 | Poems on several occasions |  |
LINES ON ROBERT NELSON, ESQ.,
THE AUTHOR OF “A COMPANION TO THE FASTS AND FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH,” &C.
Shall Nelson, great and good, forgotten lie?
Tomb'd with his dust, shall his remembrance die;
When Christian saints with just and pious care
To future ages he recorded fair,
Whose lives and brighter deaths adorn the calendar?
The same Redeemer's name he gladly bore,
And sought the triumphs they obtain'd before.
The same eternal Dove with sacred fire,
Though not his writings, did his life inspire.
Tomb'd with his dust, shall his remembrance die;
When Christian saints with just and pious care
To future ages he recorded fair,
Whose lives and brighter deaths adorn the calendar?
The same Redeemer's name he gladly bore,
And sought the triumphs they obtain'd before.
The same eternal Dove with sacred fire,
Though not his writings, did his life inspire.
Awake, my lyre! The subject might demand
A Waller's art, a tuneful Prior's hand.
Awake! Diviner fame from virtue springs,
Than scarlet war, or sceptred empire, brings
To guilty conquerors or resistless kings;
Fame, nor by flattery paid, nor gain'd by crime,
That dures, superior to devouring time,
While God his purchased church on earth sustains,
While nature runs her course, while heaven itself remains.
A Waller's art, a tuneful Prior's hand.
407
Than scarlet war, or sceptred empire, brings
To guilty conquerors or resistless kings;
Fame, nor by flattery paid, nor gain'd by crime,
That dures, superior to devouring time,
While God his purchased church on earth sustains,
While nature runs her course, while heaven itself remains.
What virtues join'd did Nelson's worth complete!
Generous, not proud; without ambition, great;
To others mild, but to himself severe;
Polish'd, though learn'd; and, though well-bred, sincere.
His cheerful goodness wore a constant smile,
Calm as his speech, and easy as his style:
His style as logic clear, and sweet as song;
Though short, yet full; though plain and easy, strong.
The writer most, but all the man, esteem;
For few could write, and fewer live, like him.
His well-weigh'd judgment could avoid extremes
Of formal seemings or enthusiast dreams.
Who made the compound man, demands him whole;
Not thoughtless matter, nor unbodied soul.
To' evince this truth, his pen and life contend,
Nor careless of the way, nor mindless of the end.
He show'd that warmth and sense might well agree
In sober, strong, affecting piety:
Nor e'er should reason and devotion part;
The coolest head suits best the warmest heart.
Yet, champion for the truth, he wisely knew
How small a prospect terminates our view;
That infinite no finite comprehends;
That here our faith begins, and reason ends.
Nor dared he rash approach the' Eternal's throne,
The light mysterious of the great Three-One;
Contented not to know what rests to all unknown.
Amazed, the loved disciple turn'd away;
Nor bore the flash of Christ's diviner ray,
On whose incarnate breast, while here on earth, he lay.
Nor to those heights can brightest seraphs rise,
But veil with humbled wing their dazzled eyes.
Such doctrines Nelson fear'd not to commend,
With strength to prove, with temper to defend.
He strove for truth; nor sought, yet gain'd, applause:
His candour praise, if not conviction, draws;
Far as a mortal can, deserving of his cause.
For, zeal and moderation well agree,
And constant firmness hurts not charity.
Generous, not proud; without ambition, great;
To others mild, but to himself severe;
Polish'd, though learn'd; and, though well-bred, sincere.
His cheerful goodness wore a constant smile,
Calm as his speech, and easy as his style:
His style as logic clear, and sweet as song;
Though short, yet full; though plain and easy, strong.
The writer most, but all the man, esteem;
For few could write, and fewer live, like him.
His well-weigh'd judgment could avoid extremes
Of formal seemings or enthusiast dreams.
Who made the compound man, demands him whole;
Not thoughtless matter, nor unbodied soul.
To' evince this truth, his pen and life contend,
Nor careless of the way, nor mindless of the end.
He show'd that warmth and sense might well agree
In sober, strong, affecting piety:
Nor e'er should reason and devotion part;
The coolest head suits best the warmest heart.
408
How small a prospect terminates our view;
That infinite no finite comprehends;
That here our faith begins, and reason ends.
Nor dared he rash approach the' Eternal's throne,
The light mysterious of the great Three-One;
Contented not to know what rests to all unknown.
Amazed, the loved disciple turn'd away;
Nor bore the flash of Christ's diviner ray,
On whose incarnate breast, while here on earth, he lay.
Nor to those heights can brightest seraphs rise,
But veil with humbled wing their dazzled eyes.
Such doctrines Nelson fear'd not to commend,
With strength to prove, with temper to defend.
He strove for truth; nor sought, yet gain'd, applause:
His candour praise, if not conviction, draws;
Far as a mortal can, deserving of his cause.
For, zeal and moderation well agree,
And constant firmness hurts not charity.
Whate'er to God belong'd, with homage due
And reverential joy, his eyes would view.
He taught in praise to spend the sabbath blest,
The means and emblem of eternal rest:
Frequent to take the mystic bread and wine;
To' adore the substance, nor neglect the sign:
Those to revere whom Power Divine shall please
To' intrust with keeping of the sacred keys;
Though fools their pastors' lives with rigour scan,
And prize the office as they like the man.
What shining virtues in the priest appear,
Their gracious condescension may revere:
But if a Judas heavenly tidings tells,
Their hate for sin preserves them infidels.
Wits may desertless preachers scorn secure:
“Christ ne'er could send ambassadors impure.”
But Nelson wise such empty scoffs disdain'd,
Since weakness proves not the commission feign'd.
Cause for respect he could in priesthood find;
Yet, deep his learning, and enlarged his mind,
Nor paid implicit faith, nor show'd obedience blind.
And reverential joy, his eyes would view.
He taught in praise to spend the sabbath blest,
The means and emblem of eternal rest:
Frequent to take the mystic bread and wine;
To' adore the substance, nor neglect the sign:
Those to revere whom Power Divine shall please
To' intrust with keeping of the sacred keys;
409
And prize the office as they like the man.
What shining virtues in the priest appear,
Their gracious condescension may revere:
But if a Judas heavenly tidings tells,
Their hate for sin preserves them infidels.
Wits may desertless preachers scorn secure:
“Christ ne'er could send ambassadors impure.”
But Nelson wise such empty scoffs disdain'd,
Since weakness proves not the commission feign'd.
Cause for respect he could in priesthood find;
Yet, deep his learning, and enlarged his mind,
Nor paid implicit faith, nor show'd obedience blind.
Nelson, illustrious saint, appears no more:
Be grieved, ye virtuous! and lament, ye poor!
He ne'er unaided could his Saviour see
With sickness press'd, in chains or penury.
Whene'er the suppliant wretch for pity moved,
His Maker's face he saw, and, seeing, loved;
And sought to lighten or remove the chains,
Assuage the griefs, and mitigate the pains.
Learn hence, ye worldly great, 'tis more renown
To feed a prisoner than to storm a town!
Yet farther love has Nelson frequent shown,
Nor to the body's good confined alone;
Instructing all to fix their hopes on high,
Resign'd to live, and innocent to die.
'Tis kind, redressing harm the' afflicted feels;
But kinder far, preventing future ills.
On infant heads, behold, his bounty flows,
Preserved from guilt and sure-attending woes;
Their manners form'd aright with early care,
Ere blasted yet their bloom with tainted air.
'Tis this must stop the' infection of our crimes,
And lay foundations for succeeding times.
For this to God are solemn praises given,
And crowds of orphans send their songs to heaven.
O glorious alms! O goodness well-design'd!
To feed the body, and to save the mind!
Our Saviour, gracious, gave his hearers bread,
His sermons teaching whom his wonders fed.
Be grieved, ye virtuous! and lament, ye poor!
He ne'er unaided could his Saviour see
With sickness press'd, in chains or penury.
Whene'er the suppliant wretch for pity moved,
His Maker's face he saw, and, seeing, loved;
And sought to lighten or remove the chains,
Assuage the griefs, and mitigate the pains.
Learn hence, ye worldly great, 'tis more renown
To feed a prisoner than to storm a town!
Yet farther love has Nelson frequent shown,
Nor to the body's good confined alone;
Instructing all to fix their hopes on high,
Resign'd to live, and innocent to die.
'Tis kind, redressing harm the' afflicted feels;
But kinder far, preventing future ills.
410
Preserved from guilt and sure-attending woes;
Their manners form'd aright with early care,
Ere blasted yet their bloom with tainted air.
'Tis this must stop the' infection of our crimes,
And lay foundations for succeeding times.
For this to God are solemn praises given,
And crowds of orphans send their songs to heaven.
O glorious alms! O goodness well-design'd!
To feed the body, and to save the mind!
Our Saviour, gracious, gave his hearers bread,
His sermons teaching whom his wonders fed.
How far diffused is charity discreet!
How vast the' advantage to be good and great!
How godlike may the rich their blessings shower,
Whene'er their will is equal to their power!
How wide their power to benefit mankind!
Who mercy never give, shall never find.
Nelson on schemes of good employ'd his thought,
And living practised what he dying taught.
What heat divine his latest counsel breathes!
He leaves his art, but not his soul bequeaths.
Let this, you mighty, your ambition be,—
To' improve the well-directed legacy.
So shall his death, like Samson's, profit more
Than even his useful, glorious life before;
Who still his dear Redeemer's footsteps trod,
And traced the exemplar of the Saviour-God.
Jesus, the God, the perfect pattern gave,
Who lived to teach us, and who died to save.
How vast the' advantage to be good and great!
How godlike may the rich their blessings shower,
Whene'er their will is equal to their power!
How wide their power to benefit mankind!
Who mercy never give, shall never find.
Nelson on schemes of good employ'd his thought,
And living practised what he dying taught.
What heat divine his latest counsel breathes!
He leaves his art, but not his soul bequeaths.
Let this, you mighty, your ambition be,—
To' improve the well-directed legacy.
So shall his death, like Samson's, profit more
Than even his useful, glorious life before;
Who still his dear Redeemer's footsteps trod,
And traced the exemplar of the Saviour-God.
Jesus, the God, the perfect pattern gave,
Who lived to teach us, and who died to save.
411
Be mute, my lyre! let Nelson's fame command
A sweeter voice and more harmonious hand;
In juster light his virtues to display,
And praise deserved, not guilty worship, pay.
We hail not saints with impious rites divine,
Nor kneel to relics, nor adore a shrine:
The dust lies mouldering, and the soul is fled:
To' improve the living, we revere the dead.
Since, to diffuse the good, the good we show,
Receive, bright saint, the praises we bestow;
Though to the blest above there needs not fame below;
Nor can a mortal's voice his glory raise
Whom guardian angels greet with joyous lays,
Whom at the judgment-bar the' all-knowing Word shall praise.
A sweeter voice and more harmonious hand;
In juster light his virtues to display,
And praise deserved, not guilty worship, pay.
We hail not saints with impious rites divine,
Nor kneel to relics, nor adore a shrine:
The dust lies mouldering, and the soul is fled:
To' improve the living, we revere the dead.
Since, to diffuse the good, the good we show,
Receive, bright saint, the praises we bestow;
Though to the blest above there needs not fame below;
Nor can a mortal's voice his glory raise
Whom guardian angels greet with joyous lays,
Whom at the judgment-bar the' all-knowing Word shall praise.
| Poems on several occasions | |