocably lost! — She will not go;
 Still will she watch; nor watch in vain! she spies
 A white sail, rising from the waves: it comes;
 Behold! it comes, and in its bosom bears
 Thrice-precious life! They faint for joy! their feet
 Scarce bear them trembling to the welcome bark;
 Where safely boarded — Hope her golden wings
 Plumes, and exulting shoots across the deep,
 Quick as in winter's skies the radiant star! 

But whither thus precipitate her flight
 Urges the general comforter? Behold
 Where, stretch'd upon the bed of sore disease,
 Worn out with pain, the sick man languid lies! 
She comes, blest Hope! and lo! her kindly arm
 Rears from the pillow his enfeebled head,
 And lenient sooths his melancholy heart! 
Now, pointing to fair Health, with roseate bloom,
 Rekindling vigour in the mantling cheek:
 Now, to the robe of white and crown of gold,
 Reserv'd for Christ's true servants, in the realms
 Of everlasting day! — Thrice faithful Hope,
 Thou, like the heart, liv'st first, and diest last;
 Nor, ev'n in death's extremest pangs, wilt leave
 The fluttering soul — but, when earth's fears and joys
 Sink into darkness all, thy beaming light
 Unvelopes prospects new, and better far,
 Prospects which make man, man: and cause the soul
 In death to triumph, and defy the grave. 

Nor ceases with the man of sorrow, stretch'd
 On bed of sickness, Hore's indulgent aid:
 The balm of comfort, see, how she presents
 To the dear tender partner of his heart,
 The wife, with weeping love, beside the couch
 Watching solicitous, with sleepless eye! 
Hope shews her the fond husband, to her arms
 Once more restor'd: Hope to her aching heart
 The valued parent represents, once more
 Smiling amidst his children: and endear'd,
 As thus endanger'd, tenfold more endear'd! 

Look thro' the varied scenes of hapless life,
 Hope, all-beneficent, is ever found
 Where-e'er is found affliction! None so low
 Can sink, but Hope will to their wretchedness
 Descend, and point out consolation's star
 Bright'ning in better skies! not ev'n the slave,
 Loaden with cruel chains, deep in the mines
 Of rich Potosi, toiling, though from light
 Ever sequester'd of all-cheering day,
 Can, from her light, be hid! See, through his soul
 It shoots illuminating: and affords
 Bright blessing glances of his native land,
 Recover'd freedom, and rejoicing friends! 

All hail, bright Hope! O, thro' the weary ways
 Of this bad world, be thou the pilgrim's staff
 On which my hands may lean, and find support
 'Gainst all despondency! yet, Goddess! say,
 While on thy altars all of human race
 Devoutly sacrifice; while to thy shrine
 All mortals bend the knee; whence doth it hap,
 That oft the mournful tongue proclaims thee false,
 And dares to desecrate thy hallow'd name,
 Deceitful calling thee; and apt to slide
 Full oft from the embrace, ev'n in the hour
 Of highest expectation: often found
 To promise what thou never dost bestow? 

 "Vain mortals — (yes, with serious solemn heed,
 I mark thy words, celestial!) —" Mortals! know,
 "'Tis not in Hope, 'tis in yourselves, deceiv'd
" And still deceiving, that the error lies:
 "Short-liv'd, and of a span, ye stretch your hopes,
" Proud hopes of sublunary happiness,
 "Far into time, as if of time secure,
" As if on earth immortal! or those hopes
 "On objects fix, incapable to bless,
" When granted to your wishes! or, more vain,
 "By self-delusion blinded, fancy-led,
" Ye idly hope, where reason's self recoils:
 "Thus rendering your existence, dream at best,
" Still more a dream! — Less credulous and fond,
 "Mortals, be-wise; either as mortals hope,
" Or, still more wise, hope as immortals! " Yes! 
With sacred awe thy counsel I receive,
 Blest teacher: O assist me to obey
 Its dictates: far above this waning moon,
 Teach me to rise o'er momentary bliss,
 Triumphant: and to soar on thy bright wings
 Beyond the lessen'd clouds, beyond all time
 Deep into vast immensity! where thou,
 Tho' born of immortality, and proof
 Of thy high parent's glory — where, ev'n thou,
 Earth's blessing — never, never shalt be known! 

Then, farewell, Hope, for ever! — then adieu,
 Sweet expectation; when each ravish'd sense
 Lives in the plenitude of God's own joy! 
But, till that hour, O deign, all-cheering Hope,
 To smile before me: gild my prospects round
 With thy reviving splendor: full in view
 Present the vast realities, which wait
 Th' immortal stranger, travelling from this world
 To his eternal home, his rest, his haven! 
So shall my heart ne'er with impatient throbs
 Pant for th' uncertain, sublunary gifts
 Of this e'er-changing life! So Reason's hand
 With Fortitude attending, on shall lead
 To the neat cottage of retir'd Content,
 Where dwells man's truest happiness! there lodg'd,
 Like Caesar, with a generous disdain
 Present possessions nobly I'll despise,
 And from them frankly part, in the full hope,
 Hope, which can ne'er deceive, nor mount too high,
 Hope of possessions, future, better far:
 Boundless duration: bliss immutable! 

Hail then, bright Hope! of immortality
 True, genuine daughter! hail, man's chiefest good,
 And his best portion, while no mor than man! 
Smile o'er the human race: and still vouchsafe
 To gild, to gladden all their joys: to soothe
 With gentle blandishment their woes: to fill
 With just contempt of transitory life! 
Still realizing to their raptur'd view
 Heaven's high felicities! O! while strong Faith,
 With steady finger, points us to our home,
 Do thou invigorate our active feet
 Along the rugged way: full, sull in sight
 Place that home's glories: while thy sister Love
 Charms us the while, the weary journey through;
 And, when it ends, receive us from the arms
 Of Faith and thee; to take up our abode
 In realms, where GOD and LOVE are all in all.