Genre:

Poetry

Subjects:

Theology of Nature, Piety, Feeling, Wonder, Natural Law, Astronomy, Scientific Practitioners

    Apostrophizes God with the idea that thinking and speaking are inadequate in relation to him, and that only feeling is appropriate. The poet considers the possibility of his knowing the details of the sun's attributes, a discovery which would lead 'Proud Science' to 'immortalize his name'; Galileo Galilei would 'sink, forgot[ten]' and Isaac Newton's fame would 'be buried in his tomb' (419). For all such knowledge, he would know no more of God; however, God is made manifest in Christ.