And spits abhorrence in the Christian's face. With senseless noise, his argument the sword, Parent of Hope, immortal Truth! make known 660 Thy deathless wreaths, and triumphs all thine own: 665 Thy means so feeble, and despised so much, That few believe the wonders thou hast wrought, And none can teach them but whom thou hast taught. Oh! 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 every stroke be thine. If ever thou hast felt another's pain, If ever when he sighed, hast sighed again, 675 If ever on thy eyelid stood the tear That Pity had engendered, drop one here, This man was happy-had the World's good word, Friendship and Love seemed tenderly at strife, 680 Which most should sweeten his untroubled life; Good breeding and good sense gave all a grace, And whether at the toilet of the fair He laughed and trifled, made him welcome there, 685 Ensured him mute attention and regard. Alas, how changed! Expressive of his mind, He now perceives where earthly pleasure ends; 690 695 His hours no longer pass unmarked away, Must spring that Hope he pants to make his own. 700 705 710 715 720 Shoots back the bolt, and all his courage dies: If then, just then, all thoughts of mercy lost, When Hope, long lingering, at last yields the ghost, 725 Joy, far superior Joy, that much outweighs 730 Of him whom Hope has with a touch made whole. 'Tis Heaven, all Heaven, descending on the wings 735 Oh! welcome now the sun's once hated light, Rocks, groves, and streams, must join him in his praise. The scoff of withered age and beardless youth; Of fools that hate thee and delight in sin; But these shall last when night has quenched the pole, And heaven is all departed as a scroll, And when, as Justice has long since decreed, This earth shall blaze, and a new world succeed, 740 745 Then these thy glorious works, and they that share 750 Happy the bard, (if that fair name belong 755 And while they captivate, inform the mind; 760 765 But while they speak the wisdom of the skies, 770 7 CHARITY. 'Quo nihil majus meliusve terris Fata donavere, bonique divi; Nec dabunt, quamvis redeant in aurum HOR. Lib. iv. Od. 2. [ARGUMENT :—Invocation to Charity, I-Social ties, 15-Humanity of Capt. Cook, 23-Cook and Cortez contrasted, 35-Degradation of Spain, 65-Design of Commerce, 83-Gifts of Art, 97-Slave trade denounced, 137-Slavery unnatural and degrading, 155-Duty of mitigating its miseries, 218-Apostrophe to Liberty, 254-John Howard, 290-Pursuits of Philosophy, 313-Revelation the lamp to Reason, 337-Charity the offspring of Truth, 377-The optician lecturing to a blind nation, 379-Portrait of Charity, 422-Almsgiving as an opiate to the conscience, 447-Satire deprecated, 485-Works of charity alone acceptable at the Judgment Day, 557-Charity exemplified in the life of Christ, 579-Blessed effects of the universal diffusion of Charity, 604]. FAIREST and foremost of the train that wait 5 A task I venture on, impelled by thee: Oh! never seen but in thy blest effects, Nor felt but in the soul that Heaven selects; Who seeks to praise thee, and to make thee known Come, prompt me with benevolent desires, ΙΟ And, though disgraced and slighted, to redeem He made at first, though free and unconfined, 15 20 25 He soothed with gifts, and greeted with a smile, The simple native of the new found isle; 30 He spurned the wretch that slighted, or withstood, To thwart its influence, and its end defeat. While Cook is loved for savage lives he saved, See Cortez odious for a world enslaved! 40 Where wast thou then, sweet Charity? Where then, Thou tutelary friend of helpless men? Wast thou in monkish cells and nunneries found, Or building hospitals on English ground? No.-Mammon makes the world his legatee 45 Through fear, not love; and Heaven abhors the fee. 50 |