1696.] A CANTICLE PENNED. 191 



As soon as the good News of our Deliverance came to our 

 Ears, and that of our Departure from Isle Maurice for 

 Batavia, I was not a little over-joy'd, for however Industrious 

 I was to seek for Diversion, and even to appear Gay to 

 encourage those poor young Men with whom I was ; I must 

 own, my Mind was not less indispos'd than my Body : 

 Besides^ I can't dissemble that I was exceedingly set against 

 that inveterate and implacable Persecutor, but still had a 

 greater Contempt for him, than Hatred. I could not endure 

 that he should bear the fair name of Diodati, or said to be a 

 Child of Geneva} But others affirm he was born at Bort. 

 If any Mahometan of Algiers had us'd me yet worse, I could 

 have born it patiently from him. 



In this extream Joy that affected me, my Soul lifted it self 

 up towards its Deliverer, and I pen'd a Song of Thanksgiving 

 and Benediction, whicli I compos'd of divers passages of 

 Scripture so happily link'd together, that I may say, tliey 

 perfectly express'd our different Conditions. I busied my 

 self a whole day about this comfortable Collection, and as 

 it was nothing but the word of God, I thought it must needs 

 be agreeable to this Pielution of my Adventures. But I 

 observe some People at a distance, that assume a ridiculing 

 Air upon this occasion ; methinks I hear them say, we have 

 a great deal to do indeed with your Canticle. Formerly they 

 were accounted Fools, that denied the Being of a God, but 

 now forsooth, they must pass for Wits: Well GentlemeUj^you 

 shall not have my Canticle, you are unworthy of it. Holy 

 Things are not your Inclination-'' I find, and these Pearls 

 shall not be thrown away upon you : I'll keep them for 

 good Men, for you wise and honest Eeader, who are not to 

 be carry 'd away by the Torrent of Prejudice,'^ therefore look 



^ Vide supra, p. 145. 



2 In orig. : " Messieurs les Beaux- Esprits," omitted by translator. 



3 In orig. : "les choses saintes ne sent pas pour les Chiens." 

 * In orig. : " perversite." 



