And are her sureties, ere they are friends.
The spirit in which we should enter the hallowed courts of the sanctuary, is set forth thus:
When once thy foot enters the church, believe
God is more there than thou, for thou art there
Only by his permission. Then beware,
And make thyself all reverence and fear.
Kneeling ne’er spoiled silk stockings; quit thy state,
All equal are within the church’s gate.
Space will not permit us to make further extracts from “The Porch.” Enough has been given to show its tone and character. The poems called “The Temple,” thus introduced, are a series of devotional songs upon sacred subjects, overflowing with ardent feeling, and manifesting the existence of a piety as fervent as it is rare.
In his verses on Prayer, we have an apt illustration of our author’s style and devotional ardor.