Page:Lives of Poets-Laureate.djvu/71

Rh religious pieces of our poet, can hesitate to pronounce them to be the outpourings of devotion and penitence. However confident or haughty his hearing among his fellow-men, in the presence of his Maker he is contrite, and humbles himself in the dust. They show, if we can read an author in his works, as plainly as words can speak, that he had sincerely repented his early sins and follies, and had fully realized those simple and sublime truths, which have been in all ages the stay and comfort of the wise and the good. We make one extract, which will prove our assertion, and more than compensate our reader for the interruption of the narrative.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in Unity, The faithful man's believed mystery, Help, help to lift Myself up to Thee, harrow'd, torn, and bruised By sin and Satan; and my flesh misused, As my heart lies in pieces, all confused, O, take my gift.

All-gracious God, the sinner's sacrifice, A broken heart, Thou wert not wont despise, But 'bove the fat of rams or bulls to prize An offering meet For Thy acceptance: O, behold me right, And take compassion on my grievous plight! What odour can be than a heart contrite To Thee more sweet?

Eternal Father, God, who didst create This all of nothing, gav'st it form and fate, And breath'st into it life and light with state To worship Thee. Eternal God, the Son, who not denied'st To take our nature, becam'st man and died'st To pay our debts upon Thy cross, and cried'st All's done in Me.