PARAPHRASE
.
"
Can
a
woman
forget
her
sucking
child
,
that
she
should
not
have
compassion
on
the
son
of
her
womb
?
Yea
,
they
may
forget
,
yet
will
I
not
forget
thee
.
"
—
Isaiah
xlix
.
15.
HEAV'N
speaks
!
O
,
nature
,
listen
,
and
rejoice
!
O
,
spread
from
pole
to
pole
this
gracious
voice
:
"
Say
,
every
breast
of
human
frame
,
that
proves
The
boundless
force
with
which
a
parent
loves
;
Say
,
can
a
mother
from
her
yearning
heart
Bid
the
soft
image
of
her
child
depart
?
She
!
whom
fond
instinct
arms
with
strength
to
bear
All
forms
of
ill
to
shield
that
dearest
care
?
She
!
who
with
anguish
stung
,
with
madness
wild
,
Will
rush
on
death
to
save
her
threaten'd
child
;
All
selfish
feelings
banish'd
from
her
breast
,
Her
life
one
aim
to
make
another's
blest
?
When
her
lov'd
infant
to
her
bosom
clings
,
When
round
her
neck
his
eager
arms
he
flings
,
Breathes
to
her
list'ning
soul
his
melting
sigh
,
And
lifts
,
suffus'd
with
tears
,
his
asking
eye
;
Will
she
,
for
all
ambition
can
attain
,
The
charms
of
pleasure
,
or
the
lures
of
gain
,
Betray
strong
nature's
feelings
,
will
she
prove
Cold
to
the
claims
of
duty
and
of
love
?
But
should
the
mother
from
her
yearning
heart
Bid
the
soft
image
of
her
child
depart
;
Betray
fond
nature's
energies
,
and
prove
Cold
to
the
claims
of
duty
and
of
love
!
Yet
never
will
the
GOD
,
whose
word
gave
birth
To
yon
illumin'd
orbs
and
this
fair
earth
;
Who
,
through
the
boundless
depths
of
trackless
space
,
Bade
new-wak'd
beauty
spread
each
perfect
grace
;
Yet
,
when
he
form'd
the
vast
stupendous
whole
,
Shed
his
best
bounties
on
the
human
soul
;
Which
reason's
light
illumes
,
which
friendship
warms
,
Which
pity
softens
,
and
which
virtue
charms
;
Which
feels
the
pure
affections
gen'rous
glow
,
Shares
others'
joy
,
and
bleeds
for
others'
woe
—
O
,
never
will
the
gen'ral
FATHER
prove
Of
man
forgetful
,
man
the
child
of
love
.
"
—
When
all
those
planets
in
their
ample
spheres
Have
wing'd
their
course
,
and
roll'd
their
destin'd
years
;
When
the
vast
sun
shall
veil
his
glowing
light
Deep
in
the
gloom
of
everlasting
night
;
When
wild
destructive
flames
shall
wrap
the
skies
,
When
chaos
triumphs
,
and
when
nature
dies
,
Man
shall
alone
the
wreck
of
worlds
survive
,
Midst
falling
spheres
immortal
man
shall
live
!
That
voice
which
bade
the
last
dread
thunders
roll
,
Shall
whisper
to
the
good
,
and
cheer
their
soul
;
His
favour'd
creature
GOD
himself
shall
guide
Where
living
waters
pour
their
blissful
tide
;
Where
the
enlarg'd
,
exulting
,
wond'ring
mind
Shall
soar
,
from
weakness
and
from
guilt
refin'd
;
Where
perfect
knowledge
,
bright
with
cloudless
rays
,
Shall
gild
eternity's
unmeasur'd
days
;
Where
friendship
,
unembitter'd
by
distrust
,
Shall
in
immortal
bands
unite
the
just
;
Devotion
rais'd
to
rapture
breathe
her
strain
,
And
love
in
his
eternal
triumph
reign
.