When, lo! that great and fearful God of might In a bush, burning visible and bright, Yet unconsuming, as no fire there were: With hair erected, and upturned eyes, Whilst he, with great astonishment admires, Lo! that Eternal Rector of the skies Thus breathes to Moses from those quickening fires: "Shake off thy sandals," saith the thundering God, "With humbled feet my wondrous power to sce; For that the soil where thou hast boldly trod, Is most select and hallowed unto me: "The righteous Abraham for his God me knew, Which to their seed shall propagate the same. "My folk that long in Egypt had been barred, Whose cries have entered heaven's eternal gate, Our zealous mercy openly hath heard, Kneeling in tears at our Eternal State; "And am come down, then, in the land to see, Where streams of milk through fruitful valleys flow, And luscious honey dropping from the tree, Load the full flowers that in their shadows grow: "By thee my power am purposed to try, That from rough bondage shalt the Hebrews bring, Bearing that great and fearful embassy To that monarchaic and imperious king. "And on this mountain, standing in thy sight, When thou returnest from that conquered land, Thou hallowed altars unto me shalt light, This for a token certainly shall stand." VIRTUE NOT HEREDITARY. THAT height and godlike purity of mind Resteth not still where titles most adorn; With any, not peculiarly confined To names, and to be limited doth scorn: Richest and poorest, both alike are born; Pity it is, that to one virtuous man That mark him lent, to gentry to advance, Which, first by noble industry he wan, His baser issue after should enhance; And the rude slave not any good that can Such should thrust down by what is his by chance. As had not he been first that him did raise, Ne'er had his great heir wrought his grandsire's praise. You that but boast your ancestor's proud style, And the large stem whence your vain greatness grew; When you yourselves are ignorant and vile, Nor glorious thing dare actually pursue, That all good spirits would utterly exile, Doubting their worth should else discover you, Giving yourselves unto ignoble things— Base, I proclaim you, though derived from kings. Virtue, but poor, God in this earth doth place, To suffer sad affliction and disgrace, Not ceasing to pursue her with despite: Yet when of all she is accounted base, And seeming in most miserable plight, Out of her power new life to her doth take: That is the man of an undaunted spirit, For her dear sake that offereth him to die; Daring the proudest menaces defy; More worth than life, howe'er the base world rate him, SIR HENRY WOTTON. THIS elegant writer was born in Kent, in 1568. He was appointed to several public offices in the reign of Elizabeth; but after a while he fell into disgrace, and then he lived abroad, till the accession of James I., when he was appointed ambassador to Venice. He was the author of a variety of works, chiefly upon political subjects; of some of a religious character, and of a few poetical pieces of great beauty. He died in 1640. FAREWELL TO THE VANITIES OF THE WOrld. FAREWELL, ye gilded follies, pleasing troubles; Beauty, the eye's idol, a damasked skin; State, but a golden prison to live in, And torture free-born minds; embroidered trains, Inherited, not purchased, nor our own: Fame, honor, beauty, state, train, blood, and birth, I would be great, but that the sun doth still ; I would be high, but see the proudest oak Would the world now adopt me for her heir, Would Beauty's queen entitle me the Fair," Command bare heads, bowed knees, strike justice dumb, To stones by epitaphs; be called "Great Master," Than ever fortune would have made them mine, Welcome, pure thoughts, welcome, ye silent groves, Here dwell no hateful looks, no palace-cares, And if contentment be a stranger then, THE HAPPY LIFE. How happy is he born and taught And simple truth his utmost skill ! Whose passions not his masters are, Of public fame or private breath. Who envies none that chance doth raise, Who hath his life from rumors freed, Who God doth late and early pray And entertains the harmless day This man is freed from servile bands |