CHARITY. Quo nihil majus meliusve terris Nec dabunt, quamvis redeant in aurum HOR. Lib. IV, Ode 2. FAIREST and foremost of the train that wait On man's most dignified and happiest state, 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, promp me with benevolent desires, By various ties attaches man to man: That ev'ry tribe, though plac'd as he sees best, Might feel themselves allied to all the race. As ever mingled with heroic dust, Steer'd Britain's oak into a world unknown, The rights of man were sacred in his view; The simple native of the new found isle; 21 30 He spurn'd the wretch, that slighted or withstood The tender argument of kindred blood, Nor would endure that any should control His freeborn brethren of the southern pole. But though some nobler minds a law respect, That none shall with impunity neglect, In baser souls unnumber'd evils meet, To thwart it's influence, and it's end defeat. While Cook is lov'd for savage lives he sav'd, 40 Where wast thou then, sweet Charity? where then, Thou tutelary friend of helpless men? Wast thou in monkish cells and nunn'ries found, The hand, that slew till it could slay no more, gore. Their prince, as justly seated on his throne Trick'd out of all his royalty by art, 51 That stripp'd him bare, and broke his honest heart, Died by the sentence of a shaven priest, For scorning what they taught him to detest. How dark the veil, that intercepts the blaze Of Heav'n's mysterious purposes and ways; God stood not, though he seem'd to stand, aloof; 62 Oh could their ancient Incas rise again, How would they take up Israel's taunting strain! Art thou too fall'n, Iberia! Do we see The robber and the murd'rer weak as we? Thou, that hast wasted Earth, and dar'd despise Alike the wrath and mercy of the skies, 70 Thy pomp is in the grave, thy glory laid Shook principalities and kingdoms down, And made the mountains tremble at his frown? And Vengeance executes what Justice wills. 'T' associate all the branches of mankind; Each climate needs what other climes produce, And offers something to the gen'ral use; 81 90 |