Providence to Man: A Meditation

Providence to Man: A Meditation

What! scorns the Son of Man, his soul divine?

What! me for well-aim'd deeds do you accuse?

Canst thou the glories I in you enshrine,
E'er round thee, form was thrown unfeeling heart,

Thy good to live, already I had fram'd:

And you in thought, of me a fruitful part,
Dear child of Hope! in memory nourished, long

In time was fixed the birth-day of thy mould;

It came; "My glorious work shout out in song!
My love e'er with you, though unseen its ray,

Yielded not thy birth to circumstantial chance;

I stirr'd the sluggish moisture of your clay,
I caused the milk from hidden fonts to stream;

You quaff'd, inebriate, of the nectar bright;

I braced your flesh, and curv'd the eye, whose beam
Thy soul awhile, by sensual passions taught,

As eyes to morn, awoke when reason came;

You thought - soon likely words achiev'd your thought,
Whence do the glowing forms have birth,

That show this great name to the eye?

You saw my goodness in the earth,

You read my grandeur in the sky!

Order was my intelligence;
The universe my Providence;
Space endless my immensity,
Thou alter'd creature, shade of me?
Time passing, shows that I am still,
And destiny makes known my will.

Me once you prais'd for my great might;

Me bless'd when I did good impart;

You joyful walked in my sight,

In true simplicity of heart;

But now, when sorrow weaves its spell,
And 'neath forebodings dark and fell,
Covers the light that once broke clear;
No more you're heard in suppliant praise;
Over thy soul clouds hover drear;
Truth beams no more from solar rays.

"No! thou art but a problem blind,

That fate to reason does intrust!

If, emblem of thy spotless mind,

This world would be both good and just."

Stay! stay! thou proud and impious thought!
To that brief code for thy life wrought.
Would'st thou compare my perfect law?
The difference learn with humbling awe;
A day is thine all just to be,
But lo! I have eternity!

When from thy darkened eyes shall fall,

The veil wherein my deep thoughts hide;

The gifts which you now grievous call,

Will, changed, into virtues glide.

From fading gloom that round thee lies,

Thou wilt behold triumphant rise,

My justice and thy liberty;

It is the flame that purifies,

The cruit form'd in upper skies,

That makes life immortality.

And yet your hard heard murmurs, and your eye

Revolving, scorns to view the proffer'd day:

In sensuous night, thou, radiant, would'st decry,
But list! this demi-day with clouds dull'd o'er,

Can guide thee yet unhurt through Earth's abode;

Behold me! what I am! then blame no more;
The soil knows not the fecund law that yields;
Ocean rolls back when moves my potent arm:
Knows it, how 'neath the changing crescents charm,
The glittering sun that shadows out my light,
Does it, unguided, through its long course run?
Can it a glorious path mark out alone?
And yet all live: not one my safe-guard needs;
I rouse each morn the universe from sleep;
I call the sun from out his deserts deep: -
And thou whose life is my soft breath;

On whom my eyes watch ever clear;

Canst thou, oh! Nature's King! fear death

Will steal from thee my memory dear?

Believest thou my virtue sleeps?
No, sure! my eye quick vigil keeps
On nearest wave and farthest shore:
The ocean that rolls back when bid,
The atom that in air is hid,
Pursue and understand my law.
Then cheerful walk in Hope's pure light;
Assured that as my name is bright,
Though sin around its shadows fling,
To you my ways shall no snares bring.
Each breaking dawn me justifies!
Nature entire in me relies,
And man alone belief withholds!
But lenient, I will vengeance wield;
And hide his doubt beneath my shield
Of bounteous good that all enfolds.

C.L.R.

New Series 1:46, p. 4

1841.01.16

From the French of Lamertine