The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Collected by Himself. In Ten Volumes |
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| III, IV. |
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| VI, VII. |
| VIII, IX. |
| X. |
 | The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore |  |
EXTRACTS FROM MY DIARY.
Wrote a letter to dear Sir Andrew Agnew,
About the “Do-nothing-on-Sunday-Club,”
Which we wish by some shorter name to dub:—
As the use of more vowels and consonants
Than a Christian, on Sunday, really wants,
Is a grievance that ought to be done away,
And the Alphabet left to rest, that day.
Being franked unthinkingly yesterday,
To the horror of Agnews yet unborn,
It arriv'd on this blessed Sunday morn!!—
How shocking!—the postman's self cried “shame on't,”
Seeing the' immaculate Andrew's name on't!!
'Tis a matter that touches the Class Devout,
And the friends of the Sabbath must speak out.
That those stylish Fitzwigrams begin to dress plain.
Even gay little Sophy smart trimmings renounces—
She, who long has stood by me through all sorts of flounces,
And showed, by upholding the toilet's sweet rites,
That we, girls, may be Christians, without being frights.
This, I own, much alarms me; for though one's religious,
And strict and—all that, there's no need to be hideous;
And why a nice bonnet should stand in the way
Of one's going to heav'n, 'tisn't easy to say.
Pray, what's to become of her soul and her shop?
She'll lose all the interest she now takes in heaven;
And this nice little “fire-brand, pluck'd from the burning,”
May fall in again at the very next turning.
And send £20—heavy tax upon piety!
Making “Company's Christians ” perhaps costs the most.
And the worst of it is, that these converts full grown,
Having lived in our faith mostly die in their own ,
Praying hard, at the last, to some god who, they say,
When incarnate on earth, used to steal curds and whey.
Think, how horrid, my dear!—so that all's thrown away;
They consum'd, while believers, we saints pay the price.
The Report gives six Christians for Cunnangcadoo;
Doorkotchum reckons seven, and four Trevandrum,
While but one and a half's left at Cooroopadum.
In this last-mention'd place 'tis the barbers enslave 'em,
For, once they turn Christians, no barber will shave 'em.
Some Papists, turn'd Christians , are tack'd to the' account.
Such fish are worth hooking, wherever they are;
And now, when so great of such converts the lack is,
One Papist well caught is worth millions of Blackies.
I cannot resist recording it here.—
Methought that the Genius of Matrimony
Before me stood, with a joyous leer,
Leading a husband in each hand,
And both for me, which look'd rather queer;—
One I could perfectly understand,
But why there were two wasn't quite so clear.
'Twas meant, however, I soon could see,
To afford me a choice—a most excellent plan;
And—who should this brace of candidates be,
But Messrs. O'Mulligan and Magan:—
To dream, at once, of two Irishmen!—
That handsome Magan, too, with wings on his shoulders
(For all this pass'd in the realms of the Blest,)
And quite a creature to dazzle beholders;
While even O'Mulligan, feather'd and drest
As an elderly cherub, was looking his best.
Ah Liz, you, who know me, scarce can doubt
As to which of the two I singled out.
But—awful to tell—when, all in dread
Of losing so bright a vision's charms,
I grasp'd at Magan, his image fled,
Like a mist, away, and I found but the head
Of O'Mulligan, wings and all, in my arms!
The Angel had flown to some nest divine,
And the elderly Cherub alone was mine!
Heigho!—it is certain that foolish Magan
Either can't or wo'n't see that he might be the man;
And, perhaps, dear—who knows?—if nought better befall
But—O'Mulligan may be the man, after all.
N.B.
Next week mean to have my first scriptural rout,For the special discussion of matters devout;—
Like those soirées, at Pow'rscourt , so justly re-renown'd,
For the zeal with which doctrine and negus went round;
That pink of Christianity, first set the mode in;
Where, blessed down-pouring! from tea until nine,
The subjects lay all in the Prophecy line;—
Then, supper—and then, if for topics hard driven,
From thence until bed-time to Satan was given;
While R---d---n, deep read in each topic and tome,
On all subjects (especially the last) was at home.
The god Krishna, one of the incarnations of the god Vishnu. “One day (says the Bhagavata) Krishna's play-fellows complained to Tasuda that he had pilfered and ate their curds.”
“Roteen wants shaving; but the barber here will not do it. He is run away lest he should be compelled. He says he will not shave Yesoo Kreest's people.” —Bapt. Mission Society, vol. ii. p. 493.
In the Reports of the Missionaries, the Roman Catholics are almost always classed along with the Heathen. “I have extended my labours, (says James Venning, in a Report for 1831,) to the Heathen, Mahomedans, and Roman Catholics.” “The Heathen and Roman Catholics in this neighbourhood (says another missionary for the year 1832) are not indifferent, but withstand, rather than yield to, the force of truth.”
An account of these Powerscourt Conversaziones (under the direct presidency of Lord Roden), as well as a list of the subjects discussed at the different meetings, may be found in the Christian Herald for the month of December, 1832. The following is a specimen of the nature of the questions submitted to the company:—“Monday Evening, Six o'clock, September 24. 1832.—‘An examination into the quotations given in the New Testament from the Old, with their connection and explanation, viz.’ &c. &c.—Wednesday.—‘Should we expect a personal Antichrist? and to whom will he be revealed?’ &c. &c.—Friday.—‘What light does Scripture throw on present events, and their moral character? What is next to be looked for or expected?’” &c.
The rapid progress made at these tea-parties in settling points of Scripture, may be judged from a paragraph in the account given of one of their evenings, by the Christian Herald:—
“On Daniel a good deal of light was thrown, and there was some, I think not so much, perhaps, upon the Revelations; though particular parts of it were discussed with considerable accession of knowledge. There was some very interesting inquiry as to the quotation of the Old Testament in the New; particularly on the point, whether there was any ‘accomodation,’ or whether they were quoted according to the mind of the Spirit in the Old; this gave occasion to some very interesting developement of Scripture. The progress of the Antichristian powers was very fully discussed.”
“About eight o'clock the Lord began to pour down his spirit copiously upon us—for they had all by this time assembled in my room for the purpose of prayer. This downpouring continued till about ten o'clock.”—Letter from Mary Campbell to the Rev. John Campbell, of Row, (dated Fernicary, April 4. 1830,) giving an account of her “miraculous cure.”
| The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore | |