Notes and Queries, Vol. V, Number 125, March 20, 1852: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Vol. V, Number 125, March 20, 1852: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
The "Abbay" referred to was the Abbey of Holyrood.
The "Quarrel," or Quarry holes, seem to have been fatal, in many cases,
both to "man and beast;" for Sir David Lyndsay, in one of his poems,
says:
"Marry, I lent my gossip my mare, to fetch hame coals,
And he _her drounit into the quarry holes_."
R. S. F.
Perth.
Queries.
"GOD'S LOVE," ETC., AND OTHER POEMS.
I should be very glad if, among the many learned contributors to the "N.
& Q.," there should be any one who can give me information respecting a
rare volume of English poetry, of which I do not recollect to have seen
any notice, or any other copy than that in my own possession.
It is a 12mo., or rather small 8vo. volume, and, by the type and general
appearance, was probably printed rather before than after 1660. It
consists of three portions:
1. "God's Love and Man's Unworthiness," which commences thus:
"GOD! how that word hath thunder-clapt my soul
Into a ravishment; I must condole
My forward weakness. Ah! where shall I find
Sufficient metaphors t' express my mind?
Thou heart-amazing word, how hast thou fill'd
My soul with Hallelujahs, and distill'd
Wonders into me!"
This poem is in two parts, and extends to p. 82.
2. "A Dialogue between the Soul and Satan," p. 83 to 124, including a
short supplementary poem entitled "The Soul's Thankfulness and Request
to God."
3. "Divine Ejaculations." One hundred and forty-nine in all. Each
consists of six lines. I extract the tenth as a specimen:
"Great God! Thy garden is defaced:
The weeds do thrive, the flowers decay:
O call to mind thy promise past,
Restore thou them, cut these away.
Till then, let not the weeds have power
To starve or taint the poorest flower."
The copy now before me has no title-page or prefatory matter of any
kind, and it wants the second sheet, p. 17 to 32. Yet I do not think it
imperfect, for though the paging goes from p. 16 to p. 33, yet the
catch-word on the 16th page is answered by the first word on p. 33, and
the sense is consecutive.
It seems to me, therefore, that the author changed in some degree his
plan, as the work was proceeding at the press, and that the little
volume having thus the appearance of negligence and incompleteness, no
title or preface was ever printed, and the book never issued for sale.
On this, or any other point, but especially on the question who was the
writer of so much verse, I wish to receive information from some of the
readers of your very entertaining and often instructive miscellany.
T. S.
PRAYING TO THE DEVIL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account