“’Tis by the aid of thy almighty arm
    “The weak exist, the virtuous are secure. 
    “If, to your sacred laws obedient ever
    “My sword, my soul, have own’d no other guide,
    “Oh! if your honour, if the rights of men,
    “My country’s happiness, my king’s renown,
    “Were motives worthy of a warrior’s zeal,
    “Crown your poor servant with success this day: 
    “And be the praise and glory all thy own.”

INVOCATION TO PARADISE LOST.

    Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
    Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
    Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
    With loss of Eden, till one greater man
    Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
    Sing heav’nly muse! that on the sacred top
    Of Oreb, or of Sinai, did’st inspire
    That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed,
    In the beginning, how the heav’ns and earth
    Rose out of chaos:  or, if Sion hill
    Delight thee more, and Silo’s book that flow’d. 
    Fast by the oracle of God; I thence
    Invoke thy aid to my advent’rous song,
    That, with no middle flight, intends to soar
    Above th’ Aonian mount, while it pursues
    Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme
    And chiefly thou, O Spirit! that dost prefer
    Before all temples, th’ upright heart and pure,
    Instruct me, for thou know’st; thou, from the first,
    Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread,
    Dove-like sat’st brooding o’er the vast abyss,
    And mad’st it pregnant; what in me is dark,
    Illumine:  what is low, raise and support;
    That, to the height of this great argument,
    I may assert eternal providence,
    And justify the ways of God to men.

MORNING HYMN.

    These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! 
    Almighty! thine this universal frame,
    Thus wond’rous fair:  thyself, how wond’rous, then,
    Unspeakable! who fit’st above these heav’ns,
    To us invisible, or dimly seen
    In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
    Thy goodness beyond thought, and pow’r divine—­
    Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light,
    Angels!—­for ye behold him, and, with songs
    And choral symphonies, day without night,
    Circle his throne, rejoicing.  Ye in heav’n!—­
    On earth, join all ye creatures, to extol
    Him first, him last, him midst, and without end,
    Fairest of stars! last in the train of night,
    If better then, belong not to the dawn,
    Sure pledge of day, that crown’st the smiling morn
    With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere,
    While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. 
    Thou fun! of this great world both eye and foul,
    Acknowledge him thy greater:  found his praise
    In thy eternal course, both