Earth's transitory things decay

Top Media Text Author Text Info Tune Timeline Arrangements Page Scans Instances

Earth's transitory things decay

Author: John Bowring
Published in 27 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Instrumental
	Cello Solos for Worship (Arranged with K…

Representative Text

1 Earth's transitory things decay;
Its pomps, its pleasures pass away;
But the sweet memory of the good
Survives in the vicissitude.

2 As, 'mid the ever-rolling sea,
The eternal isles established be,
'Gainst which the surges of the main
Fret, dash, and break themselves in vain;--

3 As in the heavens, the urns divine
Of golden light for ever shine;
Tho' clouds may darken, storms may rage,
They still shine on from age to age;--

4 So, through the ocean tide of years,
The memory of the just appears;
So, through the tempest and the gloom,
The good man's virtues light the tomb.

Source: Laudes Domini: a selection of spiritual songs ancient & modern (Abr. ed.) #438

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: John Bowring

James Bowring was born at Exeter, in 1792. He possessed at an early age a remarkable power of attaining languages, and acquired some reputation by his metrical translations of foreign poems. He became editor of "The Westminster Review" in 1825, and was elected to Parliament in 1835. In 1849, he was appointed Consul at Canton, and in 1854, was made Governor of Hong Kong, and received the honour of knighthood. He is the author of some important works on politics and travel, and is the recipient of several testimonials from foreign governments and societies. His poems and hymns have also added to his reputation. His "Matins and Vespers" have passed through many editions. In religion he is a Unitarian. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charl… Go to person page >

^ top

First Line:	Earth's transitory things decay
Author:	John Bowring
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

^ top

Tune

ROTHWELL (Tans'ur)

WARRINGTON

WARRINGTON was composed by Ralph Harrison (b. Chinley, Derbyshire, England, 1748; d. Manchester, Lancashire, England, 1810) and published in his collection of psalm tunes, Sacred Harmony (1784). The tune's rising inflections help to accent words such as erotic (probably the only time this word has b…

Go to tune page >

All tunes published with 'Earth's transitory things decay'^ top