When the house doth sigh and weep, And the world is drown'd in sleep, Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, Sweet Spirit, comfort me. When the passing-bell doth toll, Come to fright my parting soul, When the priest his last hath pray'd, And I nod to what is said, 'Cause my speech is now decay'd, Sweet Spirit, comfort me. When, God knows, I'm toss'd about, When the Tempter me pursu'th When the flames and hellish cries Fright mine ears and fright mine eyes, And all terrors me surprise, Sweet Spirit, comfort me. When the judgment is reveal'd, Sweet Spirit, comfort me. PRAYER FOR ABSOLUTION. For those my unbaptized rhymes, But if, 'mongst all, Thou find'st here one That one, of all the rest, shall be The glory of my work and me. 1 In these lines he seems to refer to the licentious character of many of his poems. HENRY VAUGHAN. BORN 1614; DIED 1695. THIS truly "sacred" poet was styled by himself and his contemporaries," the Silurist," from having been born on the banks of the Esk, in Brecknockshire, a part of Britain once inhabited by the Silures. With less delicacy of feeling, as well as of intellectual perception, there is much in Vaughan not unworthy of George Herbert-the same fervour and tenderness of piety; the same concentrated earnestness, but expressed in a terser style. His principal works are, "Olor Iscanus, a collection of some select Poems;" "Silex Scintillans, or Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations," and "The Mount of Olives, or Salutary Meditations." Vaughan is said, by those contemporary panegyrists, who admired not only the beauty of his verse, but the "charming rigour" of his subjects to have "Restor❜d the golden age, when verse was law." This praise, at least, is his-that he devoted his powers, without reserve, to the worthiest objects." O si sic omnes !" 1 Katherine Phillips. HENRY VAUGHAN. THE RAINBOW. STILL young and fine! but what is still in view Forms turn to music, clouds to smiles and air; tie Of thy Lord's hand, the object of his eye! |