University of Virginia Library

Now, on the Altar-tomb had Noah placed
The sacred Book, to Seth by Enoch given;
And, kneeling, would have prayed; but Palal then
Began the wordy war.

‘Pardon,’ said he,
‘Intrusion out of course; but time has changed
Old channels, and the spirit of the age,
Would it be heard, must violate, where needs,
Old forms, and institutions, and make new,
That Law grow not save of the will of all,
Hold of existing circumstance, and fit
Accumulated knowledge widely spread.
Men know their rights, and to assert them now—
To will, and think, and speak as of themselves,
And to appoint what rules they will obey,
If any, and how. Well was it in old times,
The sire should teach the son, and children learn
From their forefathers, and believe: but now,
Change has accrued; and sons are who might lord
O'er parents, if in wisdom be the right,
More capable to teach than they to learn.
Then, why should they be subject, and succumb
To authority inferiour, knowledge less?
Herein deem not, I Noah's wisdom doubt,
Knowing his worth, and eloquence; but this
I well may question, when he credit claims
For inspiration, whereof know I nought,
Nor may. For whence is knowledge? From the sense.
What we perceive by eye, and ear, taste, touch,
And smell, become ideas, and compose
Reason, and understanding; nor are they
Of other objects sentient. What is deemed
Of infinite, and eternal is made up
Of times, and spaces added without end;
And so some notion formed, how vague at best.
But Noah would of other knowledge vaunt,
Caught from some other state, or world, or age,
Discerned but by the Spirit, and on faith,
The credit of his word, to be believed—
Or haply of power miraculous, whereof
Was told me yesterday, and partly felt
And seen, though but in part, because afar
I stood, and saw, and felt imperfectly,
At distance. Earthquake—Gulph—and Fire!
Why, what's in these that Nature tells not of?
These rumblings of the earth are ordinary;
And, without wrath, may swallow whom they please:
Why not Methuselah?—And for the flame,
'Twas the volcanic blaze that ever tends
On Earthquake, and announces, and succeeds,
Cherubic guardians deemed of Eden lost.
Vain terrours; which the light of science, seen
In the horizon only, soon will chase—
Like shades before the sun at morning-rise.
Thus futile these pretensions; others may
Be proved, perchance, as fond. Behoves it, then,
His claims be tested; and to all be given
Free opportunity merit to sift,
And chuse the wisest, and the best to rule.’

He ended, and was followed with applause
Unanimous.—Straight, from amidst the throng,
Rose, unexpected, Samiasa then;
And awe imposed, and silence.

‘Friends;’ he cried:
‘Patient I've heard, like patience shew to me.
'Tis said, no inner vision hath the soul,
But all its knowledge is derived from earth;
Yet 'tis confessed there is a power within,
Which from the finite argues infinite—
What is that power? O surely not of earth,
For earthly things fail it to satisfy,
And cannot shew the Object that it wants.
Is then that Object nothing? Nay, the soul
Perceives of it impression, with that eye,
Which, being spiritual, spiritually beholds;
As with a fleshly orb it apprehends
Material forms, intelligently seen.
And this Idea, or creative Word,
Reports of Law; of which the shadows be,
By symbols, shewn in nature, and the rule
Of government. But its high fountain is
Thy bosom, God! whose Being is the Law
Unto thy working; authour to itself;
Beginning all things for a worthy end,
And operation limiting thereby,
In measure, number, weight, according to
The counsel of thy Will; that Wisdom old,
More antient than the hills, co-mate with thee,
Eternal: Order, hence, appoints to all
His creatures, and creation, duties fit:
Celestial, natural; human, or divine;
Fatal, or voluntary. Nature thus,
To Law obedient, Being to produce,
Generates forms, to be the souls of things.
Thus Angels love, adore, and imitate
The purity, the glory, and the beauty
Of him who placed their armies, and their hosts
In order, and degree, the ministers
Of virtue unto men. Thus men themselves,
Aiming at goodness, covet to be like
God in continuance, and creation both;
And seek to propagate, and to their works
Give constancy, and excellence like his;
And rise, by reason, to the knowledge pure
Of things, not sensible; and, by the power
Of will, the spirit of the mind,—of heaven.
Knowledge, and Will; whence Choice. Of these discoursed
Palal even now, and argued Noah false:
His premises proved false, prove Noah true.
Chuse ye the good, avoid the evil now;
And to the Laws by Reason given to Man,
For social rule, and peaceful fellowship,
And to old ordinance, old authority,
Bow as of right, that Order be not broke;
Knowing that intellect may not usurp
On moral power, and either damage 'scape.’

Thus ended he; and thought profound held mute
The assembly—soon by Rumel called to hear.
—‘Freemen;’ exclaimed the Oratour: ‘men free
By Nature; wherefore should ye to old saws
Yield, whom new prospects to new fields invite
Of great endeavour? At whose voice? At his,
Who by inheritance possessed a throne,
And was a king, and straight must ape the god,
And rather than in city, dwelt in wild?
Now, from his sway released, in the same line
Resides authority: how graced with virtue,
Both in Azaradel, and Amazarah;
With what allegiance unto antient law,
Or modern, well appears to all, and each:
Yet little need be cared for, if it brought
Oppression not on subjects, scourging oft
The sins of other men, and taxing them
For maintenance of their own. The hour is come,
When Earth must throw off rule: and lawless Man
Be as at first; self-governed, or quite free;
Each waging his own right, or his own wrong
Avenging; following his own desires;
Self-arbiter of evil, and of good.’