Herself from morn to night, from night to morn,
Her own abhorrence, and as much your scorn;
The gracious shower, unlimited and free,
Shall fall on her, when Heaven denies it thee.
Of all that Wisdom dictates this the drift,
That man is dead in sin, and life a gift.'

510

'Is virtue then, unless of Christian growth, Mere fallacy, or foolishness, or both? Ten thousand sages lost in endless woe,

515

For ignorance of what they could not know?
That speech betrays at once a bigot's tongue,
Charge not a God with such outrageous wrong.'
'Truly, not I! The partial light men have,

520

My creed persuades me, well employed, may save;

While he that scorns the noonday beam, perverse,

Shall find the blessing unimproved, a curse.

Let heathen worthies, whose exalted mind
Left sensuality and dross behind,

525

Possess for me their undisputed lot,

And take unenvied the reward they sought,

But still in virtue of a Saviour's plea,

Not blind by choice, but destined not to see.
Their fortitude and wisdom were a flame
Celestial, though they knew not whence it came,
Derived from the same source of light and grace,
That guides the Christian in his swifter race;
Their judge was Conscience, and her rule their law;
That rule, pursued with reverence and with awe,
Led them, however faltering, faint, and slow,

530

535

From what they knew, to what they wished to know.
But let not him that shares a brighter day

Traduce the splendour of a noontide ray,

540

Prefer the twilight of a darker time,

And deem his base stupidity no crime;

The wretch who slights the bounty of the skies,

And sinks, while favoured with the means to rise,
Shall find them rated at their full amount,
The good he scorned, all carried to account.'

545

L

Marshalling all his terrors as he came,

Thunder, and earthquake, and devouring flame,
From Sinai's top Jehovah gave the law,

Life for obedience, death for every flaw.

550

When the great Sovereign would his will express,

He gives a perfect rule-what can He less?

To all on Earth, and to Himself above;

Condemns the injurious deed, the slanderous tongue,
The thought that meditates a brother's wrong;
Brings not alone the more conspicuous part,

560

His conduct, to the test, but tries his heart.

Hark! universal Nature shook and groaned;

'Twas the last trumpet-see the Judge enthroned!

Rouse all your courage at your utmost need,

565

Now summon every virtue, stand and plead.

What! silent? Is your boasting heard no more?
That self-renouncing wisdom, learned before,

Had shed immortal glories on your brow,

That all your virtues cannot purchase now.

570

All joy to the believer! He can speak—

Trembling yet happy, confident yet meek.

'Since the dear hour that brought me to thy foot,

And cut up all my follies by the root,

I never trusted in an arm but thine,

575

Nor hoped, but in thy righteousness divine;

My prayers and alms, imperfect and defiled,

Were but the feeble efforts of a child;

Howe'er performed, it was their brightest part,
That they proceeded from a grateful heart;

Cleansed in thine own all-purifying blood,
Forgive their evil, and accept their good;
I cast them at thy feet-my only plea
Is what it was, dependence upon Thee;

580

While struggling in the vale of tears below,
That never failed, nor shall it fail me now.'
Angelic gratulations rend the skies,

Pride falls unpitied, never more to rise,
Humility is crowned, and Faith receives the prize.

585

EXPOSTULATION.

Tantane, tam patiens nullo certamine tolli
Dona sines?'

VIRG. [Æn. v. 390].

[ARGUMENT:-Why should the Muse weep for England? I-State of Israel when the Prophet wept for her, 33-The Babylonian Captivity, 73-National decline commences in the Church, 95-State of the Jews at Messiah's advent, 123-Privileges of the Jews, 161-Causes of their downfall and dispersion, 213-Warning from their history to Britain, 241 -Her sins and dangers, 272-Adverse events ordered by Providence, 310-The nation is called to self-judgment, 340-Her ambition and vain-glory, 346-Her conduct to India, 364-Abuse of the Sacrament, 376— Hypocritical fasts, 390—Character of the Clergy, 438—Of the people, 450-State of the ancient Briton, 466-The Roman power beneficial, 474-Introduction of the Gospel, 500-Papal supremacy, 508-Subsequent blessings of Providence, 562-Reasons for gratitude, and the service of God, 644—With His favour we may defy the world, 694-The poet fears his warnings will prove in vain, 718.]

WHY weeps the Muse for England? What appears
In England's case to move the Muse to tears?
From side to side of her delightful isle,

Is she not clothed with a perpetual smile?

Can Nature add a charm, or Art confer

A new-found luxury, not seen in her?

Where under Heaven is Pleasure more pursued,
Or where does cold Reflection less intrude?
Her fields, a rich expanse of wavy corn,
Poured out from Plenty's overflowing horn;
Ambrosial gardens, in which Art supplies
The fervour and the force of Indian skies;

5

ΙΟ

Her peaceful shores, where busy Commerce waits
To pour his golden tide through all her gates,
Whom fiery suns, that scorch the russet spice
Of eastern groves, and oceans floored with ice,
Forbid in vain to push his daring way
To darker climes, or climes of brighter day;
Whom the winds waft where'er the billows roll,
From the world's girdle to the frozen pole;
The chariots bounding in her wheel-worn streets,
Her vaults below, where every vintage meets;
Her theatres, her revels, and her sports;
The scenes to which not youth alone resorts,
But age, in spite of weakness and of pain,
Still haunts, in hope to dream of youth again;
All speak her happy :-let the Muse look round
From East to West, no sorrow can be found,
Or only what in cottages confined,
Sighs unregarded to the passing wind.

15

20

25

30

Then wherefore weep for England? What appears
In England's case to move the Muse to tears?
The prophet wept for Israel; wished his eyes

Were fountains fed with infinite supplies;

For Israel dealt in robbery and wrong;

35

There were the scorner's and the slanderer's tongue,
Oaths used as playthings or convenient tools,
As Interest biased knaves, or Fashion fools;
Adultery, neighing at his neighbour's door;
Oppression, labouring hard to grind the poor;
The partial balance and deceitful weight;
The treacherous smile, a mask for secret hate;
Hypocrisy, formality in prayer,

And the dull service of the lip were there;

Her women, insolent and self-caressed,

By Vanity's unwearied finger dressed,

Forgot the blush that virgin fears impart

To modest cheeks, and borrowed one from Art;
Were just such trifles, without worth or use,
As silly pride and idleness produce;