THE ANSWER BY A FRENCH PROTESTANT. ENGLISHED THUS: A Christian church once at Montpelier stood, TWO HAPPY RIVALS, DEVOTION AND THE MUSE. WILD as the lightning, various as the moon, Here she glows like burning noon In fiercest flames, and here she plays Gentle as star-beams on the midnight seas; Now in a smiling angel's form, Anon she rides upon the storm, Loud as the noisy thunder, as a deluge strong. Are my thoughts and wishes free, Measures and rules of vulgar strains, And o'er the laws of harmony, a sovereign queen If she roves By streams or groves, Tuning her pleasures or her pains, [she reigns. My passion keeps her still in sight, Of the biggest mortal things, While thunders roar From shore to shore, My soul sits fast upon her wings, And sweeps the crimson surge, or scours the purple plain; Still I attend her as she flies, Round the broad globe, and all beneath the skies. But when from the meridian star She takes the hint, she knows the sign, The Muse ascends her heavenly car, And climbs the steepy path, and views the throne Clogg'd with clay, and unrefin'd; [divine, Virtue lags with heavy wheel; O why is Piety so weak, And yet the Muse so strong! But earthly vapours damp my zeal, And mortal passion charms my soul astray And call me high To mingle with the choirs of glory and of bliss. Awakes the song, and guides the way; There love and zeal, divine and bright, Trace out new regions in the world of light, And scarce the boldest Muse can follow or obey. I'm in a dream, and Fancy reigns, Or is the vision true? Behold Religion on her throne, In awful state descending down, And her dominions, vast and bright, within my spacious view. She smiles, and with a courteous hand She beckons me away; I feel mine airy powers loose from the cumbrous clay, And with a joyful haste obey Religion's high command. What lengths and heights and depths unknown! And seas, and skies, and stars her own, What heavens of joy, and light serene, A long farewell to all below, Farewell to all that sense can show : Now the swift transports of the mind Amongst the clouds I lose my breath, Till the gross organ, well refin'd, Can trace the boundless flights of an unfetter'd mind, And raise an equal song. HAZARD OF LOVING THE CREATURES. WHERE'ER my fluttering passions rove, I find a lurking snare ; "Tis dangerous to let loose our love Beneath the' Eternal Fair. Souls whom the tie of friendship binds, And partners of our blood, Nature has soft but powerful bands, And reason she controuls; While children with their little hands Hang closest to our souls. Thoughtless they act the' Old Serpent's part; What tempting things they be! Lord, how they twine about our heart, And draw it off from thee! Our hasty wills rush blindly on Where rising passion rolls, And thus we make our fetters strong To bind our slavish souls. * Different ages have their different airs and fashions of writing. It was much more the fashion of the age, when these poems were written, to treat of Divine subjects in the style of Solomon's Song, than it is a this day, which will afford some apology for the writer in his younger years. |