CCXCIX. The vanity of creatures

1 Man has a soul of vast desires,
He burns within with restless fires,
Toss'd to and fro, his passions fly
From vanity to vanity.

2 In vain on earth we hope to find
Some solid good to fill the mind;
We try new pleasures, but we feel
The inward thirst and torment still.

3 So when a raging fever burns,
We shift from side to side by turns,
And 'tis a poor relief we gain,
To change the place, but keep the pain.

4 Great God! subdue this vicious thirst,
This love to vanity and dust;
Cure the vile fever of the mind,
And feed our souls with joys refin'd.

Text Information
First Line: Man has a soul of vast desires
Title: The vanity of creatures
Meter: L. M.
Language: English
Publication Date: 1799
Topic: World: Vanity of
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