Classic Poem

Hark ! a long doleful Eccho found me groans,
Heard by deaf Rocks, and felt by senseless Stones.
The sympathizing Hills of Zion toss,
The mournful Eccho , and lament the loss
Ten Thousand Bosoms feel a sudden Wound,
And Crowds grow pale, and shudder at the Sound.
From Heart to Heart with quick Contagion spreads
Th' infectious Grief, and half the Land invades.
To this far Clime the dismal Tidings flies,
And Deluges of Sorrow drown mine Eyes.
Now hardy Souls, that never wept before,
Disolve; — nor is it strange, since BLAIR IS NOW NO MORE,

BLAIR IS NO MORE! — Then this poor World has lost.
As rich a Jewel as her Stores could boast.
Heav'n in just Vengeance has recall'd again,
Its faithful Envoy from the Sons of Men:
Advanc'd him from his pious Toils below,
In Raptures there with kindred-Flames to glow.

While hov'ring on the verge of Life he lay,
Eager for Flight, and yet resign'd to stay;
How oft' did we, in Agonies of Pray'r,
Wrestle with Heav'n his sacred Breath to spare!
Upon our rising Prophet fix our Sight,
And anxious cry, " good Lord! delay his Flight " !

But ah! his Worth but cherish'd our despair,
And threaten'd the Denial of our Pray'r.
So great, so heav'nly, so mature a Mind,
Requir'd Employment of a nobler Kind.
What Earth could teach, he learned; and now must rise,
To a supperior Class above the Skies.
Too much refin'd in this dark World to bear,
The humble Place of Zion's Minister,
Heav'n call'd him to sustain some nobler Function there:
With Gabriel to perform the Orders giv'n,
And bear J EHOVAH'S Errands thro' the vast of Heav'n.
Prompt as his Fellow-Angels to obey,
Zealous and bright and vigorous as they.
Heav'n kind to him, would not consent to hear,
Nor curse him with the Answer of our Pray'r.

Oh! could the Muse's languid colour's paint,
The Man , the Scholar, Student, Preacher, Saint ;
I'd Place his Image full in public view;
His Friends should know more than before they knew.
His Foes astonish'd at his Virtues gaze,
Or shrink confounded from th' oppressive Blaze.
To trace his bright Example all should turn,
And with the bravest Emulation burn.
His Name should my poor Lays immortalize,
'Till he t'attest his Character arise,
And the Great Judge th' Encomium ratifies.

Propitious Heav'n endow'd the Man it lov'd,
With Gifts t'adorn each Sphere in which he mov'd.

An Intellect clear as the Blaze of Day;
Sedate as Midnight, boundless as the Sea;
Free as the Wind, yet steady as the Pole;
Passive to Truth, impatient of controul
From vulgar Error; regular and smooth
As genuine Reason and harmonious Truth,
Truth link'd to Truth, and Tho't to Tho't conjoin'd
Spontaneous rose in his harmonious Mind.
His rude unstudy'd Tho'ts in Order sprung,
Exprest in equal Order by his Tongue;
Clusters of ripen'd Sense on each young Period hung.
His passions vigo'rous, yet by Reason rul'd;
By calmest Reason kindled, temper'd, cool'd.
His Heart reserv'd as Prudence and confin'd;
And yet as Truth sincere, as weeping Friendship kind.

My Muse, now paint him in his studious Hours,
In search of Truth exerting all his Pow'rs.
To him familiar, Truths beyond the Reach
Of vulgar Minds strain'd to the highest Stretch;
His daring genius with exalted scorn,
Forsakes the Path by hoary Custom worne:
Eager to find a Treasure of his own,
He tries new Paths and Regions yet unknown:
Into th' Abyss of Science darts his Eye,
Where the rude Elements of Knowledge lie:
Where Truths with Errors wage eternal War,
And Doubts with Embryo-Demonstrations jarr:
A wasteful Chaos with wild Tempest tost,
Whence cowards shrink, and where bold Wits are lost.
Serene his plastic Mind digests the Mass,
Assigns the blended El'ments each its Place;
Ripens the Embryo-Notions into Truth,
And gives to infant-Demonstration Growth
At length, behold! new Worlds of Knowledge rise,
And sudden Light flash round the new-form'd Skies:
Harmonious all the finish'd Systems roll,
And Noon-Day Evidence illuminates the whole.
Doubts disappear, and Error flies away,
As Midnight Glooms before the rising Day.
His Hands the new-found Stores around dispense,
T' enlarge the patty Stock of common Sense .
So yonder Sun, th' exhaustless Source of Day,
To Earth's dark Caverns darts his vital Ray;
Tranforms to Gold what was but Dross before,
And ripens unless Stones to precious Oar:
Transmiss his radiant Influence thro' the Seas,
To make the Ruby glow, the Di'mond blaze:
These Secret Stores, collected and refin'd,
Enrich the World, and polish Human Kind.

Now with great N EWTON'S Eyes he dares to look,
On the wide Pages of deep Nature's Book.
Reads the great Maker's Name in every Line;
Above, below, around, his glories shine;
Imprest on all in Characters divine
'Till cold Philosophy, at length refin'd,
Kindles to warm Devotion in his Mind.
Adoring Transport, Pleasure, Love, Surprize,
In sweet Confusion in his Bosom rise.
So Boyle his Maker's Works explor'd;
The more he knew, the humbler he ador'd.

Now in the sacred Desk I see him rise,
And well he acts the Herald of the Skies.
Graceful Solemnity and striking Awe,
Sit in his Looks, and deep Attention draw.
His speaking Aspect (in the Bloom of Youth
Rev'rend) declares unutterable Truth.
Unthinking Crowds grow solemn as they gaze,
And read his awful Message in his Face.
Solemn, and conscious of the present God,
As tho' before th' eternal Throne he stood:
Solemn, as when some Angel lists on high,
His awful Hand with God-like Majesty,
And swears by the U NUTTERABLE Name ;
While trembling Rev'rence spreads thro' Nature's Frame.

Thro' various mazes now his lips pursue
Intricate Truths, and bring them full to view.
Celestial Mystries, hid from human sense,
Shine forth in their Almighty Evidence.
Bright Demonstration every doubt controuls,
And forces the Assent of sceptic Souls.
Glaring Conviction with resistless Light,
Flashes on Minds wrapt in eternal Night
Dull Ignorance starts at th' unwellcome glare,
And coward Error dreads th' unequal War.
Triumphant Truth assumes her native State,
And trusts her Rights to such an Advocate.

So when the Splendour of the Morn appears,
Deformity its native Horrors wear:
Beauty puts on her charms; Confusion flies,
And well-distinguish'd, Objects round us rise.
Conscious of Guilt the Ravagers of Night
Abscond from the ungrateful glare of Light
Thick Glooms, obscure as Error, disappear;
And Day succeeds, as Demonstration clear.

Now to secure Impenitents he turns;
And from his Tongue Almighty Vengeance burns.
The vengeful Flames and Thunders of the Law,
Equal the Terrors trembling Moses saw.
He sets incens'd Omnipotence in Arms,
And sounds the final Trumpet's dread Alarms.
The Charmer Sin with hideous Aspect glares,
And see! in naked Horrors Hell appears!
The wasteful Deeps lie open to our Eyes,
And Flames and Groans and Curses blended rise.
J EHOVAH frowns; the Sword of Justice drawn
Above; below the Gulphs of Tophet yawn!
See! The great Judge his burning Throne ascend,
Death and Destruction on his Nod attend.
Hark! A dread Clangor! Death's old Prisons burst,
And sudden Life inspires the rising Dust.
In shudd'ring Expectation Millions stand,
To hear their Sentence at the King's left Hand:
Confounded with the Sound " D EPART , " they shrink,
Screaming away, and down to Hell they sink.
The Elements dissolve; Earth, Skies and Seas,
Vanish in one fierce universal Blaze.

The hardy Sinner, happily deceiv'd,
Now feels the Pains he ne'er before believ'd:
With Bright Description dazzled, knows not where
He is, but seems the Vengance now to bear.
Infernal Twinges thro' his Bosom dart,
And Hell's dire Pangs already rend his Heart:
He thinks the Miseries describ'd, his own;
Sinks in Despair, and Cries, Undone! Undone!

" Lift up (says B LAIR ) lift up thy dying Eyes:
" Say, who hangs yonder rack'd in Agonies?
" Pity and Torture, Love commixt with Pain,
" Throbs in his Heart, and pants in every Vein.
" See! from his Hands and Feet his Head and Side,
" Rivers of Blood and Mercy mingled glide!
" J ESUS ! T HE S AVIOUR ! — Yes! 'Tis He! — Forbear,
" Thou dying Sinner, to indulge Despair.
" B ELIEVE and L IVE , there wash thy foulest Stains,
" In this dear deluge from his bleeding Veins.
" Now Justice smiles; thy Guilt appears no more;
" And Sinai's Thunders cease to flash and roar.
" Of Calv'ry's Balm receive a cordial Drop,
" And black despair will brighten into Hope:
" The tortur'd Conscience no more agoni'ze;
" But hellish Fears to heav'nly Transports rise. "

Oh! here the raptur'd Muse could ever dwell;
And still with unremitting Wonder tell,
How oft' has B LAIR allur'd our Minds to rove,
Thro' all the Myst'ries of redeeming Love;
J ESUS display'd in his Almighty Charms,
To draw reluctant Sinners to his Arms;
With J ESUS ' charming Name cold fir'd
And every Theme with Gospel-Sweets inspir'd
His darling Subject this: A heav'nly Flame
Sublim'd his Language when he touch'd the Theme,
This Cord of Love around our Hearts he threw,
And backward Souls with pleasing Vi'lence drew.
Reluctant and with pitying Fears, he shew'd,
The vengeful Terrors of an angry God;
But Oh! With Joy proclaim'd a Saviour's peaceful Blood.
Conscious of all the Sorrows others feel,
He kill'd to cure, and wounded but to heal.

But in what nobler Language shall I paint,
The pure, Seraphic Ardors of the Saint!
His Life a fixt unerring walk with God;
A constant Progress in the heav'nly Road.
His Heart the Seat of constant Peace and Love;
There glow'd the Passions Seraphs feel above;
There pleas'd and unmolested dwelt the heav'nly D OVE .
His Breath like grateful Incense, to the Skies,
Did daily in refin'd Devotion rise,
His Soul exerted with his praying Breath,
Th' Almighty Importunity of Faith.
Hence guilty Heads escape the falling Blow,
And Blessings to unworthy Millions flow,
Nations partook the bounty of his Pray'r;
And future Times the Benefit shall share.
This gen'rous Legacy he left Mankind,
Which, while he sleeps in Death, Heav'n will remind.
So while great Moses rais'd his praying Hands,
Vict'ry and Triumph wait on Isra'l's Binds.
Each warm Petition slays a haughty Foe;
And Am'lek Falls, but Moses strikes the Blow.

But ah! The melancholy Hour appears,
When B LAIR must rise, and leave the World in Tears.
With zeal consum'd, with pious Labour spent,
Too much refin'd for this gross Element,
Mature for Heav'n, he breaks the Pris'n of Clay;
Soars, and expatiates in eternal Day:
Enjoys the Glories he describ'd unseen,
And ev'n his Views immense Improvements gain.
Heav'n smil'd upon his Life; but then most kind
When friendly Death releas'd th' imprison'd Mind:
But oh! The Loss to those condemn'd to stay behind!

Extensive as the Loss, Oh! be the Grief;
And in a hopeless Case, despair Relief.
Sinners, lament! that animating Breath
By which Heav'n Life inspir'd, is stopt in Death.
Saints join your Tears! no more shall ye rejoice,
Beneath the chearing Influence of his Voice.
Ye doubting Souls, lament! now you may rove,
Perplext and doubtful since our B LAIR'S remove.

Surviving Remant of the sacred Tribe,
Who knew the Worth these plaintive Lays describe;
Tennent's , three Worthies of immortal Fame,
Brethren by Office, Birth, in Heart and Name:
Finley , who full enjoy'd th' unbosom'd Friend;
Rodgers , whose Soul he like his own refin'd,
When all Attention, eager to admit
The flowing Knowledge, at his rev'rend Feet
Raptur'd we sat; and thou above the Rest,
Brother and Image of the dear deceas'd,
Surviving B LAIR ! Oh! let spontaneous flow
The Floods of triburary Grief you owe.
And (in your Number if so mean a Name,
May the sad Honour of chief Mourner claim)
Oh! may my filial Tears more copious flow,
And swell the Tide of universal Woe.

O B LAIR ! whom all the tend'rest Names commend,
My Father, Tutor, Pastor, Brother, Friend!
While Distance the sad Priviledge deries,
O'er thy dear Tomb to vent my bursting Eyes,
The Muse erects (the fole return allow'd)
This humble Monument of Gratitude.
Faint are her Lays; the mournful Theme she sings,
Extinguishes her Fire, and cloggs her Wings.
Affected Sorrow in a loftier strain,
May flourish, and with nicer Art complain.
These elegiac Numbers would appear,
More warm and noble, were they less sincere.
" Grief unaffected suits but ill with Art,
" Or flowing Numbers with a bleeding Heart. "

But tho' eternal Silence seize my Tongue,
And the Dumb Muse no more attempt a Song;
Yet to Life's close, my grateful Soul shall feel,
The secret Sorrow Language fails to tell:
In all my gay or studious Moments prove
The pining Anguish of bereaved Love,
'Till our Reunion heal th' invit'rate Wound above.

Lamented Shade! tho' rais'd byond the Reach
Of mortal Sense, my Tho'ts their Pinions Stretch
In quest of thee; thro' unknown Regions rove,
To find thee 'mong the shining Hosts above.
But ah! insufferable Light surrounds,
Thy Mansion, and my feeble Sight confounds.

How dark the Views benighted Mortals have,
Of that strange neighb'ring World beyond the Grave!
O! Where in the unbounded Realms of Space,
Has Heav'n allotted thee thy blissful Place?
What glorious Novelties rush full to View,
Which not before ev'n they vast Genius knew?
Dost thou with Saraphs Hymn th' eternal Throne,
In Strains which Seraphs would not blush to own?
O lost in studious Tho't, as usual, rove,
Thro' all the Mazes of redeeming Love?
Or still the gen'rous Labour undergo,
As Guardian-Angel to the Church below —
But this wild License, raving Muse! Restrain;
Nor pry to Things hid from the Sons of Men:
Ere long Eternity's amazing Light,
Will shew these Myst'ries naked to my Sight.

Blest Shade! Adieu! — When a few Days have run,
Their tedious Rounds, my painful Labour done,
Ripen'd for Heav'n, may I resign my Breath,
And smile like thee at the grim Face of Death!
Foll'wing the Path thy Feet unerring trod,
May I like thee ascend the heav'nly Road,
And ever dwell with thee beneath the Smiles of God!
There in divinest Intimacy spend,
Eternal Years in Bliss and Friendship ne'er to End!