"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.