NIGHT.
O ancient Night! ere suns and stars had birth,Or God from chaos wrought this wondrous earth,Triumphant thou didst reign, while all aroundThy sister Silence breathed a spell profound.And then at last this orb assumed a placeWith other planets in the realms of space;And cosmic light at length flashed dimly o'erA world to naught but darkness known before;Prophetic of a future day of light,To beam with radiance more pure and bright.At last through clouds of mist the sun-rays broke,And earth into the sunlight splendor woke.And thou wast Night, though Darkness was thy nameEre at God's word Day into being came;And when "God saw the light that it was good,"And gazed afar where Night majestic stood,"Let us," He said, "each one of these divide,And give to both an empire vast and wide."When this was done, well pleasing in His sight,The light He called the Day, the darkness, Night.He placed a starry crown on Night's dark brow,And as she wore it then she wears it now,
(191)
