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55

      The sluggard Pity’s vision-weaving tribe!

      Who sigh for Wretchedness, yet shun the Wretched,

      Nursing in some delicious solitude

      Their slothful loves and dainty sympathies!

      I therefore go, and join head, heart, and hand, 60

      Active and firm, to fight the bloodless fight

      Of Science, Freedom, and the Truth in Christ.

      Yet oft when after honourable toil

      Bests the tir’d mind, and waking loves to dream,

      My spirit shall revisit thee, dear Cot! 65

      Thy Jasmin and thy window-peeping Rose,

      And Myrtles fearless of the mild sea-air.

      And I shall sigh fond wishes — sweet Abode!

      Ah! — had none greater! And that all had such!

      It might be so — but the time is not yet. 70

      Speed it, O Father! Let thy Kingdom come!

      RELIGIOUS MUSINGS

      A DESULTORY POEM, WRITTEN ON THE CHRISTMAS EVE OF 1794

      This is the time, when most divine to hear,

      The voice of Adoration rouses me,

      As with a Cherub’s trump: and high upborne,

      Yea, mingling with the Choir, I seem to view

      The vision of the heavenly multitude, 5

      Who hymned the song of Peace o’er Bethlehem’s fields!

      Yet thou more bright than all the Angel-blaze,

      That harbingered thy birth, Thou Man of Woes!

      Despiséd Galilaean! For the Great

      Invisible (by symbols only seen) 10

      With a peculiar and surpassing light

      Shines from the visage of the oppressed good man,

      When heedless of himself the scourgéd saint

      Mourns for the oppressor. Fair the vernal mead,

      Fair the high grove, the sea, the sun, the stars; 15

      True impress each of their creating Sire!

      Yet nor high grove, nor many-colour’d mead,

      Nor the green ocean with his thousand isles,

      Nor the starred azure, nor the sovran sun,

      E’er with such majesty of portraiture 20

      Imaged the supreme beauty uncreate,

      As thou, meek Saviour! at the fearful hour

      When thy insulted anguish winged the prayer

      Harped by Archangels, when they sing of mercy!

      Which when the Almighty heard from forth his throne 25

      Diviner light filled Heaven with ecstasy!

      Heaven’s hymnings paused: and Hell her yawning mouth

      Closed a brief moment.

      Lovely was the death

      Of Him whose life was Love! Holy with power

      He on the thought-benighted Sceptic beamed 30

      Manifest Godhead, melting into day

      What floating mists of dark idolatry

      Broke and misshaped the omnipresent Sire:

      And first by Fear uncharmed the drowséd Soul.

      Till of its nobler nature it ‘gan feel 35

      Dim recollections; and thence soared to Hope,

      Strong to believe whate’er of mystic good

      The Eternal dooms for His immortal sons.

      From Hope and firmer Faith to perfect Love

      Attracted and absorbed: and centered there 40

      God only to behold, and know, and feel,

      Till by exclusive consciousness of God

      All self-annihilated it shall make

      God its Identity: God all in all!

      We and our Father one!

      And blest are they, 45

      Who in this fleshly World, the elect of Heaven,

      Their strong eye darting through the deeds of men,

      Adore with steadfast unpresuming gaze

      Him Nature’s essence, mind, and energy!

      And gazing, trembling, patiently ascend 50

      Treading beneath their feet all visible things

      As steps, that upward to their Father’s throne

      Lead gradual — else nor glorified nor loved.

      They nor contempt embosom nor revenge:

      For they dare know of what may seem deform 55

      The Supreme Fair sole operant: in whose sight

      All things are pure, his strong controlling love

      Alike from all educing perfect good.

      Their’s too celestial courage, inly armed —

      Dwarfing Earth’s giant brood, what time they muse 60

      On their great Father, great beyond compare!

      And marching onwards view high o’er their heads

      His waving banners of Omnipotence.

      Who the Creator love, created Might

      Dread not: within their tents no Terrors walk. 65

      For they are holy things before the Lord

      Aye unprofaned, though Earth should league with Hell;

      God’s altar grasping with an eager hand

      Fear, the wild-visag’d, pale, eye-starting wretch,

      Sure-refug’d hears his hot pursuing fiends 70

      Yell at vain distance. Soon refresh’d from Heaven

      He calms the throb and tempest of his heart.

      His countenance settles; a soft solemn bliss

      Swims in his eye — his swimming eye uprais’d:

      And Faith’s whole armour glitters on his limbs! 75

      And thus transfigured with a dreadless awe,

      A solemn hush of soul, meek he beholds

      All things of terrible seeming: yea, unmoved

      Views e’en the immitigable ministers

      That shower down vengeance on these latter days. 80

      For kindling with intenser Deity

      From the celestial Mercy-seat they come,

      And at the renovating wells of Love

      Have fill’d their vials with salutary wrath,

      To sickly Nature more medicinal 85

      Than what soft balm the weeping good man pours

      Into the lone despoiléd traveller’s wounds!

      Thus from the Elect, regenerate through faith,

      Pass the dark Passions and what thirsty cares

      Drink up the spirit, and the dim regards 90

      Self-centre. Lo they vanish! or acquire

      New names, new features — by supernal grace

      Enrobed with Light, and naturalised in Heaven.

      As when a shepherd on a vernal morn

      Through

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