Theism Doctrinal and Practical, or, Didactic Religious Utterances. By Francis W. Newman |
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The Considerate Politician.
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The Considerate Politician.
Saith the considerate statesman: “This would be a sin, only that it is necessary:
The world is so imperfect, that it cannot be carried on by purity.
It were better that I needed not to corrupt the electors:
It is sad that I must speak and vote against my heart's consent.
A time, it is to be hoped, shall come, when these things shall be superseded,
But now we must carry on the King's Government as best we may.
God forbid that we forget the duties which each owes to his Party!
Arduous is the task of government, as of war, and admits not common scruples.
Public life is a hard master and demands hard service;
It orders us to stifle many misgivings, and beware of raw consciences.
But we are improving, and we shall reform: we are made for progress:
We do not bribe as much as we did, nor make quite so many drunkards,
Nor do we take money-bribes in Parliament, nor terrify the juries.
Our appointments to Bishoprics are far better, and so are our clergy:
Little by little we shall amend, and save the rising generation from evil.
Meanwhile, we must not be too scrupulous, or things will get worse;
The wrong party will get into power, who will corrupt the nation,
Will sap our religion by false priests, and do harm to European liberty.”
The world is so imperfect, that it cannot be carried on by purity.
It were better that I needed not to corrupt the electors:
It is sad that I must speak and vote against my heart's consent.
A time, it is to be hoped, shall come, when these things shall be superseded,
But now we must carry on the King's Government as best we may.
God forbid that we forget the duties which each owes to his Party!
Arduous is the task of government, as of war, and admits not common scruples.
Public life is a hard master and demands hard service;
It orders us to stifle many misgivings, and beware of raw consciences.
But we are improving, and we shall reform: we are made for progress:
We do not bribe as much as we did, nor make quite so many drunkards,
Nor do we take money-bribes in Parliament, nor terrify the juries.
Our appointments to Bishoprics are far better, and so are our clergy:
Little by little we shall amend, and save the rising generation from evil.
Meanwhile, we must not be too scrupulous, or things will get worse;
The wrong party will get into power, who will corrupt the nation,
Will sap our religion by false priests, and do harm to European liberty.”
Truly unto thee Public Life is a hard master, O Statesman!
It makes of thee a slave, and not a servant; a tool, not a hireling;
Thou yieldest up to it not sinews only and mind, but conscience and soul.
This is necessary for the King's Government, and thou resignest thyself!
O mighty patriot, shall not heaven and earth praise thee?
Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! listento Sir Henry's sacrifice.
England, perhaps Europe, will be convulsed, unless Sir Henry become false.
To spare us countless griefs, he bears to debase his conscience;
To save us from abounding sin, he volunteers to take sin on himself.
He hardens his conscience a little, lest ours become very hard.
It makes of thee a slave, and not a servant; a tool, not a hireling;
Thou yieldest up to it not sinews only and mind, but conscience and soul.
This is necessary for the King's Government, and thou resignest thyself!
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Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! listento Sir Henry's sacrifice.
England, perhaps Europe, will be convulsed, unless Sir Henry become false.
To spare us countless griefs, he bears to debase his conscience;
To save us from abounding sin, he volunteers to take sin on himself.
He hardens his conscience a little, lest ours become very hard.
As the scapegoat carried off the sins of Israel, so statesmen our sins,
And their little sins are to shut out great sins, and to fortify us with mercies!
Let thorns produce grapes, and roses flourish on nettles,
If bribery and depravation and falsehood and injustice can bloom into blessing.
And their little sins are to shut out great sins, and to fortify us with mercies!
Let thorns produce grapes, and roses flourish on nettles,
If bribery and depravation and falsehood and injustice can bloom into blessing.
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