Page:Modern poets and poetry of Spain.djvu/72

26 Measuring the heavens, and of the stars that fly

The shining orbits! With a sleepless eye,

Hasty the night he reckons, and complains

Of the day's light his labour that detains;

Again admires night's wonders, but reflects

Ne'er on the hand that fashioned and directs.

Beyond the moons of Uranus he bends

His gaze; beyond the Ship, the Bear, ascends:

But after all this, nothing more feels he:

He measures, calculates, but does not see

The heavens obeying their great Author's will,

Whirling around all silent; robbing still

The hours from life, ungratefully so gone,

Till one to undeceive him soon draws on.

&ensp;Another, careless of the stars, descries

The humble dust, to scan and analyse.

His microscope he grasps, and sets, and falls

On some poor atom; and a triumph calls,

If should the fool the magic instrument

Of life or motion slightest sign present,

Its form to notice, in the glass to pore,

What his deluded fancy saw before;

Yields to the cheat, and gives to matter base

The power, forgot the Lord of all to trace.

Thus raves the ingrate.