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 625 And place, instead of quirks themselves devise, 630 To prove, that without Christ all gain is loss, Throughout mankind, the Christian kind at least, There dwells a consciousness in ev'ry breast, 636 That folly ends where genuine hope begins, And he that finds his Heav'n must lose his sins. This riving stroke, this ultimate divorce; 640 645 But makes him, if at all, completely free; Sounds forth the signal, as she mounts her car, Of an eternal, universal war; 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, 660 Pretends a zeal for godliness and grace, Parent of Hope, immortal Truth! make known 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 If ever on thy eyelid stood the tear 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 Or if in masculine debate he shar'd, Ensur'd him mute attention and regard. Alas, how chang'd! Expressive of his mind, He now perceives where earthly pleasure ends 690 695 His hours no longer pass unmark'd away, 700 705 Must spring that hope he pants to make his own 710 715 720 When hope, long ling'ring, at last yields the ghost, 725 730 Of him, whom Hope has with a touch made whole. 'Tis Heav'n, all Heav'n descending on the wings Of the glad legions of the King of kings; "Tis more 'tis God diffus'd through ev'ry part, Tis God himself triumphant in his heart 735 O welcome now the Sun's once hated light 740 Rocks, groves, and streams, must join him in his praise. These are thy glorious works, eternal Truth, The scoff of wither'd age and beardless youth; 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 The brightest wonders of an endless day. Happy the bard, (if that fair name belong To him that blends no fable with his song,) 755 The faithful monitor's, and poet's part, 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 But while they speak the wisdom of the skies, 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 Prosper, (I press thee with a pow'rful plea,) 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, Teach me to kindle at thy gentle fires, And though disgrac'd and slighted, to redeem God, working ever on a social plan, 15 By various tics attaches man to man : He made at first, though free and unconfin'd, 20 |