"Around [Religion's] emerald throne / The passions tremble at her awful beck-- ' Her ministers as flaming fire,' to waft / Into the mortal bosom the pure spark / Æthereal, that refines our thought"
— Polwhele, Richard (1760-1838)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Cadell, and Sold by C. Dilly, and G. G. J. and J. Robinson
Date
1792
Metaphor
"Around [Religion's] emerald throne / The passions tremble at her awful beck-- ' Her ministers as flaming fire,' to waft / Into the mortal bosom the pure spark / Æthereal, that refines our thought"
Metaphor in Context
Then deem not (as my previous strains have taught)
Religion, a cold metaphysic form,
Musing o'er moral problems, and confin'd
To wisdom's eyes alone--behold, she sits,
While faith unveils her to the vulgar gaze,
Streaming cherubic effluence o'er her heaven
Of spotless azure! To the dazzling light
Her everlasting robe, the asbestos floats
In vivid folds. Around her emerald throne
The passions tremble at her awful beck--
"Her ministers as flaming fire," to waft
Into the mortal bosom the pure spark
Æthereal, that refines our thought! Hence fly
The words that burn; while her impulsive power
Imparts an oratory only less
Than what inspir'd the apostles, when of old
They spake all tongues, and saw confusion's reign,
The curse of jarring Shinar, disappear.
Religion, a cold metaphysic form,
Musing o'er moral problems, and confin'd
To wisdom's eyes alone--behold, she sits,
While faith unveils her to the vulgar gaze,
Streaming cherubic effluence o'er her heaven
Of spotless azure! To the dazzling light
Her everlasting robe, the asbestos floats
In vivid folds. Around her emerald throne
The passions tremble at her awful beck--
"Her ministers as flaming fire," to waft
Into the mortal bosom the pure spark
Æthereal, that refines our thought! Hence fly
The words that burn; while her impulsive power
Imparts an oratory only less
Than what inspir'd the apostles, when of old
They spake all tongues, and saw confusion's reign,
The curse of jarring Shinar, disappear.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "passion" and "throne" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1792).
See Richard Polewhele, ed. Poems, Chiefly by Gentlemen of Devonshire and Cornwall., 2 vols. (London: Printed for T. Cadell, 1792). <Link to ECCO>
See Richard Polewhele, ed. Poems, Chiefly by Gentlemen of Devonshire and Cornwall., 2 vols. (London: Printed for T. Cadell, 1792). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
01/26/2006
