Morality
(Golder Project subject term)
Represented in
-
Wairau:—or Col. W—’s Dirge to the Memory of His Brother in New Zealand Minstrelsy
- the balance of justice
-
The Two Guides in The New Zealand Survey
- How true it is, that rising youth / Progressing needs a wise adviser; / One who is earnest for the truth, / And is no false or vain enticer. / But two attendants ready are, / And each against the other striving, / As each the youth would lead with care / In their own beaten paths, contriving / How to supplant each other:
-
In Memorium in The New Zealand Survey
- How well it is when nobleness of soul, / Combine with other nobleness of birth; / For then a worth is shewn, which other eyes / Can never look on but with pure delight; / Such worth engendering that love which ne’er / Can be displaced, nor held ’neath pride’s control
-
On Pride.—An Epigram in The New Zealand Survey
- How vain is pride! It adds no joy to life, / However much ambitious ’tis to rule; / While ’tis the principle of every strife; / And often proves its patron—“quite a Fool!”
-
Canto Fifth in The New Zealand Survey
- so shall your virtues shine, / Enkindling in their hearts new ardours, once / Unknown, to their affections, serving all / To melt the savage nature, purging off / Th’ impurities of degredation’s dross; / Refining them to social life and peace!
- Convinced that self-reliance is a gem / Worth all the jewels in a monarch’s crown! / Your’s is the task of reformations great, / Although such may be hard to be perceived, / Not only on this land, but on your race, / While training them by good example, which / Says more than precept ever could enforce, / To industry and hardihood, which scorns / All idleness, and every want defies!
- Yea such rewards, akin to virtue’s own, / Adapted to man’s nature, are still best / T’ encourage him in the advancement of / His moral faculties; ev’n be he sage / Or of the savage race, the while he aims / T’ increase his temp’ral interests of life, / And lays the best foundation, upon which, / His progeny their fortunes sure may build!
- Though much of their traditions in their kind / May bear comparison to what of old / Would Ovid tell, (1)—how things in present form / Had their existence by transforming spells; / Yet the untutored natives, more debased, / Knew not how advantageously to turn / Such ev’n to good instruction, in the guise / Of fiction’s elegance, with morals chaste! / But such in uncouth state have been conceived / As ’mid pollution, so produced unclean, / And told, while such have passed as current coin / Through generations, much transformed and patched / With fresh additions of unseemliness / And horrid shapes; while, upon which the minds / Of infancy were fed, and puerile thoughts / Were cherished, till such in their nature’s wove! / Thus superstition’s canker on them grown / Has gnawed into their souls! Thus prestine truths / Are made extinct, while falsehood bears the sway; / Wild superstition as with reptile’s coil / Have in the bonds of mystery wound their tail!
-
Signs of the Times in 1853 in The New Zealand Survey
- While such an act one can’t deny / Was quite a moral felony! / Still further, I perceive ’twas worse, / Whose bearings shew a greater curse; / If duly weigh’d, you’ll there discry / An outrage on humanity!!!
- “Some honest folks will whiles gaewrang, / When dim grows moral sight;— / Weel, gie their een an extra rub / Tae let in better light!” —Reason.
- Thus, much concern’d, my thoughts I task,
- “Oh! for an honest man, whose aim / Is simply for the public good, / Apart from selfish views!”—Embued / They’re so with innate self-esteem— / Though all most honorable seem / And complaisant,—(ah! that’s their care), / ’Tis question, Sir, if such they are / When put to test? Now in this age, / Ye well may act the ancient sage, / Who lit his candle in broad day, / And staff in hand went on his way; / With full intent the world to scan, / To try and find an honest man! / ’Tis thus, dear Brother, I’d advise / To save from glamour your weak eyes,
- Just think yourself in such distress / From hunger, and from nakedness, / Brought on thee through no fault of thine, / Which fain ye tried t’ escape;—combine / With that, a helpless offspring train / Crying to thee for bread. What pain / Of soul must such thee yield, to know / You have it not, while double woe / Would tear thy feelings, when ye tried / To gain it, and have been denied!— / Next, think of such-an-one, who loud / Would make thy sorrows known abroad, / As help he craved for thee;—but when / Such calls were heard and answer’d,—then / He to himself retain’d, with pride, / Such benefits, and left thee void!
- But you, perhaps, like me, are awkward / In what concerns yourself; and backward, / Through some false modesty, or bother!— / Well, then—could we employ another, / Whom we judge honest, full intent
-
Stanzas — On hearing of the Sudden Demise of Mr. G. Copeland, on May 22, 1866, Aged 65 Years in The New Zealand Survey
- As one of worth in ev’ry duty / He undertook, all round can tell; / His life has been a life of beauty, / Exemplar, to be studied well.
-
Condolence in The New Zealand Survey
- Great hopes has she for future good, / Seeing he trained his youths to virtue’s cause, / Her princes and her kings; / Corruption checking in the bud, / Aspirants bending to respect the laws, / Bespoke great future things! / Yea, grand events of vast import / To the advancement of the world at large, / As the commands of Heaven! / May such console, and cheer her heart, / While th’ honors feeling of so great a charge, / In worth immortal given! / Now, future generations shall / Look back and pay respect to all his worth / Avowed for imitation; / A grand criterion this of all / That’s great or good, in heaven or earth, / Or worthy in a nation!
-
The Young Bride in The New Zealand Survey
- Young Mary sat busy her needle-work plying, / While stitching a shirt-breast of linen so fine; / With love’s sweetest smile on her rosy cheeks playing, / Bespeaking heart joys little short of divine.
-
A Retrospective Reverie. — On receiving the “Hamilton Advertiser” a provincial newspaper, sent from “Home,” 1859 in The New Zealand Survey
- Yes, Avon’s haugh seem, now adorn’d, / With arts achievments, giving beauty / To time worn aspects, while new grace / Imparting to rough nature’s face / As some had done a moral duty!
-
Canto First in The New Zealand Survey
- they come to read a page / Of British hist’ry, that they thence might draw / Instructive lessons on the arts of peace, / Of freedom, and of enterprise, conjoin’d; / With a high tone of morals, which pervade / Society as attendant, seen from high / To low degree, compared with all they know / Among their own,—as on an ample sheet / In characters both legible and plain / Laid forth before them.
-
Stanzas — To the Memory of Wm. Swainson, Esq., F.R.S. &c., — Departed hence, December 7, 1855 in The New Zealand Survey
- Unlike to many a false philosopher / Who feign to search out knowledge in behalf / Of merely framing up some abject proof / That man can claim no more than the brutes’ share / Of immortality, condemning safe / Himself to the position of base degradations lair! / As through inverting optic’s they would view / The works of great Jehovah, ever good; / So moral darkness o’er such minds would brood!—
-
Canto First in The New Zealand Survey
- In all, the hand of Providence he sees, / As trying how one’s energies may meet / The magnitude of great emergencies; / Or training him to fortitude, to cope / With greater trials should they e’er occur, / As something yet unseen, held in reserve!— / Or prove that worldly gains are shadows all, / After the struggling one has such t’ obtain! / A means by which great lessons are us taught / If such we are inclined to understand.
-
On Passing Two Ladies in Deep Mourning in The New Zealand Survey
- Go doff such weeds and dress more gay, / Consistent be with this display / Of manners void of care!
-
A Dinner Hour Reverie in The New Zealand Survey
- Why thus should fretful thoughts annoy / A rational mind, may one enquire? / When all around, as ready, wait / Our hearts with pleasure to inspire. / ’Tis worldly pride, that peace destroys, / And kindles there each baneful strife; / Envenoming the purest joys / That might attach to human life. / The wants of nature are but few, / And eas’ly to be satisfied; / While those created ever grow / More and more complex when allied / Unto vain glory!—Such would shake / O’er one the tyrants vengeful rod, / Enslaving best affectious still / That should be rendered to his God.
-
Advertisement to the Crystal Palace in The New Zealand Survey
- I could not but regard the project of the great exhibition, with some admiration, feeling convinced that its ultimate results might lead to great moral revolutions, all tending to the welfare of the human family at large.
-
Canto Fifth in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- Love uncherish’d frets / Itself to sad vexation;—ill at ease, / His heart feels pain’d, —has no enjoyment, where / It ought to feel at home: it is not blest / With that repose it craves, when press’d with cares. / Can there his mind have rest? ’Tis apt to rove / To seek elsewhere what is not found at home, / At risk of sacrifising moral worth! / Such want of reciprocity, and peace, / Will often lead to dissipation’s woes; / No matter how degraded, when is lost / That self-respect, home-love could have sustain’d
-
The Picture of a Poet in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- But who can blind the poet’s marking eye? / To him, ’tis of an order, as t’ imply / His Maker’s special grace; in which descry / He must, a certain duty / To be perform’d. / So, ever is his soul in quest of beauty; / No matter, if on Nature’s face, / Or human works he such can trace, / Such make him feel as charm’d! / So that his bosom’s made to beat with joy / Nor can he other than his powers employ / To teach, the blinded, how they might descry / God’s goodness to the world, / And render praise: / That all around may gladly have unfurl’d / The banner of sweet brotherhood; / Averting ills, enhancing good, / Man’s nature prone to raise!
- Such are but a few features of the Poet. / That’s worth the name; and all traditions shew it; / Whatever be his history, all may know it, / He’s not of common lot. / Though human born: / Yet be it not in any wise forgot, / He has his whims, and frailties too; / Feels hard some passions to subdue, / And sometimes feels forlorn! / Whate’er may the true poet’s lot betide, / His aspirations are on virtue’s side:
-
Canto First in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- Love was the magnet between God and man, / And still is, in regard to common weal, / Whether for present, or for future good; / It was man’s motive pow’r to duty’s work, / And made earth’s Eden Paradise below, / Akin to Heav’n above, for perfect bliss! / Blest is the power of Love;—of Love devine, / That parent of all human love;—in truth, / ’Tisthat, which fills man’s soul with moral worth, / And makes it conscious of superior caste, / ’Bove aught to being call’d; and makes him seek / Enjoyments of a nature like itself, / For immortality;
-
Canto Third in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- where True Love from Prudence is apart: / What failures oft occur!—It is as when / No one is near, of danger to fore-warn, / Till helplessly we plunge in sorrow’s pool! / See, how it was with Mary.
-
Signatures in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- What Signatures some folks will make, / As being dubious of good fame! / Such heiroglyphics much partake / The semblance of some conscious shame! / As one who dares not shew his face / With honour ’mid the light of day; / Who owl-like courts the darkest place, / Cognition dreading with dismay!
-
Canto Second in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- That soul, how void of aught that is sublime,
- True love will never tamper with the heart / That yields implicit faith, relying ou / The truth of his professions as sincere: / But will maintain integrity, and shew / Uprightness in his conduct to the end!— / The false is full of self—of worthless self, / And cunning pride; in flattery, an adept; / While purpose base is ever in his aim; / Is reckless of the peace of the betrayed, / When ends are gain’d, and victim plunged in woe! / How sad, when the respondent’s heart, wherein / True love is foster’d, meets with base deceit! / She trusts too fondly to professions bland,
- When we re deprived of blessings, -only held / In small esteem, like other common things, / Not likely to get rid of; then is felt / Their double value, aye a thousand-fold, / More than when such possess’d were, as secure; / Which works within us woe at such a loss! / So was it with a tippler:
- to him it proved / The death of self-respect, and moral worth!—
- Or when remonstrance, in its mildest form, / She feels obliged to offer, with a heart / That trembles sensible of all the truth / She would express, and that too for his weal / And mutual joy; when such is roughly met / With scorn, (that sad reverse of social love;)
-
A Lay on Wanganui in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- A reflex influence has the land / Upon its owner, as on seed; / When its fertility will stand / A surety for each gen’rous deed! / Mete emblem of a bounteous soul, / Whieh would devise no scanty measure: / Ev’n as culture’s bland control / Would wilds convert to scenes of pleasure! / The country round begins to wear / An aspect new; the old’s outworn: / As civ’lization has a care / To brighten up things once forlorn!
-
Canto Fourth in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- Meanwhile, she felt it duty to exert / Some energy of mind, her griefs to quell:— / Thus, would she bring, by mental argument, / Opposing thoughts, as face to face, to prove / The right, or wrong, each boldly would prefer, / In causing such events that have transpired:— / As, “Was it right to charge him with such fault?” / Or, “Why could love not overlook that freak?
- In her own estimation, this was quite / A virtuous act: and his for gallantry, / Was not to be surpass’d; however much / For prudence, or discretion, both were void.— / How self-esteem would prompt the mind to think / Its self-will’d actions are of virtue’s class, / And worthy admiration; howe’er much / They’re reprehensive,—quite to be condemn’d! / The fond romancing lovers thought themselves / Most virtuous ones; their deed, a true-love’s act: / While others look’d upen it with disgust!
- Her parents fond felt even charm’d themselves / With her appearance; and fond hopes indulged. / That she might meet some lover of some note, / Above their sphere of life, though even that / Was of no humble grade; as fit were they / To give her education meet t’adorn / That sphere of life, they hoped she might attain— / Even the best a boarding school could give! / Yet, all the education she received / Could not put prudence in her pride-full heart;
-
The Boaster.* in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- how such greatness dwindles down / When seen by eyes of common sense; / For, lo! how little boasters own, / Compared with these of less pretence.
-
Preface in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- Love is not only the essence of all true poetry, but it is also the foundation of all sound morality,—it is the very spirit of moral philosophy! Now, say, is there no philosophy in Love?
Searching
For several reasons, including lack of resource and inherent ambiguity, not all names in the NZETC are marked-up. This means that finding all references to a topic often involves searching. Search for Morality as: "Morality". Additional references are often found by searching for just the main name of the topic (the surname in the case of people).
Other Collections
The following collections may have holdings relevant to "Morality":
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, which has entries for many prominent New Zealanders.
- Archives New Zealand, which has collections of maps, plans and posters; immigration passenger lists; and probate records.
- National Library of New Zealand, which has extensive collections of published material.
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, which has extensive holdings on the Auckland region and New Zealand military history.
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, which has strong holdings in Tāonga Māori, biological holotypes and New Zealand art.
- nzhistory.net.nz, from the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.