“The Library” – George Crabbe

I recently came across this poem, “The Library” (1781), written by George Crabbe (1754-1832) while reading an article about reading. It is a lengthy poem, which concerns the soothing effect books have on us in this world of misery and trouble. Immediately I fell in love with it. It takes some slow and careful reading to absorb Crabbe’s thought and point, but it is worth it! I will only quote a portion of the poem, but you can find the entire poem online at places such as Project Gutenberg (here).

 

Also, here is a biographical piece on Crabbe found on Wikipedia:

He was born in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, the son of a tax collector, and developed his love of poetry as a child. In 1768, he was apprenticed to a local doctor, who taught him little, and in 1771 he changed masters and moved to Woodbridge. There he met his future wife, Sarah Elmy, who accepted his proposal and had the faith and patience not only to wait for Crabbe but to encourage his verse writing. His first major work, a poem entitled “Inebriety”, was self-published in 1775. By this time he had completed his medical training, and had decided to take up writing seriously. In 1780, he went to London, where he had little success, but eventually made an impression on Edmund Burke, who helped him have his poem, The Library, published in 1781. In the meantime, Crabbe’s religious nature had made itself felt, and he was ordained a clergyman and became chaplain to the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

 

Not Hope herself, with all her flattering art,
Can cure this stubborn sickness of the heart:
The soul disdains each comfort she prepares,
And anxious searches for congenial cares;
Those lenient cares, which with our own combined,
By mix'd sensations ease th' afflicted mind,
And steal our grief away, and leave their own behind;
A lighter grief! which feeling hearts endure
Without regret, nor e'en demand a cure.
   
But what strange art, what magic can dispose
The troubled mind to change its native woes?
Or lead us willing from ourselves, to see
Others more wretched, more undone than we?
This BOOKS can do;--nor this alone; they give
New views to life, and teach us how to live;
They soothe the grieved, the stubborn they chastise,
Fools they admonish, and confirm the wise:
Their aid they yield to all:  they never shun
The man of sorrow, nor the wretch undone:
Unlike the hard, the selfish, and the proud,
They fly not sullen from the suppliant crowd;
Nor tell to various people various things,
But show to subjects what they show to kings.
   
Come, Child of Care! to make thy soul serene,
Approach the treasures of this tranquil scene;
Survey the dome, and, as the doors unfold,
The soul's best cure, in all her cares, behold!
Where mental wealth the poor in thought may find,
And mental physic the diseased in mind;
See here the balms that passion's wounds assuage;
See coolers here, that damp the fire of rage;
Here alt'ratives, by slow degrees control
The chronic habits of the sickly soul;
And round the heart and o'er the aching head,
Mild opiates here their sober influence shed.
Now bid thy soul man's busy scenes exclude,
And view composed this silent multitude:-
Silent they are--but though deprived of sound,
Here all the living languages abound;
Here all that live no more; preserved they lie,
In tombs that open to the curious eye.

Old Princeton for New Calvinists

Old Princeton for New Calvinists – The Gospel Coalition Blog.

At the Gospel Coalition website, Andy Jones begins a year-long series on Princeton Seminary marking its 200th anniversary. For many years Princeton was a bastion of strong Calvinism and sturdy Presbyterianism in this country. It was the Seminary of the Alexander’s and the Hodge’s. But then it came under the spell of higher criticism and liberal theology, and Princeton became just another liberal Protestant Seminary. Of late there has been a few bright Calvinist lights shining there again, and the new Calvinists are taking interest in old Princeton, so this should be an interesting series. Here are a few paragraphs from the initial article to get us started.

The year 2012 marks the bicentennial of Princeton Seminary. In its modern form, Princeton had strayed far from its founders’ vision. Yet a look back at the early years and leaders of this venerable institution offers a storehouse of insights for navigating the issues facing the evangelical church today. Why should 21st-century Christians concern themselves with a 19th-century school in New Jersey? I can think of at least three reasons.

First, to be encouraged that we are not alone. Early Princeton bears a striking similarity to the Calvinist resurgence of our own day. The professors promoted Reformed theology while seeking to engage the rapidly changing world around them. We have much to learn from them, for better and for worse, as we seek to be biblically faithful in the modern world.

…In the 19th century, Princeton was a leader among conservative evangelicals in America. It was the “grand central station” for the “young, restless, and Reformed.” Through The Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review, a prominent voice in 19th-century religious journalism, it apprised Presbyterians of the latest thinking among biblical scholars, engaged in controversies facing the church, and responded to challenges in the surrounding culture.

This year-long series will take a look back at the people, controversies, and legacy of Old Princeton. The church today faces many of the same issues as evangelicals did in the early to mid-19th century. Future articles will examine a previous era of the church in order to gain clarity on our own.