Note 842 — TIROCINIUM; OR, A REVIEW OF SCHOOLS. (continued 3)
Reading edition
Forsitan et nostros ducat de marmore vultus, Nectens aut Paphia myrti aut Parnasside lauri Fronde comas—At ego secura pace quiescam.
Milton in Manso.
[843] Cowper, no doubt, had in his memory the lines said to have been written by Shakspeare on his tomb:
"Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear To dig the dust inclosed here. Blest be the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones."
[844] I have heard about my wether mutton from various quarters. It was a blunder hardly pardonable in a man who has lived amid fields and meadows, grazed by sheep, almost these thirty years. I have accordingly satirized myself in two stanzas which I composed last night, while I lay awake, tormented with pain, and well dosed with laudanum. If you find them not very brilliant, therefore, you will know how to account for it.—Letter to Joseph Hill, Esq. dated April 15, 1792.
[845] For Mrs. Greville's Ode, see Annual Register, vol. v. p. 202.
[846] Sir William Russel, the favourite friend of the young poet.
[847] See The Life of the Rev. John Newton, written by himself, in a series of letters addressed to the Rev. Mr. Haweis.
[848] See "Life of Newton," prefixed to his works.
[849] Life of Newton.
[850] These lines are a translation from the following well-known passage of Propertius; Newton piously applying to the Creator what the poet addresses to the creature.
Sic ego desertis possim bene vivere sylvis, Quo nulla humano sit via trita pede. Tu mihi curarum requies, in nocte vel atrâ Lumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis.
See Life of Newton.
[851] Life of Newton.
[852] Ibid.
[853] Life of Newton.
[854] Ibid.
[855] Lord Dartmouth was the patron of the living of Olney and distinguished for his piety. It is due to this noble family to state, that in no instance has a vacancy in the living ever been filled up but in subserviency to the interests of true religion.
[856] Cecil's Memoir of Newton.
[857] Bishops Hall, Davenant, and Jeremy Taylor, are honourable exceptions.
[858] See 9, 10, 11, 12, 13th Articles.
[859] See the Homilies entitled "On the misery of man;" on "Justifying faith;" "Good works annexed to faith;" on "the death and passion of our Saviour Christ;" Homily for Whitsunday, &c.
[860] Plato.
[861] See Bishop of Durham's Charge, (Barrington,) 1792.
[862] See "Watson's Tracts," vol. vi.
[863] See Newton's "Cardiphonia." Letter to Rev. Mr. S.
[864] Ibid.
[865] Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, &c.
[866] See also Article IX. of the church of England, on Original Sin.
[867] "Cardiphonia." Letters to a Nobleman.
[868] "Cardiphonia."
[869] Ibid.
[870] Page 34.
[871] History of Music.
[872]
Le Laboureur a sa charruë, Le Charretier parmy le ruë, Et l'Artisan en sa boutique, Avecques un Pseaume ou Cantique, En son labour se soulager. Heureux qui orra le Berger Et la Bergere au bois estans, Fair que rochers et estangs Apres eux chantent la hauteur Du sainct nom de Createur.
Clement Marot.
[873] This mode of adaptation may be seen in the "Godly and Spiritual Songs," &c. printed at Edinburgh in 1597, and reprinted there in 1801.—Park.
[874] There is also a fragment of a comment on the Seven Penitential Psalms, in English verse, attributed to Dr. Alcock, Bishop of Ely, the founder of Jesus College, Cambridge.
[875] Warton's censure is expressed in very strong language. "To the disgrace of sacred music, sacred poetry, and our established worship, these Psalms still continue to be sung in the Church of England." See History of English Poetry, vol. ii. p. 461.
[876] One edition imputes two hymns of Newton's to Cowper, by mistaking the numerical letter C for the initial of Cowper's name.
[877] 1 Sam. xxiii. 27.
[878] Jonah i. 17.
[879] Mark ix. 24.
[880] Mark v. 34.
[881] Judges vii. 9, and 20.
[882] Verse 37.
[883] Isaiah xxxi. 5.
[884] Exod. xii. 13.
[885] Lev. xii. 6.
[886] Lev. xvi. 21.
[887] Lev. xiv. 51-53.
[888] Exod. x. 9.
[889] Exod. xii. 12.
[890] Isaiah liv. 2.
[891] Luke xii. 50.
[892] Exodus xvii. 11.
[893] Psalm cxxx. 6.
[894] Cant. v. 8.
[895] Hebrews xii. 8.
[896] Psalm cxix. 71.
[897] Psalm lxix. 15.
[898] Psalm xl. 17.
[899] Ephes. vi. 16.
[900] Joshua vii. 10, 11.
[901] Isaiah xxxv. 7.
[902] Matthew vi. 34.
[903] Habakkuk iii. 17, 18.
[904] Prov. iii. 17.
[905] Matt. xi. 30.
[906] Gen. xxi. 19.
[907] 1 Kings xvii. 14.
[908] Isa. xxxiii. 16.
[909] Romans iii. 31.
[910] Judges vii. 2.
[911] Exod. xxviii. 33.
[912] Matthew xxvi. 33.
[913] John vi. 29.
[914] John xiii. 7.
[915] Life of Fénélon.
[916] Bossuet.
[917] See Butler's Life of Fenelon.
[918] See "Remains of Alexander Knox, Esq." vol. i. pp. 303, 304.
[919] Exodus xxxii. 32.
[920] Scott and Henry both agree in this interpretation, viz. a willingness to be treated as an Anathema, and to be cut off from all church communion and privileges, but not to be eternally lost.
[921] I have translated only two of the three poetical compliments addressed to Leonora, as they appear to me far superior to what I have omitted.
[922] No title is prefixed to this piece, but it appears to be a translation of one of the Επιγραμματα of Homer called Ο Καμινος, or The Furnace. Herodotus, or whoever was the author of the Life of Homer ascribed to him, observes, "certain potters, while they were busied in baking their ware, seeing Homer at a small distance, and having heard much said of his wisdom, called to him, and promised him a present of their commodity, and of such other things as they could afford, if he would sing to them, when he sang as follows."
[923] Cowper afterwards altered this last stanza in the following manner:—
The change both my heart and my fancy employs, I reflect on the frailty of man, and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
[924] He was usher and under-master of Westminster near fifty years, and retired from his occupation when he was near seventy, with a handsome pension from the king.