Thy chains the unmeasured universe surround—­
    Upheld by Thee, by Thee inspired with breath! 
  Thou the beginning with the end hast bound,
    And beautifully mingled life and death! 
  As sparks mount upwards from the fiery blaze;
    So suns are born, so worlds spring forth from Thee;
  And as the spangles in the sunny rays
    Shine round the silver snow, the pageantry
  Of heaven’s bright army glitters in Thy praise.

  A million torches lighted by Thy hand
    Wander unwearied through the blue abyss—­
  They own Thy power, accomplish Thy command,
    All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss. 
  What shall we call them?  Piles of crystal light—­
    A glorious company of golden streams—­
  Lamps of celestial ether burning bright—­
    Suns lighting systems with their joyous beams? 
  But Thou to these art as the noon to night.

  Yes! as a drop of water in the sea,
    All this magnificence in Thee is lost:—­
  What are ten thousand worlds compared to Thee? 
    And what am I then?—­Heaven’s unnumbered host,
  Though multiplied by myriads, and arrayed
    In all the glory of sublimest thought,
  Is but an atom in the balance, weighed
    Against Thy greatness—­is a cipher brought
    Against infinity!  What am I then?  Naught!

  Naught!  But the effluence of Thy light divine,
    Pervading worlds, hath reached my bosom too;
  Yes! in my spirit doth Thy spirit shine,
    As shines the sunbeam in a drop of dew. 
  Naught! but I live, and on hope’s pinions fly
    Eager towards Thy presence—­for in Thee
  I live, and breathe, and dwell, aspiring high,
    Even to the throne of Thy divinity;
    I am, O God! and surely Thou must be!

  Thou art!—­directing, guiding all—­Thou art! 
    Direct my understanding then to Thee;
  Control my spirit, guide my wandering heart;
    Though but an atom midst immensity,
  Still I am something fashioned by Thy hand! 
    I hold a middle rank ’twixt heaven and earth—­
  On the last verge of mortal being stand,
    Close to the realms where angels have their birth,
  Just on the boundaries of the spirit land!

  The chain of being is complete in me—­
    In me is matter’s last gradation lost,
  And the next step is spirit—­Deity! 
    I can command the lightning and am dust! 
  A monarch and a slave—­a worm, a god! 
    Whence came I here, and how? so marvellously
  Constructed and conceived? unknown! this clod
    Lives surely through some higher energy;
    For from itself alone it could not be!

  Creator, yes!  Thy wisdom and Thy word
    Created me!  Thou source of life and good! 
  Thou spirit of my spirit, and my Lord! 
    Thy light, Thy love, in their bright plenitude
  Filled me with an immortal soul, to spring
    Over the abyss of death; and bade it wear
  The garments of eternal day, and wing
    Its heavenly flight beyond this little sphere,
    Even to its source, to Thee, its author there.