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RELIGION: OR, THE LIBERTINE Repentant.
A RHAPSODY.
By GEORGE ALEXANDER STEVENS.
LONDON: Printed and ſold by W. Reeve, in Fleet-Street; and F. Noble, in St. Martin's-Court, near Leiceſter-Fields.
M.DCC.LI.
TO THE READER.
[]THE following lines were lately wrote in a fit of illneſs, without any in⯑tention of ever troubling the public with them; but ſome very incorrect copies having been diſ⯑pers'd, [vi]unknown to the author occaſion'd this edition.
The writer has look'd on lif [...] too long, and ſuffer'd too much in it, to be anxious for the even of theſe rhymes: they were wrote neither for profit, nor re⯑putation; if he gets either by them, its more than he expected or if he offends, its what h [...] never deſign'd.
Bath, Feb. 22, 1751.
RELIGION. A RHAPSODY.
[]BRIGHT emanation of all right'ous power,
Religion! bear me to thy ſacred bower;
Where fix'd in faith, by holy patience bleſs'd,
Calm reſignation yields the wretched reſt;
Where hope divine to penitence is given,
Beams in each breaſt, and liſts the ſoul to heaven.
I [...] ſons of ſhew, ye unreflecting gay,
Time-trifling youth, the ſplendors of a day;
Who lightly bounding o'er life's ſurface skim,
Monarchs of mode, and worſhippers of whim.
Thus, thro' the air, the wing-poiz'd warbler ſings;
Wanton thus flies, diſplay their painted wings:
[8]So ſtruts the fowl, with eye-beſpangled train,
Like you ſelf pleas'd; as pretty, and— as vain.
The time muſt come when dreſs and dancing's o'er,
And your frail forms can play the fool no more:
E'er 'tis too late, look with religious eyes;
Think, think, ye faulty, and be timely wiſe.
Ye tender, lovely, love-inſpiring race,
Whoſe words are muſic, and whoſe motion grace;
Whoſe ſoft endearing looks inſidious play,
Feaſt the fond eye, and ſnatch the ſoul away.
Ye laughing ſex, who vainly wanton, rove
Thro' the Elyſium of unbounded love:
Tho' round enamour'd crouds obſervant ſigh,
Watch the ſoft ſmile, and catch the glancing eye;
Still muſt you loſe this ſenſe-enſnaring form,
And what now [...]eeds your lover, feaſt a worm.
Yet, yet, ye conſcious beauty-beaming train,
A moment think; then, if ye dare,—be vain.
[9]
Diſpaſſion'd race! ye wealthy ſlaves of care,
Whoſe cheeks ne'er felt the trickling, tender tear;
Whoſe breaſts ne'er heav'd with ſympathetic ſigh;
Whoſe hearts ne'er open'd to the asking eye.
Ye ſons of trade, ye buſy taſteleſs train,
Whoſe God is gold, and whoſe religion gain;
Your greedy minds, to ſocial joys unknown,
In one, dull, drudging round, rowl reſtleſs on.
Can you expect a charity from Heav'n?
Shall you! ye ſtubborn hearted, be forgiv'n?
Fruitleſs your ſighs, repentant, will appear;
You'll want that mercy you derided here;
Unmov'd the Godhead will your ſorrows view,
As weeping want, on earth, was ſeen by you.
Star-luſtred breaſts, ye court-delectant race,
Ye ſouls of honour, and ye ſons of place,
Big with each bleſſing that attends a throne,
On the low wealthleſs look contemptuous down:
[10]Yet, ſpite of pride, the ſtateſman and the ſlave.
Riſe, undiſtinguiſh'd, from the equal grave.—
Go ſearch within for all ennobled earth;
Go teach the tomb-bred worm reſpect to birth
Correct his feeding, and refine his taſte:
Alas!—
Courtiers and clowns compoſe alike his feaſt
What will avail the di'monds ſparkling blaz [...]
The glare of titles, or the vulgar's gaze,
When worn-out nature panting gaſps for breath
And friends fly, frighted, from the face of dea [...]
"To the ſad ſenſe what then can give content"
"The ſweet reflection of a life well ſpent."
Calm each great ſoul quits his clay-cumb'rous.
Springs to the skies, and humbly waits his Go.
While the low wretch, by crime rais'd wealth-g [...] great,
Starts at life's loſs; and, frightful, meets his [...]
[11]Wide-op'ning, wild he rowls his ghaſtful eyes:
He ſhakes; he ſhrinks; and, agonizing, cries,
"Have mercy, Heav'n!—Can I its mercy ſhare?
"See! grief-ſtab'd merit opes its boſom there:
"Hear, from the grave, the plaintive orphan's groan
"Burſts ſorrowing forth, and ſtrikes the heav'nly "throne.
"Hark! the luſt-ruin'd fair extends her cries,
"And the ſound ſhakes along the trembling skies"
What ſhall we ſay in that great day of dread,
When the rent graves ſhall render back their dead?
When, at the trumpet's ſound, the clouds give way,
And the world blazes in eternal day?
There the fierce tyrant feels th' avenging rod,
And pride ſinks trembling at the ſight of God;
There ſuff'ring virtue happineſs receives;
There the fool'd atheiſt, tho' too late, believes:
The poor loſt ſinner hears th' eternal doom;
And, woe appall'd, clings ſhudd'ring to his tomb.
[12]
Bring, ye bright fair, your love-attending crow
Command your ſlain, ye heroes, from their ſhro [...]
Ye prime in ſtate diſplay your deepeſt ſchemes;
And, ye nice wits, your fancy-forming dreams;
Try, try, ye proud, in that tremendous hour,
The skill of ſcience, or the ſtrength of pow'r,
Self-pleaſing wiſdom, the renown of birth,
All, all the vis'onary joys of earth;
Lay them before the univerſal Lord;
Go, plead your merits, and revoke his word.
Sooner ſhall ſhadows ſtop the light'ning's blaze
Or gloworms dim the ſun's refulgent rays.
But chiefly you to whom the word was giv'n
Soul-ſaving ſect, ye delegates of Heav'n;
Whoſe pious toils diſpel the ſinner's fear,
Stop the throb'd ſigh, and dry confeſſion's fear.
[13]Thus, but unpenſion'd, th' apoſtles went
On foot, coarſe clad, with homely fare content,
Declar'd the dictates of th' almighty Lord,
But prov'd no doctrine by the dint of ſword.
Love, juſtice, faith, humility they preſs'd,
Yet threaten'd no damnation to the reſt.
Plain and unſully'd, like the ſimple maid,
Religion bloom'd, by int'reſt unallay'd:
Leal truly ſervent, penitence ſincere,
Bill'd the wrap'd ſoul, and ſpoke the heart-ſelt pray'r.
Then ſocial bliſs deſcended from above,
[...]pread thro' each ſex, and ripen'd into love:
[...]o feign'd deſires fed th' heavenly flame;
[...]ure blaz'd the paſſion, as from God it came:
[...]ll beings then with mutual rapture ſtrove;
[...]ove was religion; and religion, love.
[14]
Ye motley ſons, compos'd of noiſe and ſhe [...]
Ye beauty-haunting, gingling, glitt'ring crew
Tho' round the fair you ever fondly rove;
Think not, inſipids, you were form'd for [...];
Scorn worldly wealth, ye pray'r-deliv'ring
Heav'n equal hears—equal diſpenſes place:
With ſoul-felt awe adore all nature's Lord;
Boldly proclaim his wonder-working word:
Snatch the ſmooth mask from the rich [...] face;
Check the gay vicious in their guilty race:
Humble the haughty, bend the ſcoffer dow [...]
And ſcourge the ſhameleſs, tho' the pow'r [...]ul
Raiſe, tho' in rags, and lend the wretched
Aſſiſt the friendleſs, and protect the [...]
[15]Bounteous, o'er earth, the ſun beſtows his rays,
Shines o'er a throne, and thro' the cottage plays:
Bounteous thus Heav'n the goſpel-light has ſpread;
Pure you receive, return it unallay'd:
Shun the mean wrangling, ſyllogiſtic rules;
Scorn quibbling logic, and the modes of ſchools;
Free from dull, learned jargon, plainly preach,
And act with ardour up to what you teach.
Ye congregated lay, who duly creep
As the bell tolls for church—to fall aſleep.
Ye well-dreſs'd train who modiſhly reſort,
And treat the temple as you uſe the court.
Ye ſenſeleſs rude who, with affrontive ſtare,
Bluſh the meek beauty in her hour of pray'r.
[16]
Ye empty idlings, who inſipid ſmile,
Prettily pacing thro' the ſounding iſle;
Devotion's hour, loit'ring, laugh away;
Too nice to kneel, and much too proud to pray
No more, ye vain, the ſacred dome debaſe,
Wanton with worſhip, and your God diſgrace,
With me fall proſtrate—penitent adore;
Confeſs your errors, and offend no more.
By chance condemn'd to wander from my birth
An erring exile, o'er the face of earth,
Wild thro' the world of vice;—licentious [...]ace▪
I've ſtarted folly, and enjoy'd the chace:
Pleas'd with each paſſion, I purſu'd their aim,
Cheer'd the gay pack, and graſp'd th [...] [...] game;
[17]Revell'd regardleſs, leap'd reflection o'er,
'Till youth, 'till health, fame, fortune, are no more:
Too late I feel the thought-corroding pain
Of ſharp remembrance, and ſevere diſdain:
Each painted pleaſure its avenger breeds;
Sorrow's ſad train, to riot's troop ſucceeds:
Slow waſting ſickneſs ſteals on ſwift debauch;
Contempt on pride, pale wants on waſte approach.
Scorn'd by the ſad, the cynie, and the dull,
The wou'd-be wit, and milky minded fool.
Eternal Good! from Thee our hope deſcends;
With Thee it centers, and in Thee it ends:
To Thee, with ſhame-torn heart, I trembling kneel;
Heal me with mercy; oh! my Saviour, heal!
Great Lord of life, if daring I requeſt,
Still let me ſigh among mankind unbleſs'd;
[18]Still ſickneſs, ſhipwrecks, priſons, plagues to kno [...]
Whate'er my fate is—ſtill my faith's in you:
Still ſhall thy name attune thy ſuppliant's ſong;
Still ſhall thy praiſe dwell rapt'rous on his tongue
Wretched or bleſs'd, ſtill ſhall I always own,
Whate'er I feel, Heav'n's holy will be done.
FINIS.
- Zitationsvorschlag für dieses Objekt
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4154 Religion or the libertine repentant A rhapsody By George Alexander Stevens. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-61AB-6