With all Elijah's dignity of tone, And all the love of the beloved John, To storm the citadels they build in air, And smite the untemper'd wall; 'tis death to spare. And place, instead of quirks themselves devise, To prove, that without Christ all gain is loss, 625 630 Throughout mankind, the Christian kind at least, 636 And he that finds his Heav'n must lose his sins. 640 This riving stroke, this ultimate divorce; 645 But makes him, if at all, completely free; Sounds forth the signal, as she mounts her car, Rejects all treaty, penetrates all wiles, 649 Scorns with the same indiff'rence frowns and smiles; Drives through the realms of Sin, where Riot reels, And grinds his crown beneath her burning wheels! Hence all that is in man, pride, passion, art, Pow'rs of the mind, and feelings of the heart, Insensible of Truth's almighty charms, 655 Starts at her first approach, and sounds to arms! While Bigotry, with well-dissembled fears, His eyes shut fast, his fingers in his ears, With senseless noise, his argument the sword, 660 Pretends a zeal for godliness and grace, Parent of Hope, immortal Truth! make known Thy means so feeble, and despis'd so much, That few believe the wonders thou hast wrought, 665 And none can teach them, but whom thou hast taught. O see me sworn to serve thee, and command A painter's skill into a poet's hand. 670 That while I trembling trace a work divine, Fancy may stand aloof from the design, And light, and shade, and ev'ry stroke be thine. If ever when he sigh'd, hast sigh'd again ; 675 That pity had engender'd, drop one here. This man was happy-had the World's good word, Friendship and love seem'd tenderly at strife, 680 Which most should sweeten his untroubled life; Good breeding and good sense gave all a grace, He laugh'd and trifled, made him welcome there; 685 Ensur'd him mute attention and regard. Alas, how chang'd! Expressive of his mind, 690 He now perceives where earthly pleasure ends; 695 Hard task! for one who lately knew no care, And harder still as learn'd beneath despair ; His hours no longer pass unmark'd away, 700 705 Must spring that hope he pants to make his own. 710 As when a felon, whom his country's laws Upon his dungeon walls the lightnings play, 715 The warder at the door his key applies, 720 Shoots back the bolt, and all his courage dies. If then, just then, all thoughts of mercy lost, When hope, long ling'ring, at last yields the ghost, 725 Invades, possesses, and o'erwhelms the soul 730 Of him, whom Hope has with a touch made whole. "Tis Heav'n, all Heav'n descending on the wings 735 O welcome now the Sun's once hated light 740 Rocks, groves, and streams, must join him in his These are thy glorious works, eternal Truth, Of fools that hate thee and delight in sin: 745 But these shall last when night has quench'd the pole, And Heav'n is all departed as a scroll. And when, as Justice has long since decreed, This earth shall blaze, and a new world succeed, Then these thy glorious works, and they who share 751 Happy the bard, (if that fair name belong 755 Seek to delight, that they may mend mankind, And while they captivate, inform the mind: Still happier, if he till a thankful soil, 760 And fruit reward his honourable toil : But happier far, who comfort those that wait 765 770 Repays their work-the gleaning only mine. CHARITY. Quo nihil majus meliusve terris Nec dabunt, quamvis redeant in aurum HOR. lib. iv. Od. 2. FAIREST and foremost of the train, that wait 5 A task I venture on, impell'd by thee: O never seen but in thy bless'd effects, Or felt but in the soul that Heav'n selects; Who seeks to praise thee, and to make thee known To other hearts, must have thee in his own. 10 Come, prompt me with benevolent desires, God, working ever on a social plan, 15 By various ties attaches man to man : He made at first, though free and unconfin'd, 20 |