AN HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER WILT thou forgive that fin where I begun, Which was my fin, though it were done before? And do run still though ftill I do deplore? Wilt thou forgive that fin, which I have won A year or two, but wallow'd in a score? I have a fin of fear, that when I've fpun My last thread, I fhall perish on the shore: Shall fhine as he fhines now and heretofore: I have the rather mentioned this hymn, for that he caused it to be set to a moft grave and folemn tune, and to be often fung to the organ by the chorifters This compofition is not, furely, embellished with poctical beauties. The reader who is defirous of forming a juft opinion of the merit of metaphyfical poets, among whom Dr. Donne is to be ranked in the first clafs, will confult Dr. Johnfon's remarks in his Life of Mr. Cowley. "We can have little inducement to perufe the works of men, who inftead of writing poetry wrote only verfe, who cannot be faid to have imitated any thing, as they neither copied Nature from life, neither painted the forms of matter, nor reprefented the operations of intel lect. Deficient in the fublime and the pathetic, they abounded in hyperbole, in unnatural thoughts, violent filions, foolish conceits, expreffions either grofsly abfurd, or indelicate and disgusting." (Dr. Johnson's Works, vol. IX. p.-24.), . chorifters of St. Paul's Church in his own hearing, especially at the evening fervice, and at his return from his cuftomary devotions in that place, did occafionally fay to a friend "The words of this hymn have restored "to me the fame thoughts of joy that poffeffed my foul in my fickness "when I compofed it. And, O the power of church-mufic! that harmony added to this hymn has raised the affections of my heart, and quickened my graces of zeal and gratitude; and I obferve that I always "return from paying this public duty of prayer and praise to God, with "an an unexpreffible tranquillity of mind, and a willingness to leave the "world." k After this manner did the disciples of our Saviour, and the beft of Chriftians in thofe ages of the church neareft to his time, offer their praises to Almighty God; and the reader of St. Auguftine's life may there find, that towards his diffolution he wept abundantly, that the enemies of Chriftianity had broke in upon them, and prophaned and ruined their fanctuaries, and because their public hymns and lauds were loft out of their churches. And after this manner have many devout fouls lifted up their hands and offered acceptable facrifices unto Almighty God where Dr. Donne offered his, and now lies buried." But now, O Lord, how is that place become defolate'."Anno 1656. Before i On the antiquity, ufe, and excellence of church-mufic, fee "Bifhop Horne's fixteen Sermons on various Subjects and Occafions," p. 265. St. Auguftin died after the Goths and Vandals had with much barbarous cruelty and bloodshedding over-run the greatest part of his native country of Africa; only three cities of any note were preserved from their fury, of which his own city, Hippo, was one, though befieged by them fourteen months. According to his prayer he was delivered out of their hands by the mercy of God, who took him to himself during the time of the fiege. See his Life written by Pofidonius, and ufually prefixed to his works. 1 By the votes of both Houses, made in the Long Parliament, Sept. Ic-11, anno 1642, for the abolishing of bifhops, deans, and chapters, the very foundation of this famous cathedral, fays Sir William Dugdale, was utterly fhaken in pieces. In the following year the famous. crofs in the churchyard, which had been for many ages the most noted and folemn place in this nation for the greatest divines and greateft fcholars to preach at, was pulled down to Before I proceed further, I think fit to inform the reader, that not long before his death he caused to be drawn a figure of the body of Chrift, extended upon an anchor, like those which painters draw when they would prefent us with the picture of. Chrift crucified on the crofs; his varying no otherwise than to affix him not to a crofs, but to an anchor (the emblem of hope); this he caused to be drawn in little, and then many of those figures thus drawn to be engraven very fmall in Helitropium ftones", and fet in gold, and of those he fent to many of his dearest friends, to be used as feals or rings, and kept as memorials of him, and of his affection to them. His dear friends and benefactors, Sir Henry Goodier", and Sir Robert Drewry, could not be of that number, nor could the Lady Magdalen Her to the ground; the stalls of the Quire were also taken away; as also part of the pave- ment torn up, and monuments utterly demolished or defaced. The scaffolds erected for the repair of the church were given to the foldiers, and by them pits were dug for fawing up the timber in feveral places thereof, even where fome reverend bishops and other perfons of quality lay interred; and afterwards the body of the church was frequently converted to a horse-quarter for foldiers. (See Kennet's Register and Chronicle, p. 549.). The Heliotropium is a very beautiful species of jafper, and has been long known to the world as a gem. Its colour is a fine and strong green, fometimes pure and fimple, but more frequently with an admixture of blue in it. It is moderately transparent in thin pieces, and. is always veined, clouded, and fpotted with a blood red. From this, its most obvious character, it has obtained among our jewellers the name of the blood-stone. (Lewis's Materia Medica.) "One of the gentlemen of his Majesty's Privy Chamber. To him Dr. Donne has addressed. feveral of his letters in the Collection, which was printed in 1651. "To the honour of Sir Henry Goodyer of Polefworth, a Knight memorable for his vir-"tues," faith Camden, "an affectionate friend of his made this tetraftick." "An ill year of a Goodyer us bereft, "Who gon to God much lack of him here left; : "Full of good gifts of body and of minde, "Wife, comely, learned, eloquent, and kinde." (Weever's Ancient. Fun. Monuments. p. 302.)` Herbert, the mother of George Herbert, for they had put off mortality, and taken poffeffion of the grave before him; but Sir Henry Wotton and Dr. Hall, the then late deceafed Bishop of Norwich were; and fo were Dr. Duppa, Bishop of Salisbury, and Dr. Henry King, Bishop of Chichester (lately deceased); men, in whom there was fuch a commixture of general learning, of natural eloquence, and Christian humility, that they deferve a commemoration by a pen equal to their own, which none have exceeded. And Of this excellent woman fee "Walton's Life of Mr. George Herbert." P Dr. Jofeph Hall, Bishop of Norwich. "The learned have given him this character, that "he was Our English Seneca,' dexterous at controverfy, not unhappy at comments, very "good at characters, better in fermons, beft of all in meditations and contemplations, all "which have long fince been put out in three volumes." (Magna Britannia, vol. III. p. 394.) Full of the spirit of Juvenal and Perfius, he is confidered as the firft of our fatirical poets. He introduces his celebrated work, "Virgidemiarum" with these lines "I first adventure, follow me who lift, "And be the fecond English Satyrift." His difapprobation of burying the dead in churches is thus expreffed in his last will: "I Jo"feph Hall, D. D. not worthy to be called Bishop of Norwich, &c. First, I bequeath my "foul, &c. my body I leave to be interred without any funeral pomp, at the direction of my "executors, with this only monition, that I do not hold God's houfe a meet repofitory for "the dead bodies of the greateft faints." Accordingly he himself was buried in the churchyard at Heigham near Norwich.-Compton, Bishop of London, entertained the fame fentiments-"The church for the living,-the churchyard for the dead." Dr. Bryan Duppa, tranflated from the fee of Chichester, to that of Salisbury, was deprived of all his preferment on the breaking out of the rebellion. Having faithfully continued his attendance on the king, to the time of his ever-to-be-lamented death, he afterward retired to Richmond in Surry, where he devoted himfelf to ftudy and devotion. At the reftoration he was promoted to Winchefter; and died, March 26, 1662. On the day preceding his death, Charles II. to whom he had been preceptor, vifited him in his bed-chamber, and on his bended knees implored his benediction. "He died," fays Wood, "as he lived, "honoured and beloved of all that knew him; a perfon of fo clear and eminent candour, that "he left not the least spot upon his life or function, maugre the bufy fedition of those who then, as before, blacked the very furplice, and made the liturgy profane.” And in this enumeration of his friends, though many must be omitted, yet that man of primitive piety, Mr. George Herbert, may not: I mean that George Herbert, who was the author of "The Temple, or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations;" a book, in which, by declaring his own spiritual conflicts, he hath comforted and raised many a dejected and difcomposed foul, and charmed them into sweet and quiet thoughts; a book, by the frequent reading whereof, and the affistance of that spirit that seemed to inspire the author, the reader may attain habits of peace and piety, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghoft and heaven, and may by ftill reading, ftill keep thofe facred fires burning upon the altar of fo pure a heart, as shall free it from the anxieties of this world, and keep it fixed upon things that are above. Betwixt this George Herbert and Dr. Donne there was a long and dear friendship, made up by fuch a fympathy of inclinations, that they coveted and joyed to be in each other's company; and this happy friendship was ftill maintained by many facred endearments, of which that which followeth may be fome teftimony. TO MR. GEORGE HERBERT, SENT HIM WITH ONE OF MY SEALS OF THE ANCHOR AND CHRIST. A fbeaf of Snakes used heretofore to be my feal, which is the creft of our poor family. Qui prius affuetus ferpentum falce tabellas Signare, hæc noftræ fymbola parva domus Adopted in God's family, and fo My old coat loft, into new arms I go. Is Chrift, who there is crucify'd for us. Yet with this I may my first ferpents hold; (God gives new bleffings, and yet leaves the old) The serpent may, as wife, my pattern be, My poifon, as he feeds on duft, that's me. And |