In the silent watches of the night, calm night that breedeth thoughts,†
When the task-weary mind disporteth in the careless play-hours of sleep,
I dreamed; and behold, a valley-green, and sunny, and well watered-
And thousands moving across it, thousands and tens of thousands:
And tho' many seemed faint and toil-worn, and stumbled often, and fell,
Yet moved they on unresting, as the ever-flowing cataract.
Then I noted adders in the grass, and pitfalls under the flowers,
And chasms yawned among the hills, and the ground was cracked and
But Hope and her brother Fear suffered not a foot to linger; [slippery:
Bright phantoms of false joys beckoned alluringly forward,
While yelling, grisly shapes of dread came hunting on behind:
And ceaselessly, like Lapland swarms, that miserable crowd sped along
To the mist-involved banks of a dark and sullen river.
There saw I, midway in the water, standing a giant fisher,
* "Of Rest."] A very obvious objection to the views of Rest here given, has probably occurred to more than one religious reader of the English Bible; "there remaineth a rest for the people of God;" doubtless intending the heavenly inheritance. If the Greek Testament is referred to, (Heb. iv. 9,) the word translated "rest," will be found to be caßßariouós, a sabbatism, or perpetual sabbath; a rest, indeed, from evil, but very far from being a rest from good; an eternal act of ecstatic intellectual worship, or temporary acts in infinite series. It is true that another word, karanavots, implying complete cessation, occurs in the context; but this is used of the earthly image, Joshua's rest in Canaan; the material rest of earth becomes in the skies a spiritual sabbath; although I am ready to admit that the apostle goes on to argue from the word of the type. In passing, let us observe, by way of showing the uncertainty of trusting to any isolated expression of the present scriptural version, that there are no less than six several words, of various meaning, which in our New Testament are all indifferently rendered rest: as in Matt. xii. 43, vanavσis; in John xi. 13, xoíμnois; in Heb. iii. 11, καταπαυσις; in Acts ix. 31, εἰρήνη; in 2 Thess. i. 7, ανεσις; and in Heb. iv. 9, σαββα Tioμos. The koipnois is, I apprehend, what is generally meant by rest; so wishes Byron's Giaour to "sleep without the dream of what he was;" so he who in life "loathed the languor of repose," avows that he "would not, if he might, be blest, and sought no paradise but rest." Such, at least, is not the Christian's sabbath, which indeed fully agrees, as might be expected, with metaphysical inquiries: a good spirit cannot rest from activity in good, nor an evil one from activity in evil. Rest, in its common slothful acceptation, is not possib.e, or is at any rate very improbable, in the case of spiritual creatures.
+ "Calm night, that breedeth thoughts."] Eippóvn. Another delicate example of the Greek elegance in mind and language.
And he held many lines in his hand, and they called him Iron Dest So I tracked these subtle chains, and each held one among the multit Then I understood what hindered, that they rested not in their path For the fisher had sport in his fishing, and drew in his lines continu And the new-born babe, and the aged man, were dragged into that river:
And he pulled all those myriads along, and none might rest by the Till many, for sheer weariness, were eager to plunge into the drow
So I knew that valley was Life, and it sloped to the waters of Death
But far on the thither side spread out a calm and silent shore,
Where all was tranquil as a sleep, and the crowded strand was quie
And I saw there many I had known, but their eyes glared chillin
As set in deepest slumber; and they pressed their fingers to their lip Then I knew that shore was the dwelling of Rest, where spirits
[that silen And it seemed they would have told me much, but they might not br For the law of their being was mystery: they glided on, hushing as t Yet farther, under the sun, at the roots of purple mountains, I noted a blaze of glory, as the night-fires on northern skies; And I heard the hum of joy, as it were a sea of melody;
And far as the eye could reach were millions of happy creatures
Basking in the golden light; and I knew that land was heaven.
Then the hill whereon I stood split asunder, and a crater yawned at
Black and deep and dreadful, fenced round with ragged rocks;
Dimly was the darkness lit up by spires of distant flame;
And I saw below a moving mass of life, like reptiles bred in corrupti
Where all was terrible unrest, shrieks and groans and thunder.
So I woke, and I thought upon my dream; for it seemed of wisdom ministration.
What man is he that findeth rest, though he hunt for it year after yea
As a child, he had not yet been wearied, and cared not then to court it
As a youth, he loved not to be quiet, for excitement spurred him into strif
As a man, he tracketh rest in vain, toiling painfully to catch it,
[fat
But still is he pulled from the pursuit, by the strong compulsion of h
So he hopeth to have peace in old age, as he cannot rest in manhood,
But troubles thicken with his years, till Death hath dodged him to the grave.
There remaineth a rest for the spirit on the shadowy side of life;
But unto this world's pilgrim no rest for the sole of his foot.
Ever, from stage to stage, he travelleth wearily forward,
And though he pluck flowers by the way, he may not sleep among the Mind is the perpetual motion; for it is a running stream
From an unfathomable source, the depth of the divine Intelligence;
And though it be stopped in its flowing, yet hath it a current within;
The surface may sleep unruffled, but underneath are whirlpools of con-
Seekest thou rest, O mortal?—seek it no more on earth, [tention.
For destiny will not cease from dragging thee through the rough wilder-
ness of life;
Seekest thou rest, O immortal?—hope not to find it in heaven,
For sloth yieldeth not happiness; the bliss of a spirit is action.
Rest dwelleth only on an island in the midst of the ocean of existence,
Where the world-weary soul for a while may fold its tired wings,
Until, after short sufficient slumber, it is quickened unto deathless energy,
And speedeth in eagle flight to the Sun of unapproachable perfection.
VICE is grown aweary of her gawds, and donneth russet garments,
Loving for change to walk as a nun, beneath a modest veil;
For Pride hath noted how all admire the fairness of Humility,
And to clutch the praise he coveteth, is content to be dressed in hair-cloth; And wily Lust tempteth the young heart, that is proof against the bravery
With timid tears and retiring looks of an artless seeming maid;
And indolent Apathy, sleepily ashamed of his dull, lack-lustre face,
Is glad of the livery of meekness, that charitable cloak and cowl;
And Hatred hideth his demon frown beneath a gentle mask; [ination.
And Slander, snake-like, creepeth in the dust, thinking to escape recrim-
But the world hath gained somewhat from its years, and is quick to
penetrate disguises.
Neither in all these is it easily deceived, but rightly divideth the true from the false.
YET there is a meanness of spirit that is fair in the eyes of most men,
Yea, and seemeth fair unto itself, loving to be thought Humility.
Its choler is not roused by insolence, neither do injuries disturb it;
Honest indignation is strange unto its breast, and just reproof unto its lip
It shrinketh, looking fearfully on men, fawning at the feet of the great
The breath of calumny is sweet unto its ear, and it courteth the rod o
But what! art thou not a man, deputed chief of the creation? [persecution
Art thou not a soldier of the right, militant for God and good?
Shall virtue and truth be degraded, because thou art too base to uphol
Or Goliath be bolder in blaspheming for want of a David in the camp?
I say not avenge injuries; for the ministry of vengeance is not thine;
But wherefore rebuke not a liar? wherefore do dishonour to thyself?
Wherefore let the evil triumph, when the just and the right are on th
Such Humility is abject, it lacketh the life of sensibility, [side
And that resignation is but mock, where the burden is not felt;
Suspect thyself and thy meekness; thou art mean and indifferent to sin
And the heart that should grieve and forgive is case-hardened, and for
HUMILITY mainly becometh the converse of man with his Maker,
But often-times it seemeth out of place in the intercourse of man with man
Yea, it is the cringer to his equal, that is chiefly seen bold to his God,
While a martyr, whom a world cannot browbeat, is humble as a child
before Him.
Render unto all men their due, but remember thou also art a man, [being]
And cheat not thyself of the reverence which is owing to thy reasonable
Be courteous, and listen, and learn; but teach and answer if thou canst
Serve thee of thy neighbour's wisdom, but be not enslaved as to a master
Where thou perceivest knowledge, bend the ear of attention and respect
But yield not further to the teaching, than as thy mind is warranted by
Better is an obstinate disputant, that yield. th inch by inch, [reasons
Than the shallow traitor to himself, who surrendereth to half an argument
MODESTY Winneth good report, but scorn cometh close upon servility; Therefore use meekness with discretion, casting not pearls before swine For a fool will tread upon thy neck, if he seeth thee lying in the dust; And there be companies and seasons where resolute bearing is but duty If a good man discloseth his secret failings unto the view of the profane, What doeth he but harm unto his brother, confirming him in his sin? There is a concealment that is right, and an open-mouthed humility tha erreth:
There is a candour near akin to folly, and a meekness looking like shame. Masculine sentiments, vigorously holden, well become a man;
But a weak mind hath a timorous grasp, and mistaketh it for tenderness of conscience.
Many are despised for their folly, who put it to the account of their religion, And because men treat them with contempt, they look to their God for
But contempt shall still be their reward, who betrayed their master unto
Reflecting on Him in themselves, meanness and ignorance and cowardice.
A Christian hath a royal spirit, and need not be ashamed but unto One.
Among just men walketh he softly, but the world should see him as a
champion.
[weak,
His humbleness is far unlike the shame that covereth the profligate and
When the sober reproof of virtue hath touched their tingling ears;
It is born of love and wisdom, and is worthy of all honour,
And the sweet persuasion of its smile changeth contempt into reverence.
A MAN of a haughty spirit is daily adding to his enemies: [him:
He standeth as the Arab in the desert, and the hands of all men are against
A man of a base mind daily subtracteth from his friends,
For he holdeth himself so cheaply, that others learn to despise him.
But where the meekness of self-knowledge veileth the front of self-respect,
There look thou for the man, whom none can know but they will honour.
Humility is the softening shadow before the stature of Excellence,
And lieth lowly on the ground, beloved and lovely as the violet;
Humility is the fair-haired maid, that calleth Worth her brother,
The gentle, silent nurse, that fostereth infant virtues;
Humility bringeth no excuse; she is welcome to God and man;
Her countenance is needful unto all who would prosper in either world;
And the mild light of her sweet face is mirrored in the eyes of her com-
panions.
And straightway stand they accepted, children of penitence and love.
As when the blind man is nigh unto a rose, its sweetness is the herald
So when thou savourest humility, be sure thou art nigh unto merit.
A gift rejoiceth the covetous, and praise fatteneth the vain,
And the pride of man delighteth in the humble bearing of his fellow,
But to the tender bent volence of the unthanked Almoner of good,
Humility is queen among the graces, for she giveth Him occasion to bestow
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