HYMN TO HOPE.

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 Prometheus . 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 This refers to a real event , which happened two winters past . These mariners , when their vessel was sunk , continued two days and nights on the mast , where they found an accidental keg of brandy , which , under God , preserved their lives till a vessel from Margate came with great hazard to their preservation : the person who first saw the vessel immediately fainted away . , 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 .