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The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Stow expresses thankfulness for Chase's friendship and writes a poem about the spirituality of nature set in the park of Greenwich.
Date
Spring 6-6-1826
Keywords
Greenwich, old England, Great Britain, park of Greenwich
Recommended Citation
Stow, John, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 619.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/619
Rights Statement
Transcript
Right Reverend and in reverence treasured friend
The spirit of true friendship shewn by you towards me in the remembrance of the Greenwich of old England and its connections, and in the patriarchal admonition to take heed, lest, amidst the good things of this life, so freely bestowed upon me, I forget the FOUNTAIN, whence they flow, intitles you to every feeling and expression of thankfulness on my part.
As some earnest that this life little things thereof do not wholly engross my attention or divert my thoughts from the worthied and more enduring objects of the life to come. I send you some views I have taken from a spot so cherished in your recollection - the park of Greenwich - and add to them some effort made (under the goodly guidance of GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT may I hope!) to shew that spiritual subjects are not foreign from my pursuit or indifferent to my heart.
On the accompanying version of those Psalms, which are wrapt around your heart, I shall welcome your sentiments communicated with your wonted frankness. And with all the filial reverence that a son of the same Church should entertain towards such a true Father of it, allow me to subscribe myself.
Admiringly and devotedly your [Crooms] [Hill] Greenwich
John Stow
England - 6 June 1826 - My wife joins in wishes for your Family’s peace and spiritual prosperity.
[?] summed views of Greenwich Park in Great Britain -- dedica[ted] by the Author who had the pleasure of introducing him to
Morning
sweetly opens the Day on the eye of Devotion
As the Dawn spreads its silvery tint o’er the sky;
Richly swells in the bosom the grateful emotion
As the flood-gates of gold the Sun’s rising descry:
Meekly led to retirement the Stars in their courses
Their pale and yet paler effulgence withdrawn;
And the moon’s waning orb the same impulse enforces
So surrenders is charms to the same golden law:
Softly gliding in the fleeces the Clouds seem repairing
From a westernly couch to the Regent of Day,
In his [?] of purest [?] allegrance to pay:
Gently waving their tops to the lay of the breezes
The Trees in majestic creation are seen
The eye-feast extending as the lustre increases
By their inlets of azure midst of rings of green:
Stifly [sic] rising the Stag from the seat of his slumbers
His fine limbs outstretches their power to regain;
Whilst the cow, who her senses from sleep disencumbers
Still the seat of those slumbers does idly retain.
Boldly utters the Cock his shrill challenge to labour
By honest monition Man’s duty to aid,
[?] the wood-choir with all their soft-melody favour
Bidding chearfulness [sic] Toils’ furrow’d forehead pervade:
Blythly [sic] [cawving] the [Daw] with his Jack [?]
His [jit] wings outspreads their short flutter to bear;
Whilst the Crow on his scheme of remote destination
Calmly sails through a [?] region of air:
Aptly woven both pleasure and use for expanding
The carpet of Nature with dew-gems bedeckt,
Midst the lights and the shadows harmoniously blending
Do the heart in full measure with rapture affect:
Fondly gaze the eyes on each Vista’s succession
As view’d up the road way [or] trac’d oer the lawn
Where the boughs and the branches with Beautys impression
And Variety’s features the landscape adorn
Continued at the back of next page -
d [sic] to The Right Reverend Philander Chase, Bishop of Ohio in North America, the Spot on the 22d. April 1824. Evening
Calmly does the Day on the eye of Reflection
As the Sun veils his face the horizon beneath,
When he leaves an impression, that kindles affection
Such as flows from the blessings that parents bequeath;
Richly mellows the sky, the boon’s value enhancing,
So a lovely suffusion of azure and gold,
Which the eye in a pleasing composure intrancing
To the heart doth a joy [?] unfold:
Gently show’rs thro the foliage, whose beauty it heightens,
The lustre of evening, so soft and so pure.
That the weight of the day-toil it instantly lightens
And presents for its troubles the readiest cure:
Softly breaks on the ear with delightful sensations
The Nightingale’s love-song, to melody true,
Awak’ning the heart to congenial vibrations
And repaid by the bliss that to Nature is due:
Balmly breathes from the fir-trees an odour sweet smelling
In grateful return for the Evening’s gale;
Whilst the Dew from the herbage the fragrance is swelling,
Which the senses rejoice as its freshness they hale:
Quickly startled at footsteps, though harmlessly guided,
The stag from his browsings flits over the lawn,
At the view of whose form hath the joy not subsided
Though [the] season the pride of his antlers has shown:
Slowly circles the Bat in his twilight meandrings [sic]
Repassing the eye, that will follow his wandrings [sic]
With the charm of cerulean blue leav’d with green:
Brightly sparkles the star, that proclaims the advances
Of the Night with her solemn and beautiful Train,
Bedeckt with the pints of the loftiest branches,
As they woo the light breezes, nor woo them in vain:
Richly spreads her full orb in sublimest reslendence
The Moon, as the hill-top she gracefully mounts;
Embracing the Thames, who awaits her attendance,
And with lover lighted eyes her high merits recounts:
continued at the back.
Sweetly opens the Day on the eye of Devotion
As the Dawn spreads its silvery
tint o’er the sky;
Richly swells in the bosom the grateful
emotion
As the floodgates of gold the Sun’s
rising descry.
Calmly closes the Day on the eye of
Reflection,
As the sun veils his face the horizon
[General];
When he leaves an impression that
kindles affection,
Such as flows from the blessings
that parents bequeath.
To the GOD of the Evening, The GOD of the Morning,
THE FOUNTAIN from whence all this Blessedness flows,
WHO, the paths of this life thus so richly adorning
Still reserves to the hope all salvation bestows,
May Glory and honour, thanksgivings and praises,
All that thought can conceive, or that words can convey.
Round the altar of [incense] that gratitude raises,
Through the remnant be offer’d of Life’s fleeting day!