SMOKING SPIRITUALIZED is, at the present day, a standard publication with modern ballad-printers, but their copies are exceedingly corrupt. Many versions and paraphrases of the song exist. Several are referred to in NOTES AND QUERIES, and, amongst them, a broadside of the date of 1670, and another dated 1672 (both printed before Erskine was born), presenting different readings of the First Part, or original poem. In both these the burthen, or refrain, differs from that of our copy by the employment of the expression 'DRINK tobacco,' instead of 'SMOKE tobacco.' The former was the ancient term for drawing in the smoke, swallowing it, and emitting it through the nostrils. A correspondent of NOTES ANDQUERIES says, that the natives of India to this day use the phrase 'hooka peue,' to DRINK the hooka.]
PART I.
THIS Indian weed, now withered quite, Though green at noon, cut down at night, Shows thy decay;All flesh is hay:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe so lily-like and weak, Does thus thy mortal state bespeak;Thou art e'en such, -
Gone with a touch:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the smoke ascends on high, Then thou behold'st the vanity Of worldly stuff, Gone with a puff:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the pipe grows foul within, Think on thy soul defiled with sin;For then the fire It does require:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And seest the ashes cast away, Then to thyself thou mayest say, That to the dust Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
PART II.
Was this small plant for thee cut down?
So was the plant of great renown, Which Mercy sends For nobler ends.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Doth juice medicinal proceed From such a naughty foreign weed?
Then what's the power Of Jesse's flower?
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The promise, like the pipe, inlays, And by the mouth of faith conveys, What virtue flows From Sharon's rose.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
In vain the unlighted pipe you blow, Your pains in outward means are so, Till heavenly fire Your heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The smoke, like burning incense, towers, So should a praying heart of yours, With ardent cries, Surmount the skies.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
Poem: THE MASONIC HYMN.
[THIS is a very ancient production, though given from a modern copy; it has always been popular amongst the poor 'brethren of the mystic tie.' The late Henry O'Brien, A.B., quotes the seventh verse in his essay ON THE ROUND TOWERS OF IRELAND. He generally had a common copy of the hymn in his pocket, and on meeting with any of his antiquarian friends who were not Masons, was in the habit of thrusting it into their hands, and telling them that if they understood the mystic allusions it contained, they would be in possession of a key which would unlock the pyramids of Egypt! The tune to the hymn is peculiar to it, and is of a plaintive and solemn character.]
COME all you freemasons that dwell around the globe, That wear the badge of innocence, I mean the royal robe, Which Noah he did wear when in the ark he stood, When the world was destroyed by a deluging flood.
Noah he was virtuous in the sight of the Lord, He loved a freemason that kept the secret word;For he built the ark, and he planted the first vine, Now his soul in heaven like an angel doth shine.
Once I was blind, and could not see the light, Then up to Jerusalem I took my flight, I was led by the evangelist through a wilderness of care, You may see by the sign and the badge that I wear.
On the 13th rose the ark, let us join hand in hand, For the Lord spake to Moses by water and by land, Unto the pleasant river where by Eden it did rin, And Eve tempted Adam by the serpent of sin.
When I think of Moses it makes me to blush, All on mount Horeb where I saw the burning bush;My shoes I'll throw off, and my staff I'll cast away, And I'll wander like a pilgrim unto my dying day.
When I think of Aaron it makes me to weep, Likewise of the Virgin Mary who lay at our Saviour's feet;'Twas in the garden of Gethsemane where he had the bloody sweat;Repent, my dearest brethren, before it is too late.
I thought I saw twelve dazzling lights, which put me in surprise, And gazing all around me I heard a dismal noise;The serpent passed by me which fell unto the ground, With great joy and comfort the secret word I found.
Some say it is lost, but surely it is found, And so is our Saviour, it is known to all around;Search all the Scriptures over, and there it will be shown;The tree that will bear no fruit must be cut down.
Abraham was a man well beloved by the Lord, He was true to be found in great Jehovah's word, He stretched forth his hand, and took a knife to slay his son, An angel appearing said, The Lord's will be done!
O, Abraham! O, Abraham! lay no hand upon the lad, He sent him unto thee to make thy heart glad;Thy seed shall increase like stars in the sky, And thy soul into heaven like Gabriel shall fly.
O, never, O, never will I hear an orphan cry, Nor yet a gentle virgin until the day I die;You wandering Jews that travel the wide world round, May knock at the door where truth is to be found.
Often against the Turks and Infidels we fight, To let the wandering world know we're in the right, For in heaven there's a lodge, and St. Peter keeps the door, And none can enter in but those that are pure.
St. Peter he opened, and so we entered in, Into the holy seat secure, which is all free from sin;St. Peter he opened, and so we entered there, And the glory of the temple no man can compare.
Poem: GOD SPEED THE PLOW, AND BLESS THE CORN-MOW. A DIALOGUEBETWEEN THE HUSBANDMAN AND SERVINGMAN.
The tune is, I AM THE DUKE OF NORFOLK.
[THIS ancient dialogue, though in a somewhat altered form (see the ensuing poem), has long been used at country merry-makings. It is transcribed from a black-letter copy in the third volume of the Roxburgh collection, apparently one of the imprints of Peter Brooksby, which would make the composition at least as old as the close of the fifteenth century. There are several dialogues of a similar character.]
ARGUMENT.
