Selections from Christopher Smart’s Jubilate Agno continues
For I pray God to bless improvements in gardening until London be a city of palm-trees
For in my nature I quested for beauty but God, God hath sent me to sea for pearls
For the nightly Visitor is at the window of the impenitent, while I sing a psalm of my own composing.
or there is a note added to the scale, which the Lord hath made fuller, stronger and more glorious.
Let Magdiel rejoice with Ascarides, which is the life of the bowels—the worm hath a part in our frame – (This is Christopher Smart’s “Rejoice In the Lamb”)
For there is a traveling for the glory of God without going to Italy or France.
For I rejoice like a worm in the rain in him that cherishes and from him that tramples.
For all my hands and feet are perfect as the sublimity of Naphtali and the felcity of Asher.
For the names and numbers of animals are as the names and numbers of the stars – (that’s an interesting idea – so “the names and numbers of animals are the names and numbers of the stars” – same as the names – “are as” the numbers of the stars)
For I am a little fellow that is intitled to the great mess by the benevolence of God my father
From this day I made over my inheritance to my mother, in consideration of her poverty – (in consideration of her infirmities)
Let Sered rejoice with the Wittal—a silly bird is wise unto his own preservation.
For I this day made over my inheritance to my mother in consideration of her age
Let Elon rejoice with Attelabus, who is the Locust without wings.
For I this day made over my inheritance to my mother in consideration of her poverty
For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I had the grace to obey the voice of Christ in my conscience.
For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I was willing to run all hazards for the sake of the name of the Lord.
Let Shuni rejoice with the Gull, who is happy in not being good for food – (the gull, that’s rather good – “Let Shuni rejoice with the Gull, who is happy in not being good for food”)
For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I was willing to be called a fool for the sake of Christ.
Let Naomi rejoice with Pseudosphece who is between a wasp and a hornet.
For nature is more various than observation tho’ observers be innumerable.
For I pray God to bless Polly in the blessing of Naomi and assign her to the house of David. – (Polly is his Polly..)
For my Angel is always ready at a pinch to help me out and to keep me up.
Let Talmai rejoice with Alcedo, who makes a cradle for its young, which is rock’d by the winds.
For Silly fellow! Silly fellow! is against me and belongeth neither to me nor my family.
For he that scorneth the scorner hath condescended to my low estate.
Let Bukki rejoice with the Buzzard, who is clever, with the reputation of a silly fellow.
Let Dodo rejoice with the purple Worm, who is cloathed sumptuously, tho he fares meanly.
For I bless God in behalf of Trinity College in Cambridge and the Society of Purples in London.
Let Ahio rejoice with the Merlin who is a cousin german of the hawk
For I have a nephew Christopher to whom I implore the grace of God
Let Joram rejoice with the Water Rail, who takes his delight in the river.
For I pray God bless the Cam – Mr Higgs, Mr and Mrs Washbourne as the drops of dew
Let Shephatiah rejoice with the little Owl, which is the wingged Cat (w-i-n-g-g-e-d) – (Shephatiah? – how do you know? – it’s in the Bible?)
For I am possessed of a cat surpassing in beauty, from whom I take occasion to bless Almighty God
Let Ithream rejoice with the great Owl who understandeth that which he professes
For I pray God for the professors of the University of Cambridge to attend & to amend
Let Elishua rejoice with Cantharis – God send bread and milk to the children
For pray God to give them the food that I cannot earn for them any otherwise than by prayer
For I bless God in the libraries of the learned & for all the booksellers in the world
For I bless God in the strength of my loins and for the voice which he hath made sonorous.
For grey hairs are honourable and tell every one of them to the glory of God
For I bless Lord Jesus for the memory of Gay, Pope, and Swift.
Let Ahimaaz rejoice with the Silver-Worm who is a living mineral
For all good words are from God and all others are can’t
For there is silver in my mines and I bless God that it is there rather than in my coffers
For I blessed God in St James’ Park till I routed all the company
For the officers of the peace are at variance with me and the watchman smiteth me with his staff – (that’s where he got busted, I guess, for praying)
For my seed shall worship the Lord Jesus as numerous and musical as the grasshoppers of Paradise – (it couldn’t get any better, it’s really pretty all that stuff, it’s like little cadenzas, little saxophone choruses..)
For the learning of the Lord increases daily, as the sun is an improving angel.
For beauty is better to look upon than to meddle with, and ’tis good for a man not to know a woman (he’s in the madhouse, remember, there he is in the bughouse)
For I bless God in all gums & balsams & everything that ministers relief to the sick.
For the Sun’s at work to make me a garment & the Moon is at work for my wife.
For tall and stately are against me, but humiliation on humiliation is on my side
For I bless God to Mr, Lion Mr. Cock Mr. Cat Mr, Talbot. Mr Hart Mrs.Fysh, Mr. Grub, and Miss Lamb.
For they throw my horns in my face and reptiles make themselves wings against me.
For I bless God for the immortal soul of Mr, Pigg of Downham in Norfolk.
Let Shechem of Manasseh rejoice with the Green Worm whose livery is of the field.
For the bite of an Adder is cured by its grease & the malice of my enemies by their stupidity (That’s a good one. I’m going to take that one down! – “For the bite of an Adder is cured by its grease & the malice of my enemies by their stupidity”)
For I bless God for every feather from the wren in the sedge to the cherubs and their mates.
For I pray the Lord Jesus that cured the lunatick (L-U-N-A-T-I-C-K) to be merciful to all my brethren and sisters in these houses (in the.. I suppose, Bedlam and (mad houses))
For they work on me with.. No, Let Andrew rejoice with the Whale, who is arrayd in beauteous blue & is a combination of bulk & activity.
For they work on me with their harping-irons, which is a barbarous instrument, because I am more unguarded than others – ( isn’t that nice? – that’s really something for the Save-The-Whales people, I have to remember that one). That’s really good.
Let Andrew rejoice with the Whale, who is arrayd in beauteous blue & is a combination of bulk & activity.
For they work on me with their harping-irons, which is a barbarous instrument, because I am more unguarded than others – ( that’s reall pathetic, Christian..)
For the English tongue shall be the language of the West – (chauvanist!)
For the nets come down from the eyes of the Lord to fish up men to their salvation
For I have greater compass both of mirth and melancholy than another.
For I bless the Lord Jesus in the innumerables and for ever & ever.
For I have had the grace to GO BACK – (in caps, capital letters) – which is my blessing unto prosperity.
For I am in twelve hardships, but he that was born of a virgin shall deliver me out of all.
Let Jacob rejoice with the Goldfish, who is an eye-trap – (take that! – “Let Jacob rejoice with the Goldfish, who is an eye-trap” – “Goldfish, who is an eye-trap” – He really has an amazing flights, almost like an amphetamine notion – the idea of the Goldfish as “an eye-trap”
Am I going too fast? – because each one of these has a little cracker in it.
[Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at approximately forty-three-and-a-quarter minutes in, and concluding at approximately fifty-two-and-a-quarter minutes in]