Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

The Nature of Man. A Poem. In Three Books.

London

Printed for Sam. Buckley

1711

Popes, "Who, as erroneus, Nature's Light asperse; / The Judgment, which our Senses pass, reverse; / And by th' usurp'd Authority of Heav'n / Repeal the just Decrees by Reason given: / Who Schemes of new Religion have enjoined, / Impos'd Belief, enslav'd the free-born Mind, / And artful by the manag'd World to come, / Have conquer'd this, and Heav'n annex'd to Rome."

When mighty Storms, which in the North arose,
From Alba's Banks, and Scandinavia's Snows,
To fair Hesperia threat'ning bent their Course,
And rushing down her Hills with rapid Force,
Had with their Thunder Rome's proud Empire broke,
And made her Neck receive a Foreign Yoke,
Behold a Scheme form'd by unvulgar Sense;
Thy subtile Sons, O Rome, to recompense
Their Loss of Pow'r, did Means successful find
To found a wider Empire o'er the Mind.
Witness the mitred Monarchs, who controul
Reluctant Conscience, and command the Soul.
Who, as erroneus, Nature's Light asperse;
The Judgment, which our Senses pass, reverse;
And by th' usurp'd Authority of Heav'n
Repeal the just Decrees by Reason giv'n:
Who Schemes of new Religion have enjoyn'd,
Impos'd Belief, enslav'd the free-born Mind,
And artful by the manag'd World to come,
Have conquer'd this, and Heav'n annex'd to Rome;
Possest of all the dreadful Strength of Hell,
Its Magazines of Pain and Death, compel
The Earth's affrighted Nations to obey
Proud Rome's Command, and own her Soveraign Sway:
To compass this, Ausonia must abound
With Genius strong and vast, and Thought profound.

Light Government::Court::Judgment Government::Law::Decrees Government::Slavery

Searching in HDIS (Poetry)

At least 2 entries in the ESTC (1711, 1720)

Richard Blackmore, The Nature of Man. A Poem. In Three Books. (London: Sam. Buckley, 1711). <Link to ECCO>

08/10/2004

07/02/2012