Charles Lamb
Published: 2009-12
Total Pages: 294
Get eBook
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884. Excerpt: ... Their heads encompassed with crowns, their heels With fine wings garlanded, shall tread the stars, Beneath their feet, heaven's pavement, far removed From damned spirits, and the torturing cries Of men, his brethren, fashion'd of the earth, As he was, nourish'd with the self-same breath, Belike his kindred or companions once, Through everlasting ages now divorced, In chains and savage torments, to repent Short years of folly on earth. Their groans unheard In heaven, the saint nor pity feels, nor care, For those thus sentenced--pity might disturb, The delicate sense and most divine repose Of spirits angelical. Blessed be God, The measures of His judgments are not fix'd By man's erroneous standard. He discerns No such inordinate difference and vast Betwixt the sinner and the saint, to doom So disproportion'd fates. Compared with Him, No man on earth is holy call'd: they best Stand in His sight approved, who at His feet Their little crowns of virtue cast, and yield To Him of His own works the praise, His due. LIVING WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD. Mystery of God! thou brave and beauteous world, Made fair with light and shade and stars and flowers, Made fearful and august with woods and rocks; Jagg"d precipice, black mountain, sea in storms, Sun, over all, that no co-rival owns, But thro' Heaven's pavement rides as in despite Or mockery of the littleness of man! I see a mighty arm, by man unseen, Resistless, not to be controll'd, that guides, In solitude of unshared energies, All these thy ceaseless miracles, O world! Arm of the world, I view thee, and I muse On Man, who, trusting in his mortal strength, Leans on a shadowy staff, a staff of dreams. We consecrate our total hopes and fears To idols, flesh and blood, our love (heaven's due), Our praise and admiration;...