“ Mysterious Night ! when our first pa-
rent knew1
rent knew1
Thee from report alone, and heard thy
name,2
name,2
Did he not tremble for this lovely
frame,3
frame,3
This glorious canopy of light and blue ?4
Yet ’neath a curtain of translucent dew ,5
Bathed in the rays of the great setting
flame,6
flame,6
Hesperus, with the host of heaven,
came,7
came,7
And lo ! Creation widened in man’s
view.8
view.8
Who could have thought such darkness
lay concealed,9
lay concealed,9
Within thy beams, O sun ! or who
could find,10
could find,10
Whilst fly, and leaf, and insect stood
revealed,11
revealed,11
That to such countless orbs thou mads’t
us blind?12
us blind?12
Why do we, then, shun death with
anxious strife?13
anxious strife?13
If light can thus deceive, wherefore not
life?”14
life?”14