THE morning flowers display their sweets, And gay their silken leaves unfold As...

THE morning flowers display their sweets, And gay their silken leaves unfold As careless of the noontide heats, As fearless of the evening cold.

Nipt by the wind's unkindly blast, Parched by the sun's directer ray, The momentary glories waste, The short-lived beauties die away.

So blooms the human face divine, When youth its pride of beauty shows; Fairer than spring the colours shine, And sweeter than the virgin rose.

Or worn by slowly-rolling years, Or broke by sickness in a day, The fading glory disappears, The short-lived beauties die away.

Yet these, new rising from the tomb, With lustre brighter far shall shine; Revive with ever-during bloom, Safe from diseases and decline.

Let sickness blast, let death devour, If heaven must recompense our pains: Perish the grass, and fade the flower, If firm the word of God remains.