"Reason's powers, by studious care refined, / In moral graces dress the chasten'd mind."
— Grant [née MacVicar], Anne (1755-1838)
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed by James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown
Date
1814
Metaphor
"Reason's powers, by studious care refined, / In moral graces dress the chasten'd mind."
Metaphor in Context
There, Peace, retired in her sequester'd bower,
Enjoys composed Reflection's silent hour,
Where the soul's image to the view is brought
In the calm mirror of unruffled thought,
Its secret faults to self-reproach exposed,
And all its cherish'd weaknesses disclosed;
Till Reason's powers, by studious care refined,
In moral graces dress the chasten'd mind.
While Self-denial lends his pow'rful hand
To smooth the rugged way for self-command,
"That column of true dignity in man,"
Stern Fortitude, gives firmness to the plan.
What permanent delights to him are known
Who dares to meet his secret soul alone;
Who, firm in Truth and Honour's sacred cause,
Still loves his country and reveres her laws!
Though bright perfection, made alone for Heav'n,
Has not even to that favour'd land been giv'n;
Who strives not in life's vestibule to stand,
And tear the curtain with unhallow'd hand,
But waits with awful eye and will resign'd
The hour appointed by th' all-seeing Mind,
When every cloudy mist shall melt away,
And doubt dissolve in beams of endless day.
Enjoys composed Reflection's silent hour,
Where the soul's image to the view is brought
In the calm mirror of unruffled thought,
Its secret faults to self-reproach exposed,
And all its cherish'd weaknesses disclosed;
Till Reason's powers, by studious care refined,
In moral graces dress the chasten'd mind.
While Self-denial lends his pow'rful hand
To smooth the rugged way for self-command,
"That column of true dignity in man,"
Stern Fortitude, gives firmness to the plan.
What permanent delights to him are known
Who dares to meet his secret soul alone;
Who, firm in Truth and Honour's sacred cause,
Still loves his country and reveres her laws!
Though bright perfection, made alone for Heav'n,
Has not even to that favour'd land been giv'n;
Who strives not in life's vestibule to stand,
And tear the curtain with unhallow'd hand,
But waits with awful eye and will resign'd
The hour appointed by th' all-seeing Mind,
When every cloudy mist shall melt away,
And doubt dissolve in beams of endless day.
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
11/21/2005
Date of Review
12/03/2008
