&c. The grandeur of scriptural sublimity, or simplicity, admits of few or no embellishments. George Sandys, in the reign of Charles I. seems only to have known this secret. And in the morning, rising up a great while be Mark, c. i. v. 35. Impearl'd with dew, the rosy Morn Nature from needful slumber wakes, At the end of the 12th stanza in this poem, I had several inducements for venturing to change the ode into heroic measure. The first was, that I might diversify the doctrinal part from the descriptive. The second was, that our excellent and most learned poet, Cowley, had given me his authority for making this change, in his poem de Plantis. But the third and truer reason was, that I found it next to impracticable, to deliver short, unadorned, didactical sentences consistently with the copiousness, irregularity, and enthusiasm peculiar to ode-writing.-Let the reader only make the experiment, and I flatter inyself he will join with me in opinion.-Nor have I departed any further than in a metaphor or two from that original simplicity which characterises my author, however difficult and self-denying such an undertaking might be in a poetical composition. What gave me warning was, that Castalio and Stanhope had both spoiled Thomas a Kempis by attempting to adorn him with flowery language, false elegance, and glaring imagery. And, by the way, to this cause may be attributed the miscarriages of many poets, (otherwise confessedly eminent) in their para-fect to the last. phrases of the Psalms of David, the Book of Job, to man as well as God. "Wo unto him that is faint-hearted; for he believeth not, therefore shall he not be defended. Wo unto you that have lost patience: what will ye do when the Lord shall visit you?-they that fear the Lord will say, we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy." In like manner St. Chrysostom informs us, “That, in proportion as God adds to our tribulation, he adds likewise to our retribution." This river takes its rise from one of the highest ice-mountains in Switzerland. 2 The species of larch-tree here meant is called sempervirens: the other larches are deciduis folis. 3 Tip-toe. Shakespeare. 4" Before we engage in worldly business, or any common amusements of life, let us be careful to consecrate the first-fruits of the day, and the very beginning of our holy thoughts unto the service of God." St. Basil. Thomas à Kempis had no manifest infirmities of old-age, and retained his eye-sight per All that I have ever been able to learn in Germany upon good authority, concerning him, is as follows: He was born at Kempis, or Kempen, a small walled town in the dutchy of Cleves, and diocese of Cologn. His family-name was Hamerlein, which signifies in the German language a little hammer. We find also that his parents were named John and Gertrude Hamerlein. He lived chiefly in the monastery of Mount St. Agnes; where his effigy, together with a prospect of the monastery, was engraven on a plate of copper that lies over his body. The said monastery is now called Bergh-Clooster, or, as we might say in English, Hiit-Cloyster. Many strangers in their travels visit it. Kempis was certainly one of the best and greatest men since the primitive ages. His book of the Imitation of Christ has seen near forty editions in the ori 362 "Come unto me (Messiah cries) All that are laden and oppress'd: To Thee I come (my heart replies) O Patron of eternal rest! Who walks with me (rejoins the voice) With thee I walk, my gracious God; "Heav'n in my youth bestow'd each good "Blest with each boon that simpler minds desire, And gave the world to worldlings and their heirs; ginal Latin, and above sixty translations have In the engraving on copper above-mentioned, and lying over his grave, is represented a person respectfully presenting to him a label on which is written a verse to this effect: Stealer of marches, subtile foe, (Thus on the flow'r-enamell'd lawn, Awkward in time, and sour'd with self-disgrace, Thus spoke the venerable sage Poet in sentiment! he feels The flame; nor seeks from verse his aid! The veil which artful charms conceals, Oh! where is Peace? for Thou its paths hast Verse decks them with a slight cymarr 11; trod. True charms by art in vain are drest. To which Kempis returns another strip of paper, Not icy prose could damp his fire: inscribed as follows: He com In poverty, retirement, and with God. He was a canon regular of Augustins, and subprior of mount St. Agnes' monastery. posed his treatise On the Imitation of Christ in the sixty-first year of his age, as appears from a note of his own writing in the library of his Convent. ❝ Imitation of Christ, Lib. I. c. i. 7" Solitude is the best school wherein to learn St. Jerom. the way to Heaven." "Worldly honours are a trying snare to men of an exalted station; of course their chief care must be, to put themselves out of the reach of Nepotian. envy by humility." "The pleasures of this world are only the mo- Cætera solicita speciosa incommoda vitæ Intense the flame and mounting high'r, 9 This parenthesis was inserted by way of imitating the famous parenthesis in Horace's Ode, which begins Qualem ministrum fulminis alitem, &c. 10 Even from the flower till the grape was ripe, hath my heart delighted in Wisdom." Ecclus. c. li. v. 15. "A thin covering of the gause, or sarsuetkind. Dryd. Cymon & Iphigen; 12 Jonah, c. iv. v. 6. Th' Ascetic then drew forth a parchment-scroll, And thus pour'd out to Heav'n th' effusions of his soul. THE MEDITATION OF THOMAS A KEMPIS. (1.) 'Tis vanity to wish for length of days ; Oppress'd it thrives; its own destroyers tires, 1 This and the following passages marked with a note of reference are extracted almost verbatim from Kempis's Book of the Imitation of Christ. Lib. I, c. 1, 2. See also Lib. 1, c. 19. 23. "Death, when compared to life, seems to be a remedy and not a punishment." St. Macar. When man desponds, (of human hope bereft) By force, a virtue of celestial kind Was never storm'd; by art 'tis undermin❜d 10. (5.) All seek for knowledge. Knowledge is no more Than this; to know ourselves, and God adore. Wouldst thou with profit seek, and learn with gain? Unknown thyself, in solitude remain ". "Is hunger irksome?-Thou by Him art fed 8 Ibid. c. 35, No. 2. Ibid. c. 18, No. 2. 9 See also Caussin's Holy Court, Part I, L. 3. Scct. S2, fol. 1650. 10 "True christian piety was never made a real captive; it may be killed, but not conquer ed." St. Jerom. 11 "Imitation of Christ, L. I. c. 20. L. II, c. 10. 12 "The retired Christian, in seeking after an happy life, actually enjoys one; and possesses that already which he only fancies he is pursu ing." St. Eucher. 13 Drink waters out of thine own cisterns. Prov. c. v, V. 15. See also Rev. c. xxii, v. 1. "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal." See John, c. vii, v. 38. 14 Imitat. of Jesus Christ, L. I, c. 6. 15 Imitat. of Jesus Christ, Lib. II, c. 10. "The only means of obtaining true security is to commit all our interests to God, who constantly knows and is ever willing to bestow good things on them that ask him as they ought." Cassian. "Security is no where but in the love and service of God. It is neither in Heaven, nor Paradise, much less in the present world. In Heaven the angels fell from the divine presence: in Paradise Adam lost his abode of pleasure: in the world Judas fell from the school of our SaSt. Bernard. viour." 16 St. August. The ten lines marked with inverted commas are a literal translation from him. (7.) The men of Science aim themselves to show 17, And know just what imports them not to know 18. (8.) All chastisements for private use are giv❜n; The revelations Personal of Heav'n 22: Sighs for lost joys, and never turns to God 23. Her dove brings olive, e'er the waves subside24. (9.) Afflictions have their use of ev'ry kind; 17" It is good to know much and live well: but, if we cannot attain both, it is better to desire piety than learning: for knowledge makes no man truly happy, nor doth happiness consist in intellectual acquisitions. The only valuable thing is a religious life." Sti. Greg. Magn. Moral. And again: "That only is the best knowledge which makes us better." 18 Imitat. of Christ. 19 Ibid. 20 Imitat. of Jesus Christ, L. II, c. 10. 21 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." Prov. xxvii, v. 19. "Thou canst avoid, sooner or later, whatever molesteth thee, except thy own conscience." Augustin. in Psalm xxx. 22 Imitat. of Jesus Christ, L. I, c. 13. "God causeth (afflictions) to come, either for correction, or for his land, or for mercy." Job, c. xxxvii, v. 13. Say, is it much indignities to bear, No other way humility is gain'd; pair. (10.) Hard is the task 'gainst nature's strength to strive : Perfection is the lot of none alive; Or grant frail man could tread th' unerring road, grief Ask God to send thee patience or relief30. (11.) Th' ambitious and the covetous desire More than their worth deserves, or wants re quire : field: Not merely for the profit things may yield, (12) Nothing but truth can claim a lasting Time is truth's surest judge, and judges late: 27 Imitat. of Christ, L. III, c. 5. 29" For gold is tried in the fire, and accep- 32He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul, gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously. A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion, and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul." Ecclus. c. xiv. "It is the work and providence of God's secret counsel, that the days of the elect should bé troubled in their pilgrimage. This present 33 "Ahab's excuse to Naboth, when he said life is the way to our eternal abode: God there- give me thy vineyard that I may make it a garfore in his secret wisdom afflicts our travel with den of herbs, represents in a lively manner the continual trouble, lest the delights of our jour-pretences that avaricious and ambitious men ney might take away the desire of our journey's use, when they want to make new acquisitions. St. Greg. Mag. "No servant of Christ is without affliction. If They lye to their consciences; asking a seeming you expect to be free from persecution, you have trifle, and meaning to obtain something very va not yet so much as begun to be a Christian." St. August. end." 23 Imitat. of Christ, L. I, c. 11. 24 Imitat. of Christ, ibid. See also Gen. c. viii, v. 11. 25 Imitat. of Christ, L. I, c. 13. 26 lbid. Lib. I, c. 16. Lib. III, c. 12. See also Amos, c. ix, v. 3, and Luke c, xxii, v. 31. luable." St. Ambrose. "Woe unto them that covet fields, and take them away by violence," Micah, c. ii, v. 2. "They enlarge their desire as Hell, and are as death, and cannot be satisfied: woe unto them that encrease that which is not theirs." Hab. c. ii, v. 5, 6 34 Imitat, of Jesus Christ, L. I, c. 3 And, for thy guide, be he alone believ'd, But if vain glory prompts the tongue to boast, (13.) Flatt'ry and fame at death the vain for- A man may mend it, at returning light, sake, And other knaves and fools their honours take36, (14.) Tease not thy mind; nor run a restless round In search of science better lost than found. (15.) Presumptuous flights and sceptical debates (16.) He, who adopts religions, wrong or right, Is not a convert, but an hypocrite : Him, seeming what he is not, man esteems; God hates him, for he is not what he seems. The bull-rush thus a specious outside wears, Smooth as the shining rind the poplar bears: But strip the cov'ring of its polish'd skin, And all is insubstantial sponge within. When not a whisper breaths upon the trees, Unmov'd it stands, but bends with ev'ry breeze. It boasts th' ablution of a silver flood, But feeds on mire, and roots itself in mud. (17.) Self-love is foolish, criminal, and vain39, Therefore, O man, such partial views restrain: And often take this counsel for a rule, To please one's self is but to please one fool40. (18.) The alms we give, we keep the alms -we save : We lose possessing only what we gave 41, 25 : -Neque decipitur,neque decipit unquam. 36 "There is no work that shows more art and industry than the texture of a spider's web. The delicate threads are so nicely disposed, and so curiously interwoven one with another, that you would think it produced by the labour of a celestial being; yet nothing in the event is more fragil and insubstantial. A breath of wind tears it to pieces, and carries it away. Just so are worldly acquisitions made by men in exalted stations, and reputedly wise and cunning." 37 Dan. c. viii, v. 10, 11. Origen. 38 The prophet here means, by the goat, the king of Greece, the region of vain philosophy. "He that lovetb himself most, hath of all men the happiness of finding the fewest rivals." Auon. Vet. But the arch-fiend undarns the work at night. The slave who sets his soul on worthless pelf, A wretched martyr in a wretched cause; waves 46 As those who call for wines, beyond their share, Refund the draughts which nature cannot bear; (Whilst bile and gall corroding in their breast Demand a passage, and admit no rest :) Just so rapacious misers swell their store; To di'monds di'monds add, and ore to ore; They gulp down wealth,-and, with heart piercing pain, And clay-cold qualms, discharge the load again. Death bursts the casket, and the farce is o'er. (Curst is that wealth, which never eas'd the poor !) [floor; Whilst fools and spendthrifts sweep it from the The gold of Ophyr 47 dazzles their weak eyes, Turquoises 48 next their weaker minds surprise, Rich, deeply azur'd, like Italian skies. 44 Paula was a Roman lady descended from the Gracchi and Scipios. Her husband was of the Julian race. After his decease, she gave most of her possessions to the poor, and retired from Rome to a solitude at Bethlehem. That incomparable virgin Eustochium was her daughter. Both their histories are drawn at large by St. Jerom, and addressed to Eustochium. Paula has written some excellent verses on religious subjects. She built a temple at Emmäus in honour of our Blessed Saviour. Her tomb is at Bethlehem. The inscription for her and her daughter was written by St. Jerom. Sandy's Trav. fol. 135. 139, &c. 45 The name of the monastery where Kempis resided. 46 Part of this paragraph, is copied from Job, c. xx, v. 14, 15, 18. Compare also Job, c. xxvii, v. 19, 20, 21. 47 Gold of Ophir. See 1 Kings c. ix, v. 28. 1 Chron. xxix, v. 4. 2 Chron. viii, v. 18. Psalm xlv, v. 9. Isaiah xiii. v. 12. 48 Turquoises. "The true oriental turquoise |