Samuel Johnson

She ceas’d; then godlike Hector answer’d kind –

‘That post and all the rest shall be my care;But shall I then forsake the unfinish’d war?How would the Trojans brand great Hector’s name!And one base action sully all my fame,Acquired by wounds, and battles bravely fought!Oh! how my soul abhors so mean a thought.Long have I learnt to slight this feeble breath,And view with…

The snow dissolv’d, no more is seen;

The changing year renews the plain,The rivers know their banks again;The sprightly nymph and naked graceThe mazy dance together trace.The changing year’s successive planProclaims mortality to man.Rough winter’s blasts to spring give way,Spring yields to summer’s sovereign ray;Then summer sinks in autumn’s reign,And winter chills the world again:Her losses soon the moon supplies,But wretched man,…

On The Death Of Stephen Grey, F.R.S.

The ElectricianLong hast thou borne the burden of the day,Thy task is ended, venerable Grey!No more shall art thy dexterous hand require,To break the sleep of elemental fire:To rouse the powers that actuate Nature’s frame,The momentaneous shock, th’ electric flame;The flame, which at first, weak pupil of thy lore,I saw, condemn’d, alas! to see no…

CITY of God, how broad and far

The true thy chartered freemen are,Of every age and clime.One holy Church, one army strong,One steadfast high intent,One working band, one harvest-song,One King Omnipotent.How purely hath thy speech come downFrom man’s primeval youth;How grandly hath thine empire grownOf Freedom, Love, and Truth!How gleam thy watchfires through the night,With never fainting ray;How rise thy towers, serene…

LIFE of Ages, richly poured,

Flowing in the Prophet’s wordAnd the People’s liberty!Never was to chosen raceThat unstinted tide confined;Thine is every time and place,Fountain sweet of heart and mind!Secret of the morning stars,Motion of the oldest hours,Pledge through elemental warsOf the coming spirit’s powers!Rolling planet, flaming sun,Stand in nobler man complete;Prescient laws Thine errands run,Frame the shrine for Godhead…

Behold, my fair, where’er we rove,

The naked hill, the leafless grove,The hoary ground, the frowning skies.Nor only through the wasted plain,Stern Winter is thy force confess’d;Still wider spreads thy horrid reign,I feel thy power usurp my breast.Enlivening hope, and fond desire,Resign the heart to spleen and care;Scarce frighted love maintains her fire,And rapture saddens to despair.In groundless hope, and causeless…