Religio Medici, Hydriotahia, And The Letter To A Friend ~
Sect. 12. | < Last - Next >

Sect. 12.

Sect. 12.--We term sleep a death; and yet it is wak- ing that kills us, and destroys those spirits that are the house of life. 'Tis indeed a part of life that best ex- presseth death; for every man truly lives, so long as he acts his nature, or some way makes good the faculties of himself. Themistocles therefore, that slew his soldier in his sleep, was a merciful executioner: 'tis a kind of punishment the mildness of no laws hath invented; I wonder the fancy of Lucan and Seneca did not discover it. It is that death by which we may be literally said to die daily; a death which Adam died before his mor- tality; a death whereby we live a middle and moderat- ing point between life and death. In fine, so like death, I dare not trust it without my prayers, and an half adieu unto the world, and take my farewell in a col- loquy with God:--

 The night is come, like to the day;
 Depart not thou, great God, away.
 Let not my sins, black as the night,
 Eclipse the lustre of thy light.
 Keep still in my horizon; for to me
 The sun makes not the day, but thee.
 Thou whose nature cannot sleep,
 On my temples sentry keep;
 Guard me 'gainst those watchful foes,
 Whose eyes are open while mine close.
 Let no dreams my head infest,
 But such as Jacob's temples blest.
 While I do rest, my soul advance:
 Make my sleep a holy trance:
 That I may, my rest being wrought,
 Awake into some holy thought,
 And with as active vigour run
 My course as doth the nimble sun.
 Sleep is a death;--Oh make me try,
 By sleeping, what it is to die!
 And as gently lay my head
 On my grave, as now my bed.
 Howe'er I rest, great God, let me
 Awake again at last with thee.
 And thus assured, behold I lie
 Securely, or to wake or die.
 These are my drowsy days; in vain
 I do now wake to sleep again:
 Oh come that hour, when I shall never
 Sleep again, but wake for ever!

This is the dormitive I take to bedward; I need no other laudanum than this to make me sleep; after which I close mine eyes in security, content to take my leave of the sun, and sleep unto the resurrection.

Religio Medici, Hydriotahia, And The Letter To A Friend ~
Sect. 12. | < Last - Next >

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