 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
33
MIND OF LITTLE CHILDREN.
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And
Jesus called a little child.”—Matt. xviii. 1, 2.
Men call it wisdom, when they grow
Less and less like a child;
But let the harsh and haughty know
Such wisdom is defiled;
The cold perfection of a cautious man,
Who gains by cunning,—what the Serpent can!
Less and less like a child;
But let the harsh and haughty know
Such wisdom is defiled;
The cold perfection of a cautious man,
Who gains by cunning,—what the Serpent can!
He, whose all-meas'ring Soul perceived
The heights and depths of mind,
A nobler creed would have believed
When present with mankind,
Who said, with Infancy beside His knee,
“He that is greatest, like a child must be.”
The heights and depths of mind,
A nobler creed would have believed
When present with mankind,
Who said, with Infancy beside His knee,
“He that is greatest, like a child must be.”
Heaven to a child comes nearer far
Than in maturer age,
When passion's brunt and blighting war
Their ceaseless battle wage
Against those young simplicities which dwell
Deep in the bosom, like a guardian-spell.
Than in maturer age,
When passion's brunt and blighting war
Their ceaseless battle wage
Against those young simplicities which dwell
Deep in the bosom, like a guardian-spell.
Oh! for a reverential eye
To Childhood which pertains,
That sees religion in the sky,
And poetry in plains;
To whom a rainbow like a rapture glows,
And all is marvel which th' Almighty shows.
To Childhood which pertains,
That sees religion in the sky,
And poetry in plains;
To whom a rainbow like a rapture glows,
And all is marvel which th' Almighty shows.
Blest age of Wonder! when a flower,
A blossom, fruit, or tree,
Gives a new zest to each new hour
Which gladdens home with glee:
When like a lisping stream life rolls along
In happy murmurs of unconscious song.
A blossom, fruit, or tree,
Gives a new zest to each new hour
Which gladdens home with glee:
When like a lisping stream life rolls along
In happy murmurs of unconscious song.
It smiles on that, and speaks to this,
As if each object knew
A child exulted in the bliss
Of all that charms its view:
Personified the whole creation seems
Into a heart that mirrors back its dreams.
As if each object knew
A child exulted in the bliss
Of all that charms its view:
Personified the whole creation seems
Into a heart that mirrors back its dreams.
Life looks a fairy landscape spread
Before the untaught gaze,
As on the infant Soul is led
To meet its vernal days,
Where pure-eyed Innocence may well discern
A deeper beauty than the wise can learn.
Before the untaught gaze,
As on the infant Soul is led
To meet its vernal days,
Where pure-eyed Innocence may well discern
A deeper beauty than the wise can learn.
Fresh from the hands of God they come
These infants of His grace,
And something of celestial home
Yet lingers in their face;
Strange to the world, no worldliness defiles
The little history of their tears and smiles.
These infants of His grace,
And something of celestial home
Yet lingers in their face;
Strange to the world, no worldliness defiles
The little history of their tears and smiles.
Candid and curious, how they seek
All truth to know and scan;
And, ere the budding mind can speak,
Begin to study Man!
Confiding sweetness colours all they say,
And Angels listen, when they try to pray.
All truth to know and scan;
And, ere the budding mind can speak,
Begin to study Man!
Confiding sweetness colours all they say,
And Angels listen, when they try to pray.
More playful than the birds of spring,
Ingenuous, warm, sincere,
Like meadow-bees upon the wing
They roam without a fear;
And breathe their thoughts on all who round them live,
As Light sheds beams, or flowers their perfume give.
Ingenuous, warm, sincere,
Like meadow-bees upon the wing
They roam without a fear;
And breathe their thoughts on all who round them live,
As Light sheds beams, or flowers their perfume give.
And how the Church o'erawes their sense,
With rite and ritual graced!
Whose creed is loving innocence,
Which time hath not effaced;
And would that those, who Manhood's paths have trod,
Like infants trembled at the name of God!
With rite and ritual graced!
Whose creed is loving innocence,
Which time hath not effaced;
And would that those, who Manhood's paths have trod,
Like infants trembled at the name of God!
Mysterious age! the type of heaven,
By Jesu's blessing crown'd,
To thee a purity is given
Grey hairs have never found;
The arms of Christ do yet encircle thee
Like a soft halo which the Heart can see.
By Jesu's blessing crown'd,
To thee a purity is given
Grey hairs have never found;
The arms of Christ do yet encircle thee
Like a soft halo which the Heart can see.
Mere knowledge makes us keen and cold,
And cunning dwarfs the mind,
As more and more the heart grows old
With feelings base and blind;
Our light is clearer, but our love is less,
And few the bosoms which our own can bless!
And cunning dwarfs the mind,
As more and more the heart grows old
With feelings base and blind;
Our light is clearer, but our love is less,
And few the bosoms which our own can bless!
Spirit of Grace! we learn from Thee
This noble truth, at length,—
That wisdom is simplicity,
Simplicity is strength;
A Child-man, could the world a model find,
Would be a living type for human-kind.
This noble truth, at length,—
That wisdom is simplicity,
Simplicity is strength;
A Child-man, could the world a model find,
Would be a living type for human-kind.
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |