New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-02
Watts and Dibdin.

Watts and Dfbdin.
! Isaac Watts and Charles Dibdin Why
not? They are not so far apart as you may
think. Isaac. the Southampton non-con-
formist schoolmaster's son, lived from 1914,
reign of Charles II, to 1913, reign OF the
second George. Charles DIbGin was, at the
! latter period, three years old. The piety of
loyalty of Dibdin. Watts upheld pietv by
simple means in an impious age. Dibdin
! sustained loyalty at a time when revOlu-
| tlonary ideas were struggling into activity
at home, and when there were enemies
/ abroad who found moral support in such a
struggle. Ii DibGin's allegiance found oc-
| casionally exaggerated expression, so
Watts piety sometimes found a rather ar
rogaut utterance. Dlbdin, however, was
strange as it may appear-more humble
| and confented than Watts In a ballad in
| "The Old Woman of Eighty" Dibdin
makes d crowd OF poor unlearned country
| folks sing:
Come here, ye rich; come here We great
- tome hele We grave; come here, ye gay;
} BehOd our blest, though humble fate
"ho while the sun shines, make our hay.
Therein is Christian philosophy with con-
tent. Waits makes his well-born Christian
Child an lnsutferable prig, who would have
scorned DlbOins halt-starved wretch; for
example, IN rhe Praise of Mercies:"
While some poor wretches can tell
Where they may lay their head
have home wherein to dwell
And rest upon my bed
In Dibdin's True Courage Bob Bounce
Is ready to eat an enemy alive. but the
minstrel humanlzes him. and inculcates the
maxim that all men are brothers:
THAT my friend Jack or Tom should rescue from,
danger. -0'-'
Or lay nay life down for each lad in the meas
Is nothing at ALL it's the poor wounded strangsr
And the poorer the more shall succor Distress
ms may be rough morality, but it ia of
better quality than the following selfish
sample in Watts:
Lord, ascribe it to thy grace
And not to chance. as others do
mat was born of Christian race
And not heather or jew"
While Dibdin's Tom or Jack is forever
seeing, after his fashion, q merciful Provi
dence, Watts model child can discern nnl,,
one armed with terrors and tortares. Jsaac
mad no ldea OF one OF Charley's '.sweet littIa
chernhs,' sitting alott watchful to preserva.
only demon = 0iu
"'Tis dangerous to provoke Godi
His power and ngean nee none ram tall
one stroke OF his aim ghty rod WI
hhall send Dung sinners quick to heUr
In the sailors philosophy all is harmony.
Dut Natts nnds dlScord where other men
delight to bark and bite" nor that ..cS
hath made them So" 4 pat on the head
from masters hand is the supreme DIT.
OF the ever faithful dog. And if .he,rs 80
hons growl and fight" it is not that ..;t ~ u
thelr nature to- any more, at least than -
Is the nature OF man. It was Nelson VIZ ~
toiu the young lnidshipman. as mart of H.
duties. t. 'hate a Frenchman Ike ,ho
devil, Dibdin only allowed surb foo,; ;no
1 al ttlrx -x.El, II |.
lis furious lion in battle so Ierit,
1ut, fluy appeased, 'hs in mercy a lamb,
"a ats IS always Ieadiest with p,,,loo.
lSuies. Ordinary parents forgive lovinSIr
u" faults OF children, but Watts taIls no'y
little angelic rebel that ''' o0cn
The ravens shall pick out their eyes
and eagles eat the samel '''
Moreover, Watts torgets grace oc.o,;o
ally, Tor chance, as in the conplet.
II we had been ducks, We might dabbls in r,,z
VI dogs we might play till it ended in blood
30 IouI and so fierce are their natures
But Thomas aud William, and such nret+
Should be clearly and harm!e s. as d9ven a"lmts,
Those lovely, sweet innocent Creatures
Watts intentions were as honest as n;,
llln s, and both. no doubt, often erred. ~
Ihe silversmlth' son was never so lonso
oglc, philosophy, truth and metre. as +In Ia
iWaG1iSh son Of the schoolmaster is in tho
sample Just given. 1t must have been 800
'uch sample that soured the spirit of ..haIS
oraooufy' another dissenting minister
: no suspected " ats OF not being a GOOD
Fihlt arian; once BradUurv's clerk gava
mt one OF Watts hymns, to be sung before
ne sermon. The minister looked dow
rom the pulpit and said: No. sir. non. x
y Jts WINS here, if YOU please" n ono
u the ANNIVERSARIES Cf 1858 Bradbury aano
! & pu9!.e dinner, The Roast Beef Of Ola |
Had be lived long long enougS |
~ womb hAVe sung with equally LOYAL Zest |
ON - boln famous anti-invasion sow,
. No "i''.e L tue Island. '-Temp,e Bur.
oar New Orleans EXCHANGES ave l,.,.
ing over with Indignation in reference -
ie case e :. Mlscreant who was so fan Iost
ali the hobjer traits Of gentleynanIv anJ
u--ah nG tofe as to murder Il man Din y
arloI y, me presence OF ladies'" Denrir
y d leiio" beng OF lie under slight nrnrn
dIioh Is hot Geemed a matter of nucb ~
ien'' puC 10 say IN the presence Of ladesn
, a, "H4ch' IN the eyes Of an out
80 a'e" oIttah7 p4"iIc, nothing short nt
eal4 can condone. Fresh in the 7,;r,,i vi
ar readers, no doubt, ia the da .,i;.1us OF
footing down OF a member If ~ rae
sleah' bar. a few months aoo IT.; Ne"
eed was done with q blood eurdI;a' 9"iul
atlon. ont IN d seQuestrre5 orn+hn LID
DIES were not, and in accordanc - = mere
ood stained rules Of the bsrbo"Ith the
eathenish code dneilo. In tbjs ; ana
leFe were no protests from flo Cnooahce
ny journals! the murderer ua,,. CreScent
justice. The New Orleans ;5ea uhw hlpt (
lormity OF murder Womb ha ol the
ere IT not unntterably sad and amusing
' ln menu on the ideas of honor and painful !
III S 1mlTr.unsteiy prevailing in sevaraIy