"Dim burns the Lamp of Life; this Breast heaves slow; / My Soul shall soon the last sad Journey go."
— Langhorne,William (1721-1772)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for R. Griffiths [etc.]
Date
1760
Metaphor
"Dim burns the Lamp of Life; this Breast heaves slow; / My Soul shall soon the last sad Journey go."
Metaphor in Context
Dim burns the Lamp of Life; this Breast heaves slow;
My Soul shall soon the last sad Journey go.
Ill does the cutting Voice of Scorn prepare
This bleeding Breast that Weight of Woes to bear.
Oh that Omniscience would my Conduct try,
Or send some blest Vicegerent from on High!
If Flatt'ry on your House would Vengeance pour,
Shall this rude Railing bring the peaceful Hour?
No more disgrace the sacred Name of Friend,
But to these Laws of social Love attend:
Aid no proud Menace of insulting Foes,
Nor to Derision keen the Wretch expose.
The Good shall tremble at your mean Distrust,
When Heav'n's all-seeing Eye declares me Just.
From Strength to Strength the pure of Heart shall go,
But Shame shall sink the false Accusers low:
Low as the Son of Pain they now despise,
Expung'd and ras'd whose ev'ry Purpose lies;
Whose sublunary Hopes shall soon descend
To Dust, and with their mould'ring Subject end:
When Death, fell-frowning, looks him into Clay,
And kindred Reptiles riot on their Prey."
My Soul shall soon the last sad Journey go.
Ill does the cutting Voice of Scorn prepare
This bleeding Breast that Weight of Woes to bear.
Oh that Omniscience would my Conduct try,
Or send some blest Vicegerent from on High!
If Flatt'ry on your House would Vengeance pour,
Shall this rude Railing bring the peaceful Hour?
No more disgrace the sacred Name of Friend,
But to these Laws of social Love attend:
Aid no proud Menace of insulting Foes,
Nor to Derision keen the Wretch expose.
The Good shall tremble at your mean Distrust,
When Heav'n's all-seeing Eye declares me Just.
From Strength to Strength the pure of Heart shall go,
But Shame shall sink the false Accusers low:
Low as the Son of Pain they now despise,
Expung'd and ras'd whose ev'ry Purpose lies;
Whose sublunary Hopes shall soon descend
To Dust, and with their mould'ring Subject end:
When Death, fell-frowning, looks him into Clay,
And kindred Reptiles riot on their Prey."
Categories
Provenance
Searching "soul" and "lamp" in HDIS (Poetry); found again "breast"
Date of Entry
01/19/2006
