Beauty, mirth, and music twined

Shed bland witchery o'er his mind.
Yet not alone these charm his eyes,
In fancy other sights he spies;
The ancient feats of chivalry,

Of war's and beauty's rivalry.

That hall becomes an open space, Where knights contend for ladies' grace. He sees a creature far more fair Than any forms around him are ; One love-glance of her radiant eyes, The boon for which the valiant dies. He sees the armored knights advance, He hears the shiver of the lance, And then the shot when tourney's done That greets the conquering champion, While, kneeling at his lady's feet, The victor's heart doth scarcely beat, As, blushing like a new-born rose, His chosen Queen the prize bestows.

But would you know the season when,
He triumphs most o'er other men,
See him when heart, pulse, and brain,
Are bound in Love's mysterious chain.
Behold him then beside the maid;
There's not one curl hath thrown its shade
In vain upon that bosom's swell.

All are secrets of the spell

That holds the visionary boy

Breathless in his trance of joy.
And yet no definite desire

Does that strong sob of bliss inspire,
But sweetly vague and undefined

The feeling that enthralls his mind,
An indistinct deep dream of heaven
Her melting shadowy eye hath given.

These the Poet's pleasures are,

These the dull world cannot share,
These make fame so poor a prize
In his Heaven-enlightened eyes.
What is poetry but this?

A glimpse of our lost state of bliss ;

A noble reaching of the mind

For that for which it was designed,
A sign to lofty spirits given,

To show them they were born for Heaven;
Light from above, quenched when it falls
Where the gross earth with darkness palls
The fallen soul content to be

Wed to its sad degeneracy;

But when, like light on crystal streams,
On a pure mind its effluence beams,

How brightly in such spirit lies
An image of the far off skies!

29

VARIETY OF OPINIONS ON RELIGION.

From the Minute Philosopher.*

BY BISHOP BERKELEY.†

THE variety of opinions about religion is a resting stone to a lazy and superficial mind. But one of more spirit and a juster way of thinking, makes it a step whence he looks about, and proceeds to examine, and compare the differing institutions of religion. He will observe, which of these is the most sublime and rational in its doctrines, most venerable in its mysteries, most useful in its precepts, most decent in its worship? Which createth the noblest hopes, and most worthy views? He will consider their rise and progress, which oweth least to human arts or arms? Which flatters the senses and gross inclinations of men? Which adorns and improves the most excellent part of our nature ? Which hath

* Modern Free-thinkers are the very same with those Cicero called Minute Philosophers, which name admirably suits them, they being a sect which diminish all the most valuable things, the thoughts, views, and hopes of men: human nature they contract and degrade to the narrow, low standard of animal life and assign us only a small pittance of time, instead of immortality.

†Note 1.-See Appendix.

[Minute Philosopher, Dialogue I.

been propagated in the most wonderful manner? Which hath surmounted the greatest difficulties, or shewed the most disinterested zeal and sincerity in its professors? He will inquire, which best accords with nature and history? He will consider, what favors of the world, and what looks like wisdom from above? He will be careful to separate human alloy from that which is divine; and upon the whole, form his judgment like a reasonable freethinker. But instead of taking such a rational course, one of those hasty sceptics shall conclude without demurring, that there is no wisdom in politics, no honesty in dealings, no knowledge in philosophy, no truth in religion and all by one and the same sort of inference, from the numerous examples of folly, knavery, ignorance and error, which are to be met with in the world. But, as those, who are unknowing in every thing else, imagine themselves sharp-sighted in religion, this learned sophism is oftenest levelled against christianity. *

*

Thinking is the great desideratum of the present age and the real cause of whatever is amiss, may justly be reckoned the general neglect of education, in those who need it most, the people of fashion. What can be expected when those, who have the most influence, have the least sense, and those who

are sure to be followed, set the worst examples? When youth so uneducated, are yet so forward? When modesty is esteemed pusillanimity, and a deference to years, knowledge, religion, laws, want of sense and spirit? Such untimely growth of genius would not have been valued, or encouraged by the wise men of antiquity; whose sentiments on this point are so ill suited to the genius of our times, that it is to be feared, modern ears could not bear them. But, however ridiculous such maxims might seem to our British youth, who are so capable and so forward to try experiments, and mend the constitution of their country; I believe it will be admitted by men of sense, that if the governing part of mankind, would in these days, for experiment's sake, consider themselves in that old Homerical light as pastors of the people, whose duty it was to improve their flock, they would soon find, that this is to be done by an education, very different from the modern, and other maxims, than those of the Minute Philosophy. If our youth were really inured to thought and reflexion, and an acquaintance with the excellent writers of antiquity, we should see that licentious humour, vulgarly called free-thinking, banished from the presence of gentlemen, together with ignorance and ill taste; which, as they are in