Introduction
In The Spectator for Saturday August 16th, 1712, Joseph Addison argued for the great moral benefits of Christian belief while utterly rejecting any attempt to enforce it on the unwilling. A week later, he published a follow-up on the various ways to strengthen faith. Among them he recommended regular divine worship, an upright life, and retreats to the countryside to contemplate the works of God’s hands. He ended with these verses.
The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim
Th’ unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator’s power display.
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale.
And nightly to the list’ning earth
Repeats the story of her birth:
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though, in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found?
In reason’s ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice;
For ever singing as they shine,
“The Hand that made us is divine.”*
* Addison said that his verses were based on the Psalms, and in particular Psalm 19:1 in the Prayer Book translation: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. One day telleth another; and one night certifieth another. There is neither speech nor language; but their voices are heard among them. Their sound is gone out into all lands; and their words into the ends of the world.”
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