From the nature of their adopted mode, we cannot look for much poetry of a devotional kind from the dramatists. That mode admitting of no utterance personal to the author, and requiring the scope of a play to bring out the intended truth, it is no wonder that, even in the dramas of Shakspere, profound as is the teaching they contain, we should find nothing immediately suitable to our purpose; while neither has he left anything in other form approaching in kind what we seek. Ben Jonson, however, born in 1574, who may be regarded as the sole representative of learning in the class, has left, amongst a large number of small pieces, three _Poems of Devotion_, whose merit may not indeed be great, but whose feeling is, I think, genuine. Whatever were his faults, and they were not few, hypocrisy was not one of them. His nature was fierce and honest. He might boast, but he could not pretend. His oscillation between the reformed and the Romish church can hardly have had other cause than a vacillating conviction. It could not have served any prudential end that we can see, to turn catholic in the reign of Elizabeth, while in prison for killing in a duel a player who had challenged him. THE SINNER'S SACRIFICE. 1.--TO THE HOLY TRINITY. O holy, blessed, glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in Unity, The faithful man's believed mystery, Help, help to lift Myself up to thee, harrowed, torn, and bruised By sin and Satan, and my flesh misused. As my heart lies--in pieces, all confused-- O take my gift. All-gracious God, the sinner's sacrifice, A broken heart, thou wert not wont despise, But, 'bove the fat of rams or bulls, to prize An offering meet For thy acceptance: Oh, behold me right, And take compassion on my grievous plight! What odour can be, than a heart contrite, To thee more sweet? Eternal Father, God, who didst create This All of nothing, gav'st it form and fate, And breath'st into it life and light, with state To worship thee! Eternal God the Son, who not deniedst To take our nature, becam'st man, and diedst, To pay our debts, upon thy cross, and criedst _All's done in me!_ Eternal Spirit, God from both proceeding, Father and Son--the Comforter, in breeding Pure thoughts in man, with fiery zeal them feeding For acts of grace! Increase those acts, O glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in Unity, Till I attain the longed-for mystery Of seeing your face, Beholding one in three, and three in one, A Trinity, to shine in Union-- The gladdest light, dark man can think upon-- O grant it me,