[106:1] First published in the _Monthly Magazine_, October, 1796, vol.
ii, p. 712: included in 1797, 1803, _Sibylline Leaves_, 1817, 1828, 1829, and 1834.
LINENOTES:
t.i.tle] Reflections on entering into active life. A Poem which affects not to be Poetry M. Mag. _The motto was prefixed in 1797._
[12-17]
Bristowa"s citizen--he paus"d and look"d With a pleased sadness and gaz"d all around, Then eye"d our cottage and gaz"d round again, And said it was a _blessed little place_.
Monthly Magazine.
[17]
And sigh"d, and said, _it was a blessed place_.
1797, 1803.
[21] wings] wing M. M., 1797, 1803, S. L.
[21-3]
Gleaming on sunny wing,) "And such," I said, "The in.o.btrusive song
1803.
[40] Was imag"d M. M.
[46] entrusted] trusted M. M., 1797.
[55] Seizes my Praise, when I reflect on those 1797, 1803, Sibylline Leaves, 1817 (line as in text supplied in _Errata_).
[69] none] _none_ M. M. all] _all_ M. M.
[70-1] om. 1803.
RELIGIOUS MUSINGS[108:1]
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 mult.i.tude, 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!
Despised Galilaean! For the Great Invisible (by symbols only seen) 10 With a peculiar and surpa.s.sing light Shines from the visage of the oppressed good man, When heedless of himself the scourged 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 h.e.l.l 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 G.o.dhead, melting into day What floating mists of dark idolatry Broke and misshaped the omnipresent Sire:[110:1]
And first by Fear uncharmed the drowsed Soul.
Till of its n.o.bler 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 G.o.d only to behold, and know, and feel, Till by exclusive consciousness of G.o.d All self-annihilated it shall make[110:2]
G.o.d its Ident.i.ty: G.o.d 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 h.e.l.l; G.o.d"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,[112:1]
To sickly Nature more medicinal 85 Than what soft balm the weeping good man pours Into the lone despoiled traveller"s wounds!
Thus from the Elect, regenerate through faith, Pa.s.s the dark Pa.s.sions and what thirsty cares[112:2]
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 some thick fog creeps timorous with slow foot, 95 Darkling he fixes on the immediate road His downward eye: all else of fairest kind Hid or deformed. But lo! the bursting Sun!
Touched by the enchantment of that sudden beam Straight the black vapour melteth, and in globes 100 Of dewy glitter gems each plant and tree; On every leaf, on every blade it hangs!
Dance glad the new-born intermingling rays, And wide around the landscape streams with glory!
There is one Mind, one omnipresent Mind, 105 Omnific. His most holy name is Love.
Truth of subliming import! with the which Who feeds and saturates his constant soul, He from his small particular orbit flies With blest outstarting! From himself he flies, 110 Stands in the sun, and with no partial gaze Views all creation; and he loves it all, And blesses it, and calls it very good!
This is indeed to dwell with the Most High!
Cherubs and rapture-trembling Seraphim 115 Can press no nearer to the Almighty"s throne.
But that we roam unconscious, or with hearts Unfeeling of our universal Sire, And that in His vast family no Cain Injures uninjured (in her best-aimed blow 120 Victorious Murder a blind Suicide) Haply for this some younger Angel now Looks down on Human Nature: and, behold!
A sea of blood bestrewed with wrecks, where mad Embattling Interests on each other rush 125 With unhelmed rage!
"Tis the sublime of man, Our noontide Majesty, to know ourselves Parts and proportions of one wondrous whole!
This fraternises man, this const.i.tutes Our charities and bearings. But "tis G.o.d 130 Diffused through all, that doth make all one whole; This the worst superst.i.tion, him except Aught to desire, Supreme Reality![114:1]
The plenitude and permanence of bliss!
O Fiends of Superst.i.tion! not that oft 135 The erring Priest hath stained with brother"s blood Your grisly idols, not for this may wrath Thunder against you from the Holy One!
But o"er some plain that steameth to the sun, Peopled with Death; or where more hideous Trade 140 Loud-laughing packs his bales of human anguish; I will raise up a mourning, O ye Fiends!
And curse your spells, that film the eye of Faith, Hiding the present G.o.d; whose presence lost, The moral world"s cohesion, we become 145 An Anarchy of Spirits! Toy-bewitched, Made blind by l.u.s.ts, disherited of soul, No common centre Man, no common sire Knoweth! A sordid solitary thing, Mid countless brethren with a lonely heart 150 Through courts and cities the smooth savage roams Feeling himself, his own low self the whole; When he by sacred sympathy might make The whole one Self! Self, that no alien knows!
Self, far diffused as Fancy"s wing can travel! 155 Self, spreading still! Oblivious of its own, Yet all of all possessing! This is Faith!
This the Messiah"s destined victory!
But first offences needs must come! Even now[115:1]
(Black h.e.l.l laughs horrible--to hear the scoff!) 160 Thee to defend, meek Galilaean! Thee And thy mild laws of Love unutterable, Mistrust and Enmity have burst the bands Of social peace: and listening Treachery lurks With pious fraud to snare a brother"s life; 165 And childless widows o"er the groaning land Wail numberless; and orphans weep for bread!
Thee to defend, dear Saviour of Mankind!
Thee, Lamb of G.o.d! Thee, blameless Prince of Peace!
From all sides rush the thirsty brood of War!-- 170 Austria, and that foul Woman of the North, The l.u.s.tful murderess of her wedded lord!
And he, connatural Mind![115:2] whom (in their songs So bards of elder time had haply feigned) Some Fury fondled in her hate to man, 175 Bidding her serpent hair in mazy surge Lick his young face, and at his mouth imbreathe Horrible sympathy! And leagued with these Each petty German princeling, nursed in gore!
Soul-hardened barterers of human blood![116:1] 180 Death"s prime slave-merchants! Scorpion-whips of Fate!
Nor least in savagery of holy zeal, Apt for the yoke, the race degenerate, Whom Britain erst had blushed to call her sons!