Prêtez l'oreille à nos soupirs;—
Et faites qu'après cette vie,
Nous goûtions d'immortels plaisirs.
—"Cantiques à l'usage des Confréries." Paris, 1839, p. 175.]
In the course of the present work I have already suggested the propriety of trying the real import, the true intent, and meaning and force of an address to a Saint, by substituting the holiest name ever uttered on earth, for the name of the Saint to whom such address is offered; and if the same words, without any change, form a prayer fit to be offered by us sinners to the Saviour of the world, then to ask ourselves, Can this be right? I would earnestly recommend the application of the same test here; and in many other of the prayers now offered (for many such there are now offered) by Roman Catholics to the Virgin. Suppose, instead of offering these songs of praise and prayer, and self-devotion to Mary in the month of May, we were to offer them, on the day of his nativity, to our blessed Lord, would they not form an act of faith in Him as our Saviour and our God?
"Around the altar of Jesus,
Let us, his children, press;
To that Saviour so endeared
Let us address the sweetest prayers.
Let a lively and holy mirth