The Invocation

Say, gentle Muse, who oft has deign'd
With humble solitude to dwell;
Whose cheering visits, in the lonely cell,
With tuneful numbers sooth'd my pain,
And bade the sadly-pleasing strain,
To ease my woe,
Harmonious flow;
And pensive care sat list'ning while my song complain'd.

Say, wilt thou ne'er return?
And must I ever mourn?
And must I ever tune in vain
The dull unanimated strain?
O come, the languid notes inspire,
Once more awake the sacred lyre,
And teach my song on stronger wings to rise.
Unmindful of her heavenly birth,
My grov'ling soul sinks down to earth;
And while she tries
In vain to rise,
Clouds interpose, and veil the distant skies.

Come, sweet Urania, come, thy cheering pow'r
Once more impart
To warm my heart:
To thee I would devote this solemn, silent hour.
Retir'd from company and noise,
Amusement flies; her idle, flutt'ring train
Reflection, sighing, owns are empty, light, and vain,
And bids my heart aspire to nobler joys:

To nobler joys than earth bestows,
Were earth, in all her fairest charms,
To lure my eyes, and tempt my arms,
And try to gain my heart.
My heart replies
In painful sighs
Vain world, depart!
Thy soft allurements all are vain;
Thy sweetest pleasures are but gilded woes,
Thy brightest scenes are clouded soon, and dark'ning end in pain.

Come, heav'n-born faith, fair seraph, come;
How weak the muse's pow'r without thy aid!
Thy radiant eye can pierce the gloom,
Can guide her doubtful flight,
Beyond the seats of night,
And point afar
The morning-star,
Which cheers with heav'n's sweet dawn this mortal shade!

Here let my invocation end
Or rather here begin!
Bright morning-star, thy blissful ray
Can chase this mortal shade away,
This night of death and sin.
Before thy all-enlivening eye,
Death, sin, and fear, and terror fly,
And hope looks up and hails the rising day.
Then comfort smiles, desire and faith ascend,
Kind messenger of life, on thee my hopes depend.

Bright morning-star, when wilt thou rise
On this benighted heart?
Thou art my light, and thou my guide:
O come, and bless my longing eyes,
Dispel these gloomy clouds which hide
Thy soul-reviving light;
Break with immortal radiance, through the night.
And id thy healing beams, the dawn of heav'n impart

Thy beams alone can bring my day;
O shine with soul-attracting ray,
Till darkness, sin, and doubt retire,
And raise my languid heart, and bid my hope aspire
To bliss unmingled and refin'd;
Bright scenes unknown below,
Without a shade of woe,
Immortal pleasures, worthy of the mind!
Then shall the muse awake the sacred lyre;
Then shall her sweetest notes harmonious rise,
And bear my thoughts enraptur'd to the skies,
While love and thankful joy the votive song inspire.