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← ExitCenturies of Meditations

The Third Century

23

Another time in a lowering and sad evening, being alone in the field, when all things were dead and quiet, a certain want and horror fell upon me, beyond imagination. The unprofitableness and silence of the place dissatisfied me; its wideness terrified me; from the utmost ends of the earth fears surrounded me. How did I know but dangers might suddenly arise from the East, and invade me from the unknown regions beyond the seas? I was a weak and little child, and had forgotten there was a man alive in the earth. Yet something also of hope and expectation comforted me from every border. This taught me that I was concerned in all the world: and that in the remotest borders the causes of peace delight me, and the beauties of the earth when seen were made to entertain me: that I was made to hold a communion with the secrets of Divine Providence in all the world: that a remembrance of all the joys I had from my birth ought always to be with me: that the presence of Cities, Temples, and Kingdoms ought to sustain me, and that to be alone in the world was to be desolate and miserable. The comfort of houses and friends, the clear assurance of treasures everywhere, God’s care and love, His goodness, wisdom, and power, His presence and watchfulness in all the ends of the earth, were my strength and assurance for ever: and that these things being absent to my eye, were my joys and consolations, as present to my understanding as the wideness and emptiness of the Universe which I saw before me.

24

When I heard of any new kingdom beyond the seas, the light and glory of it pleased me immediately, entered into me, it rose up within me, and I was enlarged wonderfully. I entered into it, I saw its commodities, rarities, springs, meadows, riches, inhabitants, and became possessor of that new room, as if it had been prepared for me, so much was I magnified and delighted in it. When the Bible was read, my spirit was present in other ages. I saw the light and splendour of them: the land of Canaan, the Israelites entering into it, the ancient glory of the Amorites, their peace and riches, their cities, houses, vines and fig-trees, the long prosperity of their kings, their milk and honey, their slaughter and destruction, with the joys and triumphs of God’s people; all which entered into me, and God among them. I saw all and felt all in such a lively manner, as if there had been no other way to those places, but in spirit only. This showed me the liveliness of interior presence, and that all ages were for most glorious ends, accessible to my understanding, yea with it, yea within it. For without changing place in myself I could behold and enjoy all those: Anything when it was proposed, though it was ten thousand ages ago, being always before me.

25

When I heard any news I received it with greediness and delight, because my expectation was awakened with some hope that my happiness and the thing I wanted was concealed in it. Glad tidings, you know, from a far country brings us our salvation: and I was not deceived. In Jury was Jesus killed, and from Jerusalem the Gospel came. Which when I once knew, I was very confident that every kingdom contained like wonders and causes of joy, though that was the fountain of them. As it was the firstfruits, so was it the pledge of what I shall receive in other countries. Thus also when any curious cabinet, or secret in chemistry geometry, or physic was offered to me, I diligently looked in it, but when I saw it to the bottom and not my happiness I despised it. These imaginations and this thirst of news occasioned these reflections.

26

ON NEWS

News from a foreign country came, As if my treasure and my wealth lay there: So much it did my heart enflame ’Twas wont to call my soul into mine ear! Which thither went, to meet The approaching sweet: And on the threshold stood, To entertain the unknown good. It hovered there, As if twould leave mine ear, And was so eager to embrace The joyful tidings as they came, ’Twould almost leave its dwelling place, To entertain the same.

As if the tidings were the things, My very joys themselves, my foreign treasure, Or else did bear them on their wings; With so much joy they came, with so much pleasure. My soul stood at the gate To recreate Itself with bliss: and to Be pleased with speed. A fuller view It fain would take Yet journeys back would make Unto my heart: as if twould fain Go out to meet, yet stay within To fit a place, to entertain, And bring the tidings in.

What sacred instinct did inspire My soul in childhood with a hope so strong? What secret force moved my desire, To expect my joys beyond the seas, so young? Felicity I knew Was out of view And being here alone, I saw that happiness was gone From me! For this I thirsted absent bliss, And thought that sure beyond the seas, Or else in something near at hand I knew not yet, (since nought did please I knew,) my bliss did stand.

But little did the Infant dream That all the treasures of the World were by: And that himself was so the cream And crown of all, which round about did lie: Yet thus it was. The gem, The diadem, The ring enclosing all That stood upon this earthy ball; The heavenly eye, Much wider than the sky, Wherein they all included were The glorious soul that was the king Made to possess them, did appear A small and little thing!

27

Among other things there befel me a most infinite desire of a book from Heaven. For observing all things to be rude and superfluous here upon earth, I thought the ways of felicity to be known only among the Holy Angels: and that unless I could receive information from them, I could never be happy. This thirst hung upon me a long time; till at last I perceived that the God of Angels had taken care of me, and prevented my desires. For He had sent the book I wanted before I was born: and prepared it for me, and also commended and sent it unto me, in a far better manner than I was able to imagine. Had some Angel brought it to me, which was the best way wherein I could then desire it, it would have been a peculiar favour, and I should have thought myself therein honoured above all mankind. It would have been the Soul of this world, the light of my Soul, the spring of life, and a fountain of Happiness. You cannot think what riches and delights I promised myself therein. It would have been a mine of rarities, curiosities and wonders, to have entertained the powers of my Soul, to have directed me in the way of life, and to have fed me with pleasures unknown to the whole world.

28

Had some Angel brought it miraculously from heaven, and left it at my foot, it had been a present meet for Seraphims. Yet had it been a dream in comparison of the glorious way wherein God prepared it. I must, have spent time in studying it, and with great diligence have read it daily to drink in the precepts and instructions it contained. It had in a narrow, obscure manner come unto me, and all the world had been ignorant of felicity but I. Whereas now there are thousands in the world, of whom I, being a poor child, was ignorant, that in temples, universities, and secret closets; enjoy felicity, whom I saw not in shops, or schools, or trades; whom I found not in streets or at feasts, or taverns, and therefore thought not to be in the world, who enjoy communion with God, and have fellowship with the Angels every day. And these I discerned to be a great help unto me.

29

This put me upon two things: upon enquiring into the matter contained in the Bible, and into the manner wherein it came unto me. In the matter I found all the glad tidings my soul longed after in its desire of news; in the manner, that the Wisdom of God was infinitely greater than mine, and that He had appeared in His Wisdom exceeding my desires. Above all things I desired some Great Lord, or Mighty King, that having power in His hand, to give me all Kingdoms, Riches, and Honours, was willing to do it. And by that book I found that there was an eternal God, who loved me infinitely, that I was His son, that I was to overcome death and to live for ever, that He created the world for me, that I was to reign in His throne and to inherit all things. Who would have believed this had not that Book told me? It told me also that I was to live in communion with Him, in the image of His life and glory, that I was to enjoy all His treasures and pleasures, in a more perfect manner than I could devise, and that all the truly amiable and glorious persons in the world were to be my friends and companions.

30

Upon this I had enough. I desired no more the honours and pleasures of this world, but gave myself to the illimited and clear fruition of that: and to this day see nothing wanting to my Felicity but mine own perfection. All other things are well; I only, and the sons of men about me, are disordered. Nevertheless could I be what I ought, their very disorders would be my enjoyments. For all things shall work together for good to them that love God. And if the disorders, then certainly the troubles, and if the troubles, much more the vanities of men would be mine. Not only their enjoyments, but their very errors and distractions increasing my Felicity. So that being heir of the whole world alone, I was to walk in it, as in a strange, marvellous, and amiable possession, and alone to render praises unto God for its enjoyment.

191.Blaise Pascal wrote in a fragment of his Pensées, “Le silence éternel de ces espaces infinis m’effraie”, the eternal silence of these infinite spaces frightens me. The Port-Royal editors left it out of the first edition (1670), and it was not printed until the nineteenth century, so the likeness is one of feeling only. Lowering, at the start of the meditation, is dark and threatening, of a sky, and want is lack (see Key Words, want).

192.One of the peoples of Canaan before Israel’s conquest. Their kings Sihon and Og were defeated east of the Jordan (Numbers 21:21-35), and Joshua overthrew five Amorite kings (Joshua 10). The promised land held “great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not” (Deuteronomy 6:10), vines and fig-trees (Deuteronomy 8:8), and milk and honey (Exodus 3:8); the child takes in its glory and its slaughter together.

193.Jury is Jewry, Judaea, as in Luke 23:5, “teaching throughout all Jewry”. The glad tidings from a far country just before join Proverbs 25:25, “good news from a far country”, to the Gospel’s own phrase (Luke 8:1), and the firstfruits and pledge after it are Paul’s figures for a first instalment of what is to come (1 Corinthians 15:20; Ephesians 1:14).

194.A cabinet of curiosities, the collector’s case of drawers and shelves for rarities, shells, coins, stones and instruments, fashionable among the virtuosi of the period. Chemistry then took in alchemy; physic is medicine.

195.Four fourteen-line stanzas mixing long and short lines. A version titled News is among the Poems of Felicity, a collection of Traherne’s verse copied out and revised by his brother Philip (British Library, Burney MS 392), first printed by H. I. Bell in 1910. Recreate, in stanza 2, is refresh, with a play on re-create, and fain is gladly.

196.Scripture has books given from heaven, the roll the prophet is made to eat (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3) and the little book of Revelation 10:8-10, sweet in the mouth. Compare the empty book of I.1, which the friend gave to be filled. Prevented, below, is went before, anticipated (as at I.66).