“Earthquakes”

Date

5-7-1812

Newspaper

Ohio Centinel

Page and Column

Page 5, Col 1.

Newspaper Location

Dayton, Ohio

Serial Number

1278

Abstract

Earthquake poem from an Alexandria, Virginia newspaper.

Transcript

EARTHQUAKES. The frequent recurrence within a few months past of earthquakes, storms and whirlwinds, with other awful and disastrous phenomena, reminds me of a passage in Cowper's "Task," which you will be so good as to insert for the benefit of some of your readers, who may not have had an opportunity of perusing that admirable poem. "Sure there is need of social intercourse, Benevolence and peace, and mutual aid Between the nations in a world that seems To toll the death-bell of its own decease, And by the voice of all its elements To preach the general doom. When were the winds Let slip with such a warrant to destroy? When did the waves so haughtily o'erleap Their ancient barriers, [unreadable] the dry? Fires from beneath, and meteors from above Portentous, unexampled, unexplained, Have kindled [unreadable] across in the skies, and the old And crazy earth has had her shaking fits More frequent, and foregone her usual rest. Is it a time to wrangle, when the props And pillars of our planet seem to fail, And nature with a dim and sickly eye To wait the close of all, But grant her end More distant, and that prophesy demands A longer respite, unaccomplish'd yet; Still they are frowning signals, and bespeak Displeasure in His breast who smites the earth, Or heals it; makes it languish or rejoice. And 'tis but seemly, that where all deserve And stand expos'd by common peccancy To what no few have felt, there should be PEACE, And breathren in calamity should love." Alexandria paper.

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS