The Spirit of the Times.
There is amidst the earth gone forth, to set the nations
free,1
free,1
A giant spirit, whom even Time seems half amazed to see ;2
His look hate power to scatter light, his touch to sever
chains,3
chains,3
And tyrants tremble on their thrones, and bigotry com-
plains.4
plains.4
Youth hath not lately tinged his cheek, nor his light ring-
lets curl’d5
lets curl’d5
His long experienced look reflects all ages of the world ;6
Before the flood his race began with mortal hopes and fears,7
And he hath walk’d with christian men full eighteen hun-
dred years.8
dred years.8
He ever was the wondrous guest of all the wondering earth,9
E’en when in boyhood mightily with truth he wander’d
forth ;10
forth ;10
And when his guilty youth grew up with error side by
side,11
side,11
And when he pluck’d from knowledge, leaves his infamy
to hide ;12
to hide ;12
And when, as proud as Lucifer, he put the mitre on,13
And trampled fair religions down, and laughed at when
he’d done ;14
he’d done ;14
And when he muster’d armed hosts in multitudes like bees,15
And scatter’d them in death, as leaves are scatter’d from
the trees ;16
the trees ;16
Ah, then his footsteps sounded woe, his hand was red
with crimes17
with crimes17
And awfully polluted, stalked The Spirit of the Times
!18
At length he sought the cloister’d shade, and knelt him
down a monk,19
down a monk,19
For ages drivelling and despised, with superstition drunk.20
Till, warn’d by and ambitious dream, he arm’d again for
fight,21
fight,21
And shouting— “ For Christ’s Sepulchre !” rush’d forth a
Red-cross Knight ;22
Red-cross Knight ;22
But Heaven, in mercy t mankind, proclaimed his mad-
ness o’er,23
ness o’er,23
And bade him go and bless those lands which he had
cursed before.24
cursed before.24
A glorious scroll before him blazed, in which he read aright’25
Words traced by an unerring pen, in characters of light ;26
Words, as pre-eminently true as wonderfully given ;27
Words which came down from, and led on through hold-
ness to heaven :28
ness to heaven :28
Words which proclaim’d twixt man and man, Truth,
Mercy, Peace, and Love,29
Mercy, Peace, and Love,29
Which chase the ion from men’s hearts, and cherish there
the dove30
the dove30
And then the scene changed all around—and oh, how
mighty then31
mighty then31
The Spirit of Times went forth amidst the sons of men.32
Hail, giant Spirit of the Times!—but let us ever see33
Religion, liberty, as now, walk hand in hand with
thee ;34
thee ;34
Then shall all nations bless they course—then shall the
world indeed35
world indeed35
From superstition be released, and from oppression freed.36