quote · Legacy record
God is great and right! He crowned man’s brow with radiant orbs of light— Light which inspires all abstracts, and prints On each twin lens all images and tints. To contract, brings the world beyond our span, And makes the farthest star converse with man; To read His works, God thus illumed the head, But made man’s breast no window to be read. Glory to God; though given to King and Pope, To seal our eyes, our bosoms none can ope; There still shall freedom one asylum find: Go to, make creeds and laws to scourge mankind; Enthral them, hand and foot, and sight and speech, Thought only, thought is barred beyond your reach; What racks can bind? or what research unveil The soul, with flesh encompassed as a mail Of proof, impervious, save to God alone, Defies her labours, and resumes her own. Whether she break communion with the tongue And bid it mock you with the lie you wrung, Or scorning such degenerate use of breath, Escape with truth, and leave you dust and death.
God is great and right! He crowned man’s brow with radiant orbs of light— Light which inspires all abstracts, and prints On each twin lens all images and tints. To contract, brings the world beyond our span, And makes the farthest star converse with man; To read His works, God thus illumed the head, But made man’s breast no window to be read. Glory to God; though given to King and Pope, To seal our eyes, our bosoms none can ope; There still shall freedom one asylum find: Go to, make creeds and laws to scourge mankind; Enthral them, hand and foot, and sight and speech, Thought only, thought is barred beyond your reach; What racks can bind? or what research unveil The soul, with flesh encompassed as a mail Of proof, impervious, save to God alone, Defies her labours, and resumes her own. Whether she break communion with the tongue And bid it mock you with the lie you wrung, Or scorning such degenerate use of breath, Escape with truth, and leave you dust and death.
In print by 1888 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
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- Author or tradition
- Nicholas Thorning Moile (identity unresolved)
Attribution: unknown - Country attributed
- Not established
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- In print by 1888 AD · industrial
In print by 1888: recorded in A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888) (1888 AD)
Page 601 · printed citation: Nicholas Thorning Moile · subject: THOUGHT
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.