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The Amaranth

Or, religious poems; consisting of fables, visions, emblems, etc. Adorned with copper-plates from the best masters [by Walter Harte]
Harte, Walter (1709-1774)

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CHRIST's PARABLE OF THE SOWER.
  
INTRODUCTION.
  
PARABLE.
  
INTERPRETATION.
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THE ASCETIC,
  
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THE MEDITATION OF THOMAS A KEMPIS.
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CONTENTMENT, INDUSTRY, AND ACQUIESCENCE under the Divine Will:
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THE VISION OF DEATH.
  
INTRODUCTION.
  
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MORAL.
  
THE COURTIER AND PRINCE:
  
THE ENCHANTED REGION:
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EULOGIUS:
  
INTRODUCTION.
  
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MACARIUS:
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BOETIUS:
  
INTRODUCTION.
  
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Religious Melancholy, AN EMBLEMATICAL ELEGY.
  
MEDITATIONS ON CHRIST's Death and Passion.

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2

INTRODUCTION.

Long e'er th'Ascréan bard had learnt to sing,
Or Homer's fingers touch'd the speaking string;
Long e'er the supplemental arts had found
Th'embroid'ry of auxiliary sound;
The heav'n-born Muse the paths of nature chose:
Emblems and Fables her whole mind disclose,
Victorious o'er the soul with energy of prose!
True Poetry, like Ophir's gold, endures
All trials, yet its purity secures;
Invert, dis-joint it, change its very name,
The essence of the thoughts remains the same.
Something there is, which endless charms affords;
And stamps the majesty of truth on words.
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The Son of Gideon midst Cherizim's snow,
Unskill'd in numbers taught the stream to flow,
With conscious pride disdain'd the aids of art,
And pour'd a full conviction on the heart:
His cedar, fig-tree, and the bry'r convey
The highest notions in the humblest way .
In Nathan's Fable strong and mild conspire,
The suppliant's meekness and the poet's fire:
Till waken'd nature bade the tears to flow,
And David's muse assum'd the voice of woe .
The Wise, All-knowing Saviour of mankind
Mix'd ease with strength, and truth with emblem join'd:
Omniscience, vested with full pow'r to chuse,
O'erlooks the strong, nor does the weak refuse :
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Leaves pageantry of means to feebler man,
And builds the noblest, on the plainest plan:
Divine simplicity the work befriends,
And humble causes reach sublimest ends.
True Flame of verse, O SANCTIFYING FIRE !
Warm not my genius, but my heart inspire!
On my cleans'd lips permit the coals to dwell
Which from thy altar on Isaiah fell !
Cancel the world's applause; and give thy grace
To me, the meanest of the tuneful race.
Teach me the words of JESUS to impart
With energy of pow'r, but free from art.
THY emanations light and heat dispense;
To sucklings speech, to children eloquence!—
Like Habakkuk , I copy, not indite;
Tim'rous like him, I tremble whilst I write!
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But Jeremiah with new boldness sung,
When inspiration rush'd upon his tongue .
The pow'rs of sacred poesy were giv'n
By Him, that bears the signature of Heav'n .
 

Hesiod.

Jotham.

See the whole parable, Judg. C. ix, V. 7–21.

On this occasion David composed the 50th psalm.

It is the uniform doctrine of Scripture, “That flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself.” Amos C. ii, V. 14.

Rom. C. xv, V. 16. 2 Thess. C. ii, V. 13. 1 Pet. C. i. V. 2.

Isaiah C. vi, V. 6.

Hab. C. ii, V. 2.

Jer. C. i, V. 6, &c. 8, 9.

John C. vi. Ver. 27.

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