"Then in thy way did'st thou thy Foe attack, "Heart-searching things are these, and shake the Mind, "Yea, like the rustling of a mighty Wind. "Thus would I ask :- Nay, let me question now, "How sink my Sayings in your Bosoms? how? "Feel you a quickening? drops the subject deep? "Stupid and stoney, no! you're all asleep; "Listless and lazy, waiting for a close, "As if at Church-Do I allow repose? "Am I a legal Minister? do I "With form or rubrick, rule or rite comply? "Then whence this quiet, tell me, I beseech? "Yetimes of burning, when the Heart would burn ; "Oh! now again for those prevailing Powers, "Which once began this mighty work of ours; "When the wide field, God's Temple, was the place, "And Birds flew by to catch a breath of Grace; "When mid his timid Friends and threat'ning Foes, "Our zealous Chief as Paul at Athens rose; "When with infernal spite and knotty clubs "The Ill-One arm'd his Scoundrels and his Scrubs; "And there were flying all around the spot "Brands at the Preacher, but they touch'd him not; "Stakes brought to smite him, threat'ned in his cause, "And Tongues, attun'd to curses roar' applause; "Louder and louder grew his aweful tones, "Sobbing and sighs were heard, and rueful groans ; "Soft Women fainted, prouder Man exprest "Wonder and woe, and Butchers smote the breast; "Eyes wept, Ears tingled; stiff 'ning on each Head, "The Hair drew back, and Satan howl'd and fled. "In that soft Season when the gentle Breeze "Rises all round and swells by slow degrees; "Till Tempests gather, when through all the Sky "The Thunders rattle, and the Lightnings fly; "When Rain in torrents, Wood and Vale deform, "And all is Horror, Hurricane, and Storm: "So, when the Preacher in that glorious time, "Than Clouds more melting, more than Storm sublime, "Dropt the new Word, there came à charm around ;"Tremors and terrors rose upon the sound; "The stubborn Spirits by his force he broke, "As the fork'd Lightning rives the knotted Oak: "Fear, Hope, Dismay, all signs of Shame or Grace, "Chain'd every Foot, or featur'd every Face; "Then took his sacred Trump a louder swell, "And now they groan'd, they sicken'd, and they fell; 66 Again he sounded, and we heard the cry "Of the Word-wounded, as about to die; "Further and further spread the conquering Word, "As loud he cried- the Battle of the Lord.' "Ev'n those apart who were the Sound denied, "Fell down instinctive, and in Spirit died. "Nor staid he yet-his Eye, his Frown, his Speech, "His very Gesture had a power to teach; "With out-stretch'd Arms, strong Voice, and piercing. Call, "He won the Field, and made the Dagons fall, LETTER V. ELECTIONS. Say then, which class to greater follies stoop, Be brave, for your Leader is brave, and vows Reformation; there shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; and the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops. I will make it felony to drink small-beer: all shall eat and drink on my score, and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers; and they shall all worship me as their Lord. Shakspeare's Henry VI. THE ELECTION. The Evils of the Contest, and how in part to be avoided.—The Miseries endured by a Friend of the Candidate.-The various Liberties taken with him, who has no personal Interest in the Success. The unreasonable Expectations of Voters. — The Censures of the opposing Party.-The Vices as well as Follies shewn in such time of Contest.-Plans and Cunning of Electors.-Evils which remain after the Decision, opposed in vain by the Efforts of the Friendly and of the Successful; among whom is the Mayor.-Story of his Advancement till he was raised to the Government of the Borough.-These Evils not to be placed in balance with the Liberty of the People, but are yet Subjects of just Complaint. |