Classic Poem

Human Nature Before and Since the Fall

I.

NATURE IN PARADISE .

Musing in a solemn train,
Oft I think and think again
On Creation's happy prime,
On that Paradisal time,
When, in radiant beauty deck'd,
Human nature stood erect.

O, the blissful state of man,
Ere this inner strife began!
When the Father of our race,
Fill'd with beatific grace,
Nothing knew of grief or sin,
Toil without or care within;

When the passions, each and all,
Only stirr'd at reason's call;
When the subject flesh fulfill'd
Only what the spirit will'd;
Every evil germ repress'd;
Heart and senses all at rest!

When no ignorance had shed
O'er the mind a darkness dread;
When the body, pure as dew,
Naught of pain or sickness knew;
From the life-renewing tree
Eating immortality!

Ah, how happy then wert thou,
Soul of man, so troubled now!
Holy, bright, immaculate;
Rais'd above thy native state
By inherent grace divine, —
What a wondrous life was thine!

II.

NATURE FALLEN .

F ALLEN now, but still the same
In his elemental frame;
Such in nature, as before,
Though endued with grace no more;
What a wreck in man we see
Of that first integrity!

Will and appetite at war!
Passions all irregular!
Flesh and spirit disallied!
Reason obdurate with pride!
Mind bedimm'd in every part!
And a wild disorder'd heart!

Selfishness, that fills with strife
Half the page of human life!
Anger, envy, sickness, pain!
Sorrow with her sable train!
Death for ever lurking nigh!
And a dread eternity!

He, meanwhile, in whom began
All the woes of mortal man,
Still with fierce insatiate rage,
Ceasing not, from age to age,
Each Satanic art to ply
Whence to swell our misery!

Such, O soul, is now thy lot;
All thine ancient bliss forgot;
Such, alas! is all we see
In our poor humanity,
As by nature it appears
Through the long revolving years.

III.

NATURE COMFORTED .

Y ET , O child of grace, beware,
Lest thou of thyself despair;
Plume anew thy drooping wing,
Praise thy piteous God and King;
Know that there is yet for thee
Hope of immortality.

Know, O daughter of the skies!
That a path before thee lies,
Open'd by the precious Blood
Of thy true Incarnate God,
Which can lead thee back to more
Than was ever thine of yore.

Where by Adam's fatal sin
Death and Hell had enter'd in,
By the Father's bounteous will
Grace hath more abounded still;
And to faith's enkindled eyes
Points a second Paradise.

See how freely from above,
Flowing in a sea of love,
Calm, majestic, deep, and wide,
From the Saviour's riven side,
Comes the pure vivific stream,
Fallen nature to redeem.

See it through the Church outpour,
Every channel running o'er!
See the fainting earth resume
All her long departed bloom!
Hear the thirsty valleys sing!
See the joyful lilies spring!

IV.

NATURE RESTORED .

L O , the bright baptismal spray
Scattering its rainbow ray!
Lo, the Eucharistic Feast
Wooing thee, a welcome guest!
Hark to Absolution given
By th' Ambassador of Heaven!

Hail, O Grace, divinely sent!
Hail, vivific element!
Hail, O Thou of grace divine,
Uncreated Origin!
With immortal gifts replete,
Hail, eternal Paraclete!

Living life of all below!
Every boon to Thee we owe —
Grace and pardon from above;
Justice, sanctity, and love;
Perseverance, virtue, faith;
Hope of glory after death.

Rais'd by Thee from depths of Hell
To the height from whence we fell;
Born anew as Sons of God,
With celestial strength endow'd;
By Thy present grace become
Heirs of an eternal home; —

Now we do with ease again
What before we tried in vain;
Now each act, from hour to hour,
Rich in meritorious power,
Mounts aloft, and wins its prize
In the realms of Paradise!

V.

NATURE WARNED .

Y ET , O man, be not too sure;
Count not idly on thy cure;
Rais'd again by grace divine
To the state that once was thine,
Know that still in thee remains
Something of thy former stains.

Still to concupiscence prone,
In thy native strength alone;
Still to things of earth inclin'd;
Still to things celestial blind;
Still expos'd to daily sin
From without and from within; —

If thou wouldest life attain;
If with Christ thou wouldest reign;
Reaping wisdom from the past,
Know, that long as life may last,
Toil and conflict thee await
In thy present earthly state.

He, who with no help of thine,
Made thee by His might divine,
Will not save thee as thou art,
But by labour on thy part; —
Labour then, and look to Heaven
For assistance timely given.

Labour, while it yet is day;
Labour, while you labour may;
Labour, for the night is long;
Labour, for the foe is strong;
Labour, for the prize is great;
Labour, for the hour is late.

VI.

NATURE REDEEMED .

S OON the struggle will be past;
Calm and peace will come at last;
Soon through death's Elysian door,
All thy pains and labours o'er,
Thou shalt go to join the blest
In the realms of endless rest;

Rest, from toil and carking care;
Rest, from earthly wear and tear;
Rest, from ever present sin;
Rest without, and rest within;
Rest, which no abatement knows;
Rest, and infinite repose.

See thine Angel Guardian nigh,
Ready for thy parting sigh!
See his azure wings expand
Towards the beatific land!
Now his bosom thee enfolds!
Now aloft his course he holds!

" Welcome, empyrean dome!
Welcome, my eternal home!
Welcome, early comrades dear,
First that come to greet me here!
Lead, O lead me, I entreat,
To the Maiden Mother's feet.

There in her maternal smile,
Let me bask myself awhile;
There on her maternal breast,
Let me for a moment rest;
That I may the fitter be
My Incarnate Judge to see.

Jesu, who for me didst die
On the Cross of Calvary,
Not in aught that is my own,
But in Thy true Blood alone,
Do I put my trembling trust;
Spare, O spare, a worm of dust! "

VII.

NATURE GLORIFIED .

Lo, tis o'er! the sentence said!
Lift again thy drooping head!
Hail, eternally forgiven!
Hail, immortal child of Heaven!
He who did for thee atone
Now receives thee as His own.

Or if yet for thee remain
Haply purgatorial pain;
If, thy penance to fulfil,
Thou awhile must suffer still;
Let not this dishearten thee,
Safe for all eternity!

Purified from earthly bane,
Soon shalt thou with Jesus reign;
Soon at thy dear Saviour's side,
Flesh and spirit glorified,
Thou shalt quaff, without alloy,
From the primal fount of joy!

So shall nature, grace-endow'd,
Rais'd above herself in God,
Reach the heavenly goal at last,
Promis'd her in ages past;
And, immers'd in love divine,
Cease for Eden's joys to pine.

So shall Grace that bliss attain,
Sought by nature all in vain;
So shall perish death and sin;
So shall endless life begin;
So shall Hell in darkness hide;
So shall God be glorified;

So shall flesh its Maker see;
So shall man a Seraph be,
In immortal liberty!
Keeping endless jubilee!
Drinking life eternally!
Lost in pure felicity!
Lost in purest ecstasy!
Lost in depths of Deity!English