" Bless'd be that Eye which dropp'd the friendly tear, / That sign'd each truth, and stamp'd the Soul sincere!"
— Woodhouse, James (bap. 1735, d. 1820)
Publisher
Printed for the author by Watts and Bridgewater
Date
1803
Metaphor
" Bless'd be that Eye which dropp'd the friendly tear, / That sign'd each truth, and stamp'd the Soul sincere!"
Metaphor in Context
Bless'd be that Heart which felt a Father's care,
While warning Youth to shun Sin's fatal snare!
Bless'd be that Eye which dropp'd the friendly tear,
That sign'd each truth, and stamp'd the Soul sincere!
Bless'd be that Tongue whose broken pathos prov'd
How much was felt, and fear'd, and hop'd, and lov'd!
Thrice happy Youth! would they those truths attend,
That mark'd Thee Pastor--Parent--Guardian--Friend!
'Twas god-like Love that urg'd thy pious plan,
Those Angel-sentiments, and tears of Man!
Like Heav'n's wing'd fires thy warm affections flew,
And forc'd each eye to drop celestial dew,
While spreading kerchiefs caught the silent show'r,
And, like bright banners, prov'd thy conqu'ring pow'r--
All drooping heads, and streaming eyes, confess'd
The inward workings of each labouring breast;
Except a few fantastic Apes alone,
Whose heads were feather, and whose hearts were stone.
While warning Youth to shun Sin's fatal snare!
Bless'd be that Eye which dropp'd the friendly tear,
That sign'd each truth, and stamp'd the Soul sincere!
Bless'd be that Tongue whose broken pathos prov'd
How much was felt, and fear'd, and hop'd, and lov'd!
Thrice happy Youth! would they those truths attend,
That mark'd Thee Pastor--Parent--Guardian--Friend!
'Twas god-like Love that urg'd thy pious plan,
Those Angel-sentiments, and tears of Man!
Like Heav'n's wing'd fires thy warm affections flew,
And forc'd each eye to drop celestial dew,
While spreading kerchiefs caught the silent show'r,
And, like bright banners, prov'd thy conqu'ring pow'r--
All drooping heads, and streaming eyes, confess'd
The inward workings of each labouring breast;
Except a few fantastic Apes alone,
Whose heads were feather, and whose hearts were stone.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "stamp" and "soul" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
James Woodhouse, Norbury Park, a Poem: With Several Others, Written on Various Occasions (Printed for the author by Watts and Bridgewater, and sold by H.D. Symonds, Cuthell and Martin, and by the author, 1803). <Link to Google Books>
Text from The Life and Poetical Works of James Woodhouse, ed. R. I. Woodhouse, 2 vols. (London: The Leadenhall Press, 1896). <Link to Hathi Trust> <Link to LION>
Text from The Life and Poetical Works of James Woodhouse, ed. R. I. Woodhouse, 2 vols. (London: The Leadenhall Press, 1896). <Link to Hathi Trust> <Link to LION>
Date of Entry
04/08/2005
