Poems, Sacred and Moral/Stanzas to a Church-Bell
STANZAS
TO A CHURCH-BELL.
Sonorous Brass of changeful power,
Now whirl'd amain, now swinging slow,
Alike prepared to hail the hour
Of hope or fear, of joy or woe!
Now whirl'd amain, now swinging slow,
Alike prepared to hail the hour
Of hope or fear, of joy or woe!
When Sabbath-tracks to prayer invite,
Or babes acquire a Christian's name,
Or Wedlock's holy ties unite,
Thy notes the festival proclaim.
Or babes acquire a Christian's name,
Or Wedlock's holy ties unite,
Thy notes the festival proclaim.
And when unbodied spirits fly,
Thy knell reveals the parting breath;
And when the lifted bier draws nigh,
Conducts it to the vault of death.
Thy knell reveals the parting breath;
And when the lifted bier draws nigh,
Conducts it to the vault of death.
When rebecks greet the jocund wake,
Or May-day wreaths perfume the plain;
The labouring spire thy carols shake,
And rouse to mirth the village train.
Or May-day wreaths perfume the plain;
The labouring spire thy carols shake,
And rouse to mirth the village train.
When gleamy fires the corn-stack climb,
Or flames the sinking roof invade;
In quick alarm thy backward chime
On distant hamlets calls for aid.
Or flames the sinking roof invade;
In quick alarm thy backward chime
On distant hamlets calls for aid.
When Jervis lops the flying host;
When Howe or Duncan[1] shouts "Destroy!"
Thy clanging peals from coast to coast
Explosive bear a people's joy.
When Howe or Duncan[1] shouts "Destroy!"
Thy clanging peals from coast to coast
Explosive bear a people's joy.
And when to Henry's hallow'd ground[2]
In sable pomp shall George be borne;
Thy muffled strokes in broken sound
Shall tell how boding nations mourn.
In sable pomp shall George be borne;
Thy muffled strokes in broken sound
Shall tell how boding nations mourn.
Emblem of man's uncertain tongue,
That owns each varying passion's sway;
From hope to fear, from plaint to song,
Transferr'd within one little day!
That owns each varying passion's sway;
From hope to fear, from plaint to song,
Transferr'd within one little day!
Sonorous Brass, let grief or joy,
Let sober truth or wild pretence,
Or hope or fear thy tones employ;
Alike in thee 'tis innocence.
Let sober truth or wild pretence,
Or hope or fear thy tones employ;
Alike in thee 'tis innocence.
Not so, when man's uncertain voice
Conspires to aid the foul intent,
Pursues unawed its headstrong choice,
By malice urged, on vengeance bent;
Conspires to aid the foul intent,
Pursues unawed its headstrong choice,
By malice urged, on vengeance bent;
With rage o'erwhelms, with guile betrays,
The living wounds, defames the dead,
Love with envenom'd scorn repays,
With curses loads a brother's head;
The living wounds, defames the dead,
Love with envenom'd scorn repays,
With curses loads a brother's head;
The Power, whose nod is fate, defies,
Disdains his mercy, braves his ire,
Scoffs the bright mansions of the skies,
And Hell's blue lakes of endless fire.
Disdains his mercy, braves his ire,
Scoffs the bright mansions of the skies,
And Hell's blue lakes of endless fire.
O, when the Dead of every age,
For Judgement ranged in order due,
In Accusation's open page
Each "idle word" recorded view[3];
For Judgement ranged in order due,
In Accusation's open page
Each "idle word" recorded view[3];
What crowds shall wish their tongues, like thee,
Had but perform'd a mimic's part;
Had moved from conscious meaning free,
Nor told the language of the heart!
Had but perform'd a mimic's part;
Had moved from conscious meaning free,
Nor told the language of the heart!
- ↑ These lines were written antecedently to the glorious victory obtained by Rear Admiral Nelson over the French Fleet near the Mouths of the Nile. Providence, however, during the course of the present war, has not only blessed His Majesty's Naval Commanders with such signal wisdom and valour, but has also crowned that wisdom and valour with such extraordinary successes; that a Writer, who, in order to illustrate or to dignify his subject, incidentally notices the merits of some of these distinguished Officers, must find it impossible to select names for his purpose without omitting others equally entitled to the most honourable commemoration.
- ↑ Henry the Seventh's Chapel, the burying-place of the kings of Great Britain.
- ↑ "I say unto you, that every idle word that men speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgement." Matth. chap xii. ver. 36.