“A Word to the Calvinists”, p. 18
To Cowper and other poems : autograph manuscript of 9 poems, signed, 1842–1845
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1900
“’Tis strange to think” (pp. 16–18)
Dated 21 November 1843, when Brontë was twenty-three. First published in Poems (1846) with title “Past Days.” Poem 26 in Chitham (1979).
“A Word to the Calvinists” (pp. 18–21)
Dated 28 May 1843, when Brontë was twenty-three. First published in Poems (1846) with title “A Word to the ‘Elect.’” Poem 22 in Chitham (1979).
But full of hope and glad and gay
We welcomed in the rising returning day.
AB Nov 21st 1843
A word to the Calvinists
You may rejoice to think yourselves secure
You may be grateful for the gift divine
That grace unsought which made your black hearts pure
And fits your earthborn souls in Heaven to shine
But is it sweet to look around and view
Thousands excluded from that happiness
Which they deserve at least as much as you
Their faults not greater nor their virtues less?
Text as published in Poems (1846)
But full of hope, and glad and gay,
We welcomed the returning day.
A WORD TO THE “ELECT.”
You may rejoice to think yourselves secure;
You may be grateful for the gift divinev
That grace unsought, which made your black hearts pure,
And fits your earth-born souls in Heaven to shine.
But, is it sweet to look around, and view
Thousands excluded from that happiness
Which they deserved, at least, as much as you,—
Their faults not greater, nor their virtues less?
| Attachment | Size |
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 BronteMA28.pdf | 15.07 MB |
“A Word to the Calvinists”, p. 19
To Cowper and other poems : autograph manuscript of 9 poems, signed, 1842–1845
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1900
“A Word to the Calvinists” (pp. 18–21)
Dated 28 May 1843, when Brontë was twenty-three. First published in Poems (1846) with title “A Word to the ‘Elect.’” Poem 22 in Chitham (1979).
And, wherefore should you love your God the more
Because to you alone his smiles are given
Because he chose to pass the many o’er
And only bring the favoured few to Heaven?
And, wherefore should your hearts more grateful prove
Because for all the Saviour did not die
Is yours the God of Justice and of Love
And are your bosomes warm with charity?
Say does your heart expand to all mankind
And would you ever to your neighbour do
The weak the strong the enlightened, and the blind
As you would have your neighbour do to you?
And when you ye looking upon on your fellow men
And see Behold them doomed to endless misery
Text as published in Poems (1846)
And, wherefore should you love your God the more,
Because to you alone his smiles are given;
Because he chose to pass the many o’er,
And only bring the favoured few to Heaven?
And, wherefore should your hearts more grateful prove,
Because for ALL the Saviour did not die?
Is yours the God of justice and of love?
And are your bosoms warm with charity?
Say, does your heart expand to all mankind?
And, would you ever to your neighbor do–
The weak, the strong, the enlightened, and the blind—
As you would have your neighbour do to you?
And, when you, looking on your fellow-men,
Behold them doomed to endless misery,
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA28.pdf | 15.07 MB |
“A Word to the Calvinists”, p. 20
To Cowper and other poems : autograph manuscript of 9 poems, signed, 1842–1845
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1900
“A Word to the Calvinists” (pp. 18–21)
Dated 28 May 1843, when Brontë was twenty-three. First published in Poems (1846) with title “A Word to the ‘Elect.’” Poem 22 in Chitham (1979).
How can you talk of bliss joy and rapture then?
May God withhold such cruel bliss joy from me!
That none deserve to live eternal bliss I fully know
Unmerrited the grace in Mercy given
But, none shall sink to everlasting wo
But those That have not well deserved the wrath of Heaven,
And O! there lives within my heart
A hope, long nursed by me,
(And should its cheering ray depart
How dark my soul would be)
That as in Adam all have died
In Christ shall all men live
And ever round his throne abide
Eternal thanks praise to give
Text as published in Poems (1846)
How can you talk of joy and rapture then?—
May God withhold such cruel joy from me!
That none deserve eternal bliss I know;
Unmerited the grace in mercy given:
But, none shall sink to everlasting woe,
That have not well deserved the wrath of Heaven.
And, oh! There lives within my heart
A hope, long nursed by me;
(And, should its cheering ray depart,
How dark my soul would be!)
That as in Adam all have died,
In Christ shall all men live;
And ever round his throne abide,
Eternal praise to give.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA28.pdf | 15.07 MB |
“A Word to the Calvinists”, p. 21
To Cowper and other poems : autograph manuscript of 9 poems, signed, 1842–1845
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1900
“A Word to the Calvinists” (pp. 18–21)
Dated 28 May 1843, when Brontë was twenty-three. First published in Poems (1846) with title “A Word to the ‘Elect.’” Poem 22 in Chitham (1979).
That even the wicked shall at last
Be fitted for the skies
And when their dreadful doom is past
To life and light arise
I ask not how remote the day
Nor what the sinner’s wo
Before their dross is purged away
Enough for me to know
That when the cup cup of wrath is drained
The mettal purified
They’ll cling to what they once disdained
And live by Him that died
Anne Brontë
May 28th 1843
Text as published in Poems (1846)
That even the wicked shall at last
Be fitted for the skies;
And, when their dreadful doom is past,
To life and light arise.
I ask not, how remote the day,
Nor what the sinners’ woe,
Before their dross is purged away;
Enough for me, to know
That when the cup of wrath is drained,
The metal purified,
They’ll cling to what they once disdained,
And live by Him that died.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA28.pdf | 15.07 MB |