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Thy creature here before Thee stands,
All wretched and diftreft ;

Yet fure those ills that wring my foul
Obey Thy high beheft.

Sure Thou, Almighty, canft not act
From cruelty or wrath!

O, free my weary eyes from tears,
Or close them faft in death!

But if I muft afflicted be,

To fuit fome wise design;

Then, man my foul with firm refolves
To bear and not repine!

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THE

FIRST SIX VERSES

OF THE

NINETIETH PSAL M,

THOU, the first, the greateft friend

Of all the human race!

Whofe ftrong right-hand has ever been

Their ftay and dwelling-place"!

Before

Before the mountains heav'd their heads

Beneath Thy forming hand, Before this pond'rous globe itself,

Arofe at Thy command;

That Pow'r which rais'd and still upholds

This univerfal frame,

From countless, unbeginning time

Was ever still the fame.

Those mighty periods of years

Which seem to us fo vaft,

Appear no more before Thy fight

Than yesterday that's paft.

Thou giv'ft the word: Thy creature, Man,
Is to existence brought;

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Again Thou fay'ft, Ye fons of men,

Return ye into nought!'

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Thou layeft them, with all their cares,

In everlasting sleep;

As with a flood Thou tak'ft them off

With overwhelming fweep.

They flourish like the morning flow'r,
In beauty's pride array'd :

But long ere night cut down it lies
All wither'd and decay'd.

ΤΟ

T

TO A

MOUNTAIN DAISY,

On turning one down, with the Plough, in April 1786.

WEE, modeft, crimson-tipped flow'r,

Thou's met me in an evil hour;

For I maun crush amang the ftoure

Thy flender ftem.

To spare thee now is past my pow'r,

Thou bonnie gem.

Alas!

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