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Poem
March 21, 1771
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
A devotional poem comparing the speaker's mature yet spiritually ignorant state to a newborn infant's helplessness, praying to God for discernment of true needs, guidance by love and fear, and granting of good unasked while denying ill even if requested.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
POET'S CORNER.
I. IGNORANCE OF MAN.
EHO! D'ye new born Infant, griev'd
With Hunger, Thirst, and Pain,
That tho' you have the Wants reliev'd
You know not to explain.
Aloud the speechless Suppliant cries,
And utters, as it can,
The Woe that in its Bosom rise,
And speaks its Nature Man.
Child, whose advancing Hour
Life's various Sorrows try,
(Sad Proof on Sin's transmissive Power)
That Infant, Lord, am I.
A Childhood yet my Thoughts confess,
Though lone in Years mature;
Unknowing whence I feel Distress,
And where, or what is Cure.
Author of Good, to thee I turn;
Thy ever wakeful Eye
Alone can all my Wants discern,
Thy Hand alone supply.
O let thy Fear within me dwell.
Thy Love my Footsteps guide:
That Love shall vainer Loves expel
That Fear all Fears beside.
And O, by Error's Force subdu'd,
Since oft my stubborn Will,
Preposterous, shuns the latent Good,
And grasps the precious Ill:
Not to my Wish, but to my Want,
Do thou thy Gifts apply;
Unask'd, what Good thou knowest, grant;
What Ill, though ask'd, deny.
I. IGNORANCE OF MAN.
EHO! D'ye new born Infant, griev'd
With Hunger, Thirst, and Pain,
That tho' you have the Wants reliev'd
You know not to explain.
Aloud the speechless Suppliant cries,
And utters, as it can,
The Woe that in its Bosom rise,
And speaks its Nature Man.
Child, whose advancing Hour
Life's various Sorrows try,
(Sad Proof on Sin's transmissive Power)
That Infant, Lord, am I.
A Childhood yet my Thoughts confess,
Though lone in Years mature;
Unknowing whence I feel Distress,
And where, or what is Cure.
Author of Good, to thee I turn;
Thy ever wakeful Eye
Alone can all my Wants discern,
Thy Hand alone supply.
O let thy Fear within me dwell.
Thy Love my Footsteps guide:
That Love shall vainer Loves expel
That Fear all Fears beside.
And O, by Error's Force subdu'd,
Since oft my stubborn Will,
Preposterous, shuns the latent Good,
And grasps the precious Ill:
Not to my Wish, but to my Want,
Do thou thy Gifts apply;
Unask'd, what Good thou knowest, grant;
What Ill, though ask'd, deny.
What sub-type of article is it?
Hymn
Ode
What themes does it cover?
Religious Faith
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Ignorance
Infant
Divine Guidance
Prayer
Human Distress
Sin
Spiritual Childhood
Poem Details
Title
I. Ignorance Of Man.
Subject
On Ignorance Of Man
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
Eho! D'ye New Born Infant, Griev'd / With Hunger, Thirst, And Pain,
That Infant, Lord, Am I.
Author Of Good, To Thee I Turn;
O Let Thy Fear Within Me Dwell. / Thy Love My Footsteps Guide:
Not To My Wish, But To My Want, / Do Thou Thy Gifts Apply;