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Poem
December 14, 1819
Elizabeth Town Gazette
Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey
What is this article about?
A devotional poem meditating on human frailty, the vanity of pride, and the follies of life, concluding with a prayer for humility and peace in virtue before God.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
HUMILITY.
Wherefore should man, frail child of clay,
Who from the cradle to the shroud,
Lives but the insect of a day,
O, why should mortal man be proud!
His brightest visions just appear,
Then vanish, and no more are found;
The stateliest pile his pride can rear,
A breath may level with the ground.
By doubt perplex'd, in error lost,
With trembling step he seeks his way;
How vain of wisdom's gift the boast!
Of reason's lamp, how faint the ray!
Follies and crimes, a countless sum,
Are crowded in life's little span!
How ill, alas! does pride become
That erring, guilty creature, man!
God of my life, Father divine,
Give me a meek and lowly mind;
In modest worth, O let me shine,
And peace in humble virtue find.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
Wherefore should man, frail child of clay,
Who from the cradle to the shroud,
Lives but the insect of a day,
O, why should mortal man be proud!
His brightest visions just appear,
Then vanish, and no more are found;
The stateliest pile his pride can rear,
A breath may level with the ground.
By doubt perplex'd, in error lost,
With trembling step he seeks his way;
How vain of wisdom's gift the boast!
Of reason's lamp, how faint the ray!
Follies and crimes, a countless sum,
Are crowded in life's little span!
How ill, alas! does pride become
That erring, guilty creature, man!
God of my life, Father divine,
Give me a meek and lowly mind;
In modest worth, O let me shine,
And peace in humble virtue find.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
What sub-type of article is it?
Hymn
Ode
What themes does it cover?
Religious Faith
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Humility
Human Frailty
Pride
Devotion
God
Virtue
Mortality
What entities or persons were involved?
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
Poem Details
Title
Humility.
Author
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
Form / Style
Rhymed Stanzas In Iambic Tetrameter
Key Lines
Wherefore Should Man, Frail Child Of Clay,
Who From The Cradle To The Shroud,
Lives But The Insect Of A Day,
O, Why Should Mortal Man Be Proud!
God Of My Life, Father Divine,
Give Me A Meek And Lowly Mind;