/1834 / FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Sect' : POEMS (^ SEP 24 1936 TRANSLATED FROM THE FREN MADAME DE LA MOTHE GUION, BY THE LATE WILLIAM COWPER, ESQ., AUTHOR OF THE TASK. TO WHICH ARE ADDED SOME ORIGINAL POEMS OF MR. COWPER. NOT INSERTED IN HIS WORKS. AND ALSO, ANNEXED A WREATH OF FORGET-ME-NOT PRESENTED TO THOSE WHO LOVE TO REFLECT HEAVENLY THINGS NEW-YORK: MAHLON DAY, 374 PEARL-STREET MDCCCXXXIV. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://archive.org/details/poemstrfOOguyo PREFACE IT seems needless, if not impertinent, in an obscure in- dividual, to say any thing in praise of the Author of the Task. It is of more consequence to inform the reader of the circumstances that have led to this publication. About twenty years ago a very dear and venerable friend* introduc- ed me to the truly great and amiable Mr. Cowper. This gave rise to a friendship which increased with every repeat- ed interview, and for several years I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with him every week. At length this delightful intercourse was terminated, by his removal to a distant situation, and the painful approaches of that event which dissolves every social connexion. One day amusing myself with the poetical works of the celebrated Madame Guion, I was struck with the peculiar beauty of some of her poems, as well as edified with the piety and devotion of which they are strongly expressive. I mentioned them to Mr. C ; and partly to amuse a solitary hour, partly to keep in exercise the genius of this incompar- able man, I requested him to put a few of the poems into an English dress. Afterward, during my absence upon a jour- ney, I received a letter, in which Mr. C. says, " I have but little leisure, strange as it may seem. That little I devoted for a month after your departure to the translation of Mad- ame Guion. I have made fair copies of all the pieces I have produced on this last occasion, and will put them into your * The Rev John Newton, Rector of St. Mary's, Woolnoth, London. IV PREFACE hands when we meet. They are yours to serve as you please, you may take and leave as you like, for my purpose is al- ready served. They have amused me, and I have no further demand upon them." On my return, Mr. C. presented me with these translations, to which he added the letter to a Protestant Lady in France, and the Poem on Friendship. The idea of printing them was afterwards suggested to Mr. C. and he gave his full consent, intending to revise them before I should send them to press. Various circumstances prevented him from doing this ; and the poems would prob- ably have still remained unpublished, if it had not been found that several copies of them had already got abroad. The Editor therefore had reason to believe, that they would oth- erwise have made their appearance in a state far less correct than if printed from the original manuscript. Nor can he imagine that even in their present form, they will, on the whole, tend to diminish the well-deserved reputation of their excellent Author. To infer that the peculiarities of Madame Guion's theo- logical sentiments, were adopted either by Mr. C. or by the Editor, would be almost as absurd as to suppose t2ie inimit- able translator of Homer to have been a pagan. He rever- enced her piety, admired her genius, and judged that several of her poems would be read with pleasure and edification by serious and candid persons. I have taken the liberty to add the Stanzas subjoined to the Bills of Mortality, which had been published a few years past at Northampton ; and the Epitaph, which had appeared in a periodical publication. They sufficiently mark the genius of their Author, correspond with the other parts of this small volume, and have not before been printed in a uniform manner with his poems. WILLIAM BULL. KEWPORT-PAGNEL, 6th June, 1801. CONTENTS THE Nativity ------- God neither known nor lover 1 by the world The Swallow ------- The Triumph of Heavenly Love desired - A figurative description of the procedure of Divine Love in bringing a soul to the point of self-renunci- ation and absolute acquiesence - _ - - A child of God longing to see him beloved - Aspirations of the soul after God - Gratitude and Love to God Happy Solitude — Unhappy men - - - - Living water -------- Truth and Divine Love rejected by the world - Divine Justice amiable - The Soul that loves God finds him every where The testimony of Divine adoption Divine Love endures no rival - - - Self-diffidence - - - - - The acquiesence of pure Love - Repose in God - Glory to God alone - Self-love and Truth incompatible The Love of God the end of Life Love faithful in the absence of the beloved Love pure and fervent - The entire surrender • The perfect sacrifice - Pa?e. 9 16 18 19 19 22 24 25 27 27 28 29 30 32 33 35 36 37 38 40 41 42 42 43 44 VI CONTENTS. Pago. God hides his people -.-..- 44 The secrets of Divine Love are to be kept 46 The vicissitudes experienced in the Christian life - 51 Watching unto God in the night season 56 On the same 58 On the same ----- --60 The joy of the Cross ------ 62 Joy in Martyrdom ------ 65 Simple trust --------66 The necessity of self-abasement 67 Love increased by suffering - - 69 Scenes favorable to meditation 71 ORIGINAL POEMS. An Epistle to a Protestant Lady in France - - 77 Friendship -------- 79 Stanzas subjoined to a Bill of Mortality for the year 1787 _-._--.- 87 The same for 1788 ------- 89 The same for 1789 ------ 90 The same for 1790 ------- 92 The same for 1792 ------ 94 The same for 1793 ------- 96 An Epitaph -------- 98 CONTENTS. Vli A WREATH OF FORGET-ME-NOT. Page- The Spring 101 Blossom and fruit 101 The Lamb 102 Spiritual food 102 The flowers 102 Divine love 103 The shepherd 103 Why so proud ! 103 The hidden life 104 The sunbeam 104 The hermit 104 A pilgrim's thought 105 The cell 105 Good out of evil 106 The serpent 106 Selfwill 107 Mother and child 107 Submission 107 The refuge 108 The gospel 103 Always preparing 103 Rich and poor 109 Ever at home 1 . : . . . 109 Tears of joy and sorrow 109 Daily bread 110 The hidden spark 110 The blessed cros9 Ill Sincerity ....... l Ill Resignation Ill Take no thought for the morrow . . . .112 VU1 CONTENTS Constant prayer . The inner temple Golgotha Run and be not weary The broken will . Ingratitude Trust and follow Nature and grace The value of time Come as thou art Simplicity Duty of the day Vicissitude The abyss The senses . Self-activity The Sinner . Good counsel . Letter and spirit Ever pursuing Time and eternity The warfare Eventide Self-love Gospel light The cross Joy and sorrow The shepherd and the sheep The oppressed The school Love thy neighbor The Saviour's voice The way to conquer The Farewell . Page. 112 THE NATIVITY. POEME HEROIQUE, Vol 4, § 4. TIS Folly all— let me no more be told Of Parian porticos, and roofs of gold ; Delightful views of Nature dress'd by Art, Enchant no longer this indiff'rent heart ; The Lord of all things, in his humble birth, Makes mean the proud magnificence of earth ; The straw, the manger, and the mould'ring wall, Eclipse its lustre ; and I scorn it all. Canals, and fountains, and delicious vales, Green slopes, and plains whose plenty never fails , Deep rooted groves, whose heads sublimely rise, Earth-born, and yet ambitious of the skies ; Th' abundant foliage of whose gloomy shades, Vainly the sun in all its pow'r invades ; Where warbled airs «of sprightly birds resound ; Whose verdure lives while winter scowls around ; Rocks, lofty mountains, caverns dark and deep, And torrents raving down the rugged steep ; Smooth downs, whose fragant herbs the spirits cheer, Meads, Cfewn'd with flow'rs ; streams musical and clear, 1 10 THE NATIVITY. Whose silver waters, and whose murmurs, join Their artless charms, to make the scene divine ; The fruitful vineyard, and the furrowed plain, That seems a rolling sea of golden grain ; All, all have lost the charms they once possess'd ; An infant God reigns sov'reign in my breast ; From Bethl'em's bosom I no more will rove ; There dwells the Saviour, and there rests my love. Ye mightier rivers, that with sounding force Urge down the valleys your impetuous course ! Winds, clouds, and lightnings ! and ye waves,whoseheads^ Curl'd into monstrous forms, the seaman dreads ! Horrid abyss, where all experience fails, Spread with the wreck of planks and shattered sails ; On whose broad back grim Death triumphant rides, While havoc floats on all thy swelling tides, Thy shores a scene of ruin, strew'd around With vessels bulg'd, and bodies of the drown'd ! Ye Fish, that sport beneath the boundless waves, And rest, secure from man, in rocky caves ; Swift darting sharks, and whales of hideous size, Whom all th' aquatic world with terror eyes ! Had I but Faith immoveable and true, I might defy the fiercest storm, like you ; The world, a more disturb'd and boist'rous sea, When Jesus shows a smile, affrights not me : He hides me, and in vain the billows roar, Break harmless at my feet, and leave the shore. THE NATIVITY. 11 Thou azure vault, where, through the gloom of night, Thick sown, we see such countless worlds of light 1 Thou Moon, whose car, encompassing the skies, Restores lost nature to our wond'iing eyes ; Again retiring, when the brighter Sun Begins the course he seems in haste to run ! Behold him where he shines ! His rapid rays, Themselves unmeasur'd, measure all our days ; Nothing impedes the race he would pursue, Nothing escapes his penetrating view, A thousand lands confess his quick'ning heat, And all he cheers, are fruitful, fair, and sweet. Far from enjoying what these scenes disclose, I feel the thorn, alas ! but miss the rose ; Too well I know this aching heart requires More solid good to fill its vast desires ; vain they represent His matchless might Who call'd them out of deep primaeval night ; Their form and beauty but augment my woe ; I seek the Giver of the charms they show ; Nor, Him beside, throughout the world he made, Lives there, in whom I trust for cure or aid. Infinite God, thou great unrivall'd One, Whose glory makes a blot of yonder sun ; Compai'd with thine, how dim his beauty seems, How quench' d the radiance of his golden beams ! Thou art my bliss, the light by which I move ; In thee alone dwells all that I can love ; 12 THE NATIVITY. All darkness flies when thou art pleas'd t' appear, A sudden spring renews the fading year ; Where e'er I turn, I see thy power and grace The watchful guardians of our heedless race ; Thy various creatures in one strain agree, All, in all times and places, speak of thee ; Ev'n I. with trembling heart and stammering tongue, Attempt thy praise, and join the gen'ral song. Almighty Former of this wondrous plan, Faintly reflected in thine image, man — Hoty and just — the Greatness of whose name Fills and supports this universal frame, DiffWd throughout th' infinitude of space, Who art thyself thine own vast dwelling-place ; Soul of our soul, whom yet no sense of ours Discerns, eluding our most active pow'rs ; Encircling shades attend thine awful throne, That veil thy face, and keep thee still unknown ; Unknown, though dwelling in our inmost part, Lord of the thoughts, and Sov'reign of the heart ! Repeat the charming truth that never tires, No God is like the God my soul desires ; He at whose voice Heav'n trembles, ev'n He, Great as he is, knows how to stoop to me — Lo ! there he lies — that smiling Infant said, «' Heav'n, Earth, and Sea, exist !" and they obey'd. Ev'n He whose Being swells beyond the skies, Is born of woman, lives, and mourns, and dies ; THE NATIVITY. 13 Eternal and Immortal, seems to cast That glory from his brows, and breathes his last. Trivial and vain the works that man has wrought, How do they shrink, and vanish at the thought. Sweet Solitude, and scene of my repose ! This rustic sight assuages all my woes — That crib contains the Lord whom I adore ; And Earth's a shade, that I pursue no more. He is my firm support, my rock, my tow'r, I dwell secure beneath his shelt'ring pow'r, And hold this mean retreat for ever dear, For all I love, my soul's delight is here. I see th' Almighty swath'd in infant bands, Tied helpless down, th3 Thunder-bearer's hands ! And in this shed, that mystery discern, Which faith and love, and they alone, can learn. Ye tempests, spare the slumbers of your Lord ! Ye zephyrs, all your whisper'd sweets afford ! Confess the God that guides the roiling year ; Heav'n, do him homage ; and thou Earth, revere ! Ye Shepherd's, Monarchs, Sages, hither bring Your hearts an offering, and adore your King ! Pure be those hearts, and rich in Faith and Love ; Join, in his praise, th' harmonious worlds above ; To Beth'lem haste, rejoice in his repose, And praise him there for all that he bestows ! Man, busy Man, alas ! can ill afford T' obey the summons, and attend the Lord ; 1* 14 THE NATIVITY. Perverted reason revels and runs wild, By glitt'ring shows of pomp and wealth beguil'd ; And blind to genuine excellence and grace, Finds not her Author in so mean a place. Ye unbelieving ! learn a wiser part, Distrust your erring sense, and search your heart ; There, soon 3