...that of the description is not God, but the works of (iod. "Contemplative piety, or the intercouse ne to avail myself of the present opportunity to be...amused, and to put by the disagreeable recollection th pleaJ the meritl be true, it can arise only from the want of religious authors and religious readers....

...dangerous opinions; for instance, his absolute doctrine in these words :—•-" Contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul, cannot be poetical/' because, among other sophistical reasons, "the essence of poetry is invention;—such invention as,...

...PSALMODY: TATE AND BRADY. JOHNSON, in his " Life of "Waller," observes, that " Contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul, cannot be poetical." And again, " Of sentiments purely religious, it will be found that the most simple expression is the...

...the motives to piety; that of the description is not God, but the works of God. Contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul,...mercy of his Creator, and plead the merits of his Kedeemer, is already in a higher state than poetry can confer. The essence of poetry is invention ;...

...which reference is made. It was precisely a similar instance when Dr. Johnson asserted that, " Piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul, cannot be poetical!" Who would stop to show the utter absurdity of this statement, with the Psalms or a hymn-book in his...

...with sincerity and humility, will be poetry, and poetry too of the mjst beautiful and affecting kind. "Man, admitted to implore the mercy of his Creator,...the merits of his Redeemer, is already in a higher stale than poetry can ;onfcr." Most true, indeed. But, though poetry did not confer that higher state,...

...the motives to piety ; that of the description is not God, but the works of God. Contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul,...the mercy of his Creator and plead the merits of his Kedeemer, is already in a higher state than poetry can confer. The essence of poetry is invention ;...

...solutions which are sometimes given of that circumstance. " Contemplative piety," says Dr. Johnson, " or the intercourse between God and the human soul,...Redeemer, is already in a higher state than poetry can confer'1." The sentiment is not uncommon among serious, but somewhat fearful, believers ; and though...

...Mr Montgomery, that the sum of Dr Johnson's argument amounts to this — that contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul, cannot be poetical. But here we at once ask ourselves, what does he mean by poetical ? " The essence of poetry," he says,...

...inadmissibility of religion into poetry, may have seen the end of vanity. That " contemplative piety, or the intercourse between God and the human soul, cannot be poetical," is true if it be true that the human soul having such intercourse is parted from its humanity, or if...